Assamese girl becomes first from state to earn Oxford degree in Sanskrit, Classical Hindi
The university offered her a place in its BA Sanskrit programme and awarded her the Simon and June Li Undergraduate Scholarship, which supports high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds. She joined the course in October 2022.During her degree, Hazarika focused her dissertation on the standardisation of a 15th-century Sanchi manuscript of the Dakshinpat Satra in Majuli, a key Vaishnavite monastery in Assam.The work involved detailed study of the manuscript's linguistic features, orthography, and preservation challenges.Her academic performance has earned her an offer to continue at Oxford for a Master's degree in the same field. She is expected to begin her MA at Balliol College under the same department later this year.LINKING ASSAMESE HERITAGE WITH GLOBAL ACADEMIC CIRCLESArani's achievement marks a rare combination of regional heritage and global academic recognition. Sanskrit, though an ancient language, continues to be studied in international universities as part of wider research in linguistics, philosophy, and classical literature.Oxford's Sanskrit programme has trained scholars from across the world, but Hazarika's enrolment and graduation bring Assam into that circle.For Assam's academic community, the milestone is likely to encourage more students to consider niche subjects and pursue them at leading global institutions. It also draws attention to the scope for research on Assamese cultural and literary history in international forums.Hazarika's progression from undergraduate to postgraduate study at Oxford adds another chapter to the story. For now, her graduation sets a benchmark for aspiring students from the state and the Northeast who aim to blend local scholarship with global platforms.(WITH INPUTS FROM PTI)- Ends
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