“Not again, the power can’t go out on this day. It’s my sister’s wedding”. That’s what I heard my older cousin scream, wearing her heavily embellished blue dress despite being so made up, she had a panic stricken demeanour.
With no one else there to remediate the situation by fixing the generator, at only 15 years of age, I made my way up to the roof to fiddle with the choke and check the fuel lines.
This is what my life has looked like over the course of the last few years. I live in a joint family and have made a name in my household by fixing inconveniences. I picked up these skills early in life by vigilantly observing my grandfather, who spent his retirement working on electrical appliances, fixing machines and plumbing around the house. This instilled in me a drive to understand the logic behind how things function and eventually shaped my inquisitive personality.
I have been fortunate enough to study at a college that reinforced my love for science. My mentors, especially my Physics teacher, pushed me to partake in STEM competitions. Over time, this involvement led me to become the President of the Robotics and Innovation Society. I have led a group of highly talented peers as the President of this society, who have enthusiastically participated in interschool hackathons and tech talks. However, the highlight of our time has to be the workshop we organised in September 2025. My team and I were able to teach basic digital literacy skills to underprivileged students. In 96 hours, expanded over a time frame of two weeks, we managed to teach a cohort of 30 underprivileged students how to use computers, internet services and email. While this workshop may seem foundational, the skills will remain with them forever and serve as a building block in their academics and professional life.
My drive to fix things can be reflected beyond the walls of my house. I believe that education should be accessible to all, hence I volunteered for The Citizen Foundation. I helped them design a Science for Street curriculum in order to bridge the educational disparity between the elite and the destitute children. In this project, we had to choose the mathematics, physics and chemistry textbooks that TCF students would use in 7th and 8th grades and learning based activities that would bridge the learning gaps. During this community service, I realised the importance of broadening my horizons as I embarked on crafting a holistic curriculum.
While I have been deeply immersed in extracurricular activities which have enriched my soul, academics have enriched my mind. Getting a distinction in O levels Physics has propelled me to apply for Electrical Engineering at this university. Physics has a unique ability to engage my mind in contemplation, it awes and perplexes me simultaneously. Electrical Engineering is a degree that gives a pragmatic outlook to the challenges which Physics brings forward, it seamlessly ties philosophy and real-world application. I hope to use the knowledge I gain from this program to create sustainable solutions for making technology more accessible for marginalised communities.