Guwahati girl becomes 'first Assamese' to graduate in Sanskrit, Classical Hindi from Oxford University

GUWAHATI: Arani S Hazarika has become the "first Assamese" to graduate in Sanskrit and Classical Hindi from the University of Oxford, one of the world's top educational institutes, according to a statement. She received the Bachelor of Arts degree in the graduation ceremony held at the university's iconic Sheldonian Theatre auditorium on August 9, it said.

The 21-year-old Assamese girl pursued her BA in Sanskrit and Classical Hindi at the university's Balliol College under the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, the statement added. "As per the available records, Arani is also the first Assamese to successfully pursue a BA in Sanskrit in this world-famous university," said her father, Partha Pratim Hazarika, a senior journalist with a Guwahati-based English daily.

Arani was chosen by the University of Oxford to do a BA in Sanskrit after her Class 12 board exam and was selected for the Simon and June Li Undergraduate Scholarship. She joined her classes in October 2022.

Arani, during her BA in Oxford, had worked on her dissertation with the topic of standardisation of the 15th-century Sanchi manuscript of the historic Dakshinpat Satra in Majuli, the statement said. She has already received an offer from the university to pursue her MA in the same college and department, it added.