10 Years of Ashoka is a Landmark Moment: Aniha Brar, Dean, Young India Fellowship
Aniha Brar, Dean of the Young India Fellowship, reflects on Ashoka University's decade of growth, highlighting the strong bonds and achievements of its alumni community while envisioning a future filled with limitless possibilities
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This is a landmark moment as Ashoka University turns 10. When I think back to the very first year we walked onto this campus that was largely sand and a few bricks, and how far we have come in that decade, I can’t even contemplate what the next 10 years are going to look like because I genuinely believe the sky is the limit for this university.
Over the last 13 years, I have observed how faculty and Fellows stay connected even years after they have graduated, how Ashoka’s founders continue to guide and advise those who are trying to establish start-ups, and how members of the programme team keep getting updates about where people are studying, working and living. You can find a YIF alumnus in almost every country where there is a programme of repute and the alumni web is a far-reaching and strong one, cutting across batches.
Whether Fellows want advice on applying to a programme or job, to collaborate on an initiative or even simply need a place to stay in a new city, they always find a response from the community. Their bond with the alma mater can also be seen in the fact that today alumni are spread across Ashoka as professionals, Teaching and Research Assistants, and visitors to the institution. At a personal level, Fellows stay connected through sickness and travel, graduations and weddings. I think these are more than networks – these are meaningful relationships.
Looking at the work our alumni are doing at present – from entrepreneurship to academia, and from leading change in the corporate environment to the social sector, I believe we are on the right track. These are individuals who are constantly reshaping themselves and, in the process, also their ecosystem. Our goal is for Fellows to see the future as a place of opportunity and innovation, not just challenges and struggle; that they not only survive but actually thrive.
As we celebrate this milestone, we remain committed to nurturing a community where curiosity, innovation, and meaningful relationships thrive, paving the way for a future filled with limitless possibilities.
