The pursuit of education is one of the highest and noblest pursuits an individual can embark on. It takes dedication and earnest devotion towards knowledge, science, and the development of the entirety of the human race for a scholar to emerge. The young 25-year-old Yashvinnie Velaudam is an emblem of that journey towards liberating truth. The incredibly intelligent Yashvinnie has shared her wonderful struggle towards her achievement of being awarded the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Scholarship. With a bright future ahead of her, the young woman states that this is only the first step towards the long, great and intellectual life she is bound to live.
Family As A Foundation For Success
Born in Kajang to Velaudam and Jeyamani, Yashvinnie is the second child and younger sister to her brother Devaruben. The beautiful family sadly suffered the loss of their father only last year to myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease. The young Yashvinnie expressed how it was her family that remained a backbone to her astounding growth both academically and personally. Throughout her childhood and adulthood, her parents and her brother encouraged her to strive, to succeed, and to never settle for mediocrity. Their constant nurturing had been the water for the young seedling Yashvinnie; from their tender kindness, adoration, and discipline, she grew to reach unimaginable heights of accomplishment, with promises to achieve more in her gifted life. Yashvinnie’s family has been instrumental in creating the supportive environment she grew up in. From her primary education in the SK Bandar Tasik Kesuma and her secondary education in the SMK Bandar Tasik Kesuma, all the way to her university education, their love and fraternity have been the guiding light for the young intellectual.
Martial Arts and Academics: A Journey of Struggle and Success
Yashvinnie had been an introverted girl while in primary school, keeping mostly to herself and a small circle of trusted friends. She did not speak too much or too loudly and remained a precocious young mind all throughout that period of her life. Once she started secondary school, a remarkable and life-altering progression occurred: that shy and cautious child became a strong-willed and tenacious teenage girl. The catalyst for her change was her enrollment in taekwondo, a world-renowned Korean martial art. What began as just a simple extracurricular activity for the young girl, turned out to be a vital infrastructure for her future. She began showing great potential in the sport, and with the enthusiastic optimism expressed by her parents and brother, she continued in the field. Taekwondo was only something she took up initially as a form of healthy exercise, but it soon began to form a core part of her identity and being. Yashvinnie began representing her school in state tournaments. Her skill and technique captivated her family and coach, who saw great potential laying within the young girl, and they motivated her further in the martial art. In 2014, at the age of 15, Yashvinnie was selected to be in the Negeri Sembilan State Team. The following year, she was selected into the Kedah State Team, this time for the SUKMA (Malaysian Games). She entered the Terenganu State Team for SUKMA once again in 2018. The excellent progress she was making as a martial artist was happening parallel with her secondary education; the young student had to learn to be disciplined in both faculties. She conveyed that properly balancing both her sports and education was a challenge, but one that she poured her heart and soul into. Yashvinnie had gotten 5As for her UPSR, 8As for her PT3, and was aiming to get complete As for her SPM. During the year of her SPM examination, Yashvinnie, in order to be committed to full-time training in Kedah for the upcoming SUKMA Sarawak 2016, had to take a break from school for nearly 3 months.
In the midst of training intensely multiple times a day, the ambitious young girl had to also put hours into self-studying for her SPM. While her friends had the luxury of relaxing after intense practise, Yashvinnie had to concentrate her remaining energy completely on her academic studies. She detailed how exhausting it was to train her mind to retain vital information after a vigorous training session, but at the end of the day, she championed through the struggle. During one of her SPM trial exams, Yashvinnie had gotten only 5As. That final mark gave her a drive to push further; she understood that she needed to devote more energy towards her examination, and that is exactly what she did. In the end, the resolute young girl had gotten 8As in her SPM. After SUKMA ended in July that year, she consumed herself with study, day and night, with nothing but victory on her mind. It was that mindset and that unwavering force that led her to get the results that she rightfully struggled for. This astoundingly disciplined young woman not only excelled in her examination but also went to taekwondo competitions, during the exam period, where she won bronze and gold medals.
After completing secondary school, Yashvinnie began her progress towards university education. She completed both her Foundation in Agricultural Science and her B.Sc. in Cell and Molecular Biology at the highly prestigious University Putra Malaysia. She utilised her time in university to carve herself into becoming a completely capable and well-rounded individual. Yashvinnie was insistent on ceasing this prime opportunity in academia to perfect her leadership skills. During her foundation year, she was elected as President of the Sports Executive Council, which had 19 Sports Executive Councils under her leadership. She had also skillfully managed the organisation committee for ASPER, a sports carnival that had over 1,000 student attendees. As she enrolled in her degree programme, she diligently continued to develop her leadership capabilities, becoming a part of the Sports Executive Council on a faculty level. Yashvinnie would act as a university facilitator, professionally conducting orientation week for freshmen. No matter how exhausting everything got, she loved the challenge of it all. Her driving force for success was wanting to never waste the energy her family and she had put into her work. She was always conscious of all the time and energy that they had collectively contributed to her studies and sports endeavours; she did not want to see that time go to waste, and that was what motivated her to perform phenomenally on everything she did.
On Receiving the Prestigious Yang di-Pertuan Agong Scholarship
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is an immensely honourable and noble scholarship that is awarded only to an incredibly select few students who have exceptional achievement in both academic, extracurricular, and social activities. Yashvinnie had already received a first-class honours degree, which is the minimum requirement to be qualified for the scholarship. As every candidate that applies for this scholarship is an academically advanced student, the scholarship committee evaluates students further on their potential outside the institute of traditional education; they seek students who are developed in other extracurricular and social fields as well. Since Yashvinnie is a highly accomplished national-level taekwondo player, her application made her stand out amongst the thousands of applicants. Another significance of her martial arts sportsmanship is that she would compete in two categories in each competition, thus legitimising just how ambitious and goal-oriented she was at each challenge. Further, the leadership positions she occupied in university and her civic involvement in routinely caring for the elderly in nursing homes, all evidently distinguished her overwhelming amount of vigour in academics, extracurriculars, and the civic field.
Yashvinnie encourages other high-achieving students to also apply for this scholarship because it gives them a tremendous opportunity to pursue their education at world-class universities. Along with the stated requirements, applicants must also have received an unconditional offer letter from top universities and prepare a concise research proposal. The content of your proposal needs to also detail how your academic education will develop to benefit the nation as a whole. Yashvinnie also advises applicants to study the requirements properly and prepare their needed documents months prior to the deadline so as not to be disorganised during the application process.
On Her Fascination Towards Translational Cancer Medicine Research and Her Choice of University
The young scholar has always been intrigued and inquisitive about cancer. It is an incredibly complex biological entity that exists in the medical anatomy of the human body. While the world has a near-infinite coalition of cancer scientists working with dire dedication towards finding an absolute cure for this life-threatening disease, science has not developed far enough to discover that absolute cure. The complexity that cancer poses to the young mind of Yashvinnie has paved the way for her to form a professional career out of this scientific curiosity. Her mind truly comprehends and accepts that her study of cancer is a lifelong devotion to the medical science that constructs its every particle. Yashvinnie states with outmost confidence that her exploration of science is an endless voyage of seeking the mechanics of life itself, and she cannot wait to immerse herself in this infinite field of medicine. The brilliant future scientist, when asked why she had chosen to pursue her Master of Research at King’s College London, which is ranked 37th in the world, when she had already received admission to University College London, which is ranked 9th in the world, gave an immensely pragmatic answer. She explained that the programme offered by University College London only allowed her to participate in one research project, while the programme offered by King’s College London allowed her to work on two research projects in the span of a year. She detailed how her choice of the latter gives her a greater opportunity to acquire more knowledge in research methodologies and a wider group of scientists, academics, and medical professionals she can network with. King’s College London is also an institute that is impeccably equipped with world-class facilities and the latest technological instruments, all of which will most definitely contribute to Yashvinnie’s vital research. Along with these two internationally renowned institutes, the young scholar had applied to 12 world-class universities in total, 10 of which had accepted her admission.
Her Hopes For Her Education, The Nation, and The Youth
Yashvinnie expressed in great detail that she wants to begin building research skills and networking with other scientists during her master’s. She is committed to learning as much as possible for cancer researchers within her university and even those within her proximity. After completing her Ph.D., she plans to come back to Malaysia to perform in-depth and world-class cancer research that specialises in the field of immunology. Her love for the development of this field of science, led her to have the brilliant idea of collaborating with international institutes, both medical and academic, to produce effective and efficient research. She wants to begin networking now as a foundational instrument by which her work can develop and contribute to society, not just on a national basis but on an international one as well.
This government scholarship she received was created through the labour of the citizens of this nation, and the young scientist understands the weight of that contribution. It is for that very reason that she feels immense responsibility that her education and intellect be implemented for the development of society. She is not just a young woman who is guided by intellectual pursuit but also by a great moral compass. Yashvinnie expressed with humility that if her research would be used to save the lives of people, that would be her greatest achievement, and that accomplishment would not just belong to her but to the entire history of cancer research. She would join the noble names of those who dedicated their entire lives to saving the lives of others.
She says with a voice full of hope that she wants to inspire the young generation, especially those coming from middle- and working-class families. Having dreams and aspirations should not be restricted to those with wealth; one’s economic circumstances should not shackle oneself to mediocrity. Education should not be hindered by financial barriers, which is why having knowledge about scholarships is vital. She insists that younger students should remain ambitious; they shouldn’t give up but instead find scholarships and alternative ways to materialise their educational pursuits. She wants to be a symbol of hope for ambitious middle- and working-class students to have boundless dreams for their future.
The bright young mind also expresses that she wants young people to be aware of how precious and frail time is. Sometimes the youth believe that life is infinite, but as the years go by, we become more aware of how limited mortality is and how every second should be spent with outmost care, concern, and criticality. She advises the next generation to use their time wisely. Even if students aren’t certain of which field to study after SPM, they should make sure to put their effort into the examination. They shouldn’t lose their focus on performing in the present just because their future is uncertain. She further states that students should get to know themselves, build their character and individualism, and do everything wholeheartedly without an ounce of complacency or idleness. The young woman reveals that indecision is what seduces people into wasting their lives; one’s mind must always be sharp and resolute in any field, in any task, at every point of the marvelously sensational phenomenon called life.
The People Who Inspire Her
When asked this question, Yashvinnie gave a very honourable and virtuous answer. Instead of listing the names of famous people like most people usually do, Yashvinnie gives a very sentimental reply, stating that there are too many people for her to name, and she instead expresses the qualities that those who inspire her possess. The brilliant young woman goes on to say that she greatly admires those who contribute back to the Tamil community. The Tamils constitute the poorest, most violated, and most exploited community in Malaysia. After 200 years of forceful labour migration to this land, generations of people of indentured descent have been condemned by socio-economics and politics to remain an exploited class of people. Yashvinnie observes this; she understands the state of her people and bravely states how only through community organisation and collective effort can a people progress. The people who contribute to this mass upliftment are those she sees inspiration in. Furthermore, people who encourage the contribution of women entering the field of STEM are also those she admires. When people practice disdain for individualism and perpetually work towards collective development, that is when the masses can attain true freedom and liberation. At such a young age, she boldly declares that individual greed for self-improvement and private wealth will never truly emancipate marginalised people. She also states that even if one’s contribution to society is only aiding one or two individuals, that selfless work of giving knowledge, skill, and emotional strength to another generation is what gives meaning and purpose to one’s life. That is the light and grace by which Yashvinnie wants to be guided by. She wants her education and profession to one day aid in the strengthening of her community. With both a brilliant mind and a heart full of integrity, one has no doubt that her words will come true one day. We should all share the emotion of immense pride and faith that the younger generation is in good hands with ambitious intellectuals like Yashvinnie in our midst.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.
