Navya Bhayana, Ashwin and Khushi Dharewa from NUJS Kolkata were being interviewed by Raksha Raina EBC/SCC Online Student Ambassador on winning Aditya Birla Scholarship .
- Hi, congratulations on your achievement! To begin with, tell us something about yourself!
Navya: Hi, I’m Navya Bhayana and have been born and brought up in a family based in Delhi. I have a special knack for reading books and writing poems and enjoy appreciating language and literature. Being charged by unbridled interests, I like to try my hand at new things, ranging from learning new languages to playing various sports.
Ashwin: I’m from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. My Parents work in the textile industry. I did my schooling in Riverside Public school, Kotagiri. Now I’m studying law at NUJS, Kolkata and I’m really grateful to be here.
Khushi: Thank you so much! My name is Khushi Dharewa and I’m from Kolkata, West Bengal. I am currently studying in NUJS. Unlike most Indian families which are inclined towards academics, I come from a family of sports enthusiasts. Naturally growing up, I was exposed to different activities. I played chess for a major part of my life and now I look forward to my career in the field of law.
- What made you choose law as a career?
Navya: Being driven towards human rights, I believed that a legal career would give me a leg up by allowing me to know about the existing laws and various processes involved. Holding this understanding, I opened to read about various legislations, which multiplied my interest in the subject by expanding my horizon of knowledge and reflection. In addition to this, being a part of the heritage and cultural club of my school provided me with an insight into the history of lawmaking and the constitutional framework involved. Ergo, to give direction to my curiosity, I look forward to trailing my career in law.
Ashwin: Upon doing some research about the course, I was really amazed by the skillset a person would develop, eventually, through the course. I am also really interested in the course of study. This encouraged me to take up law as a career.
Khushi: As I said, I was a professional chess player and one picks up a few things here and there while playing a game for so long! I loved the way it made me think. Thus, when the time came to finally choose a career, I was allured towards law. I feel the way a lawyer thinks is very similar to the way we think in chess.
- Tell us about your experience of going through CLAT, joining NUJS and eventually
getting shortlisted for ABS?
Navya: Preparing for law entrance exams has been an enriching experience, which has helped me expand my range of knowledge and purview. Thereafter, being a student at NUJS has encouraged me to do better as it provides a plethora of opportunities for exploring diverse interests and allows personal growth. Furthermore, going through the preliminary application stage for ABS was a tedious albeit an enhancing process, however getting shortlisted was worth the effort.
Ashwin: I had to take some time off after 12th, before my successful attempt. I managed to do well in the last attempt and thankfully I got allotted, NUJS.
My AIR in CLAT was 131. Because of this I was shortlisted for the Aditya Birla Scholarship preliminary rounds and I was really happy about that. Though hopeless at first, I thought I would give it a try. And I am really happy that I got the scholarship.
Khushi: I am a dropper. I had specially moved to Jaipur and joined Clatprep for coaching.Taking a drop and moving out was a big decision for both my parents and I. I couldn’t have asked for a better CLAT experience and I thank my parents for putting in blind faith and continuously supporting me with no pressure whatsoever. Clatprep is definitely the best institute in the country and I thank all my teacher there. Also, without a doubt, my journey couldn’t have been this fruitful without the support of my friends both back at home and the ones I made in Jaipur. Especially Chakshu, who made the transition away from home easier for me and always had my back.
Coming to the CLAT result, I got an AIR 82 and I was immensely happy. My first preference was NUJS, and I got the college I wanted. It’s been over 2 months here and I can see this is going to be a great journey!
I had no idea about ABS until I joined college. We got enough time to prepare and seniors were extremely helpful throughout the process.
- What does this scholarship mean to you?
Navya: The scholarship comes as a confidence booster for me which provides a sense of pride yet humbles me down at the same time. Being an ABS scholar means to be a part of a larger group where I can learn and thus, aim to make the best use of the scholarship.
Ashwin: I see the scholarship as an encouragement to perform my tasks well at law school.
My Parents were really happy when I told them about this. I’m also happy that it reduces the fee burden on my Parents. The scholarship will act as remainder of what I want from the course and of the tasks that I will have to perform to do well.
Khushi: I feel this scholarship is going to make me want to work harder. And the competitive nature I already have inculcated in my years at chess tournament is going to come to use. It’s definitely something I’m proud of and I hope to be able to continue this for the next five years.
- What/who was the biggest driving force/motivation behind the process, for you?
Navya: I would give the credit for driving me to be the best version of myself to my parents and my elder brother, who constantly motivated me to have faith in my efforts. Moreover, I owe it to the seniors for their invaluable help, without which it would not have been possible to ace the process.
Ashwin: My Parents, my brother and my friends at NUJS really helped with the motivation part in college. While a lot of the others had a great CV, I had done few things at school and I thought this would bring my chances of winning the scholarship, down. Nevertheless, their constant support helped me in making up my mind that I had to give it a try and that I had good chances of winning. Then this happened. I’m really grateful to them.
Khushi: My parents were the driving force and source of motivation for me during the whole process. I wanted to win this for them.
- What part of the journey did you enjoy the most? What was the most memorable part of it?
Navya: To give an interview before eminent jurists of our country was an exceptional experience. Though I felt a bit nervous before going for the interview, I managed to compose myself and remained confident during the entire process, which helped me get through. The final day included an amusing time when we had our photo shoot, for which getting up early in the morning didn’t bother us.
Ashwin: I really enjoyed the part where my seniors at college, helped me with possible questions that could be asked from my essay. I also like the essay writing part during the preliminary rounds. I think this helped me in getting to know a lot about myself and reflecting on the journey I’ve had so far. I’m happy this happened to me.
Khushi: I definitely enjoyed the 3 day stay in ITC. I mean, who wouldn’t? The most memorable part has to be when I heard my name when the winners were being announced.
- Tell us about the interview phase and the final day?
Navya: The entire process was an enriching experience which offered a lot to learn and develop. However, the most enjoyable part of the procedure was the networking activity where we got an opportunity to socialize with students studying at various prestigious institutions from different educational and cultural backgrounds. This made us exchange our experiences which would thereby help us determine different options to explore.
Ashwin: The final day before the interview was filled with anxiety. I was amazed at the things that were happening around me. My mind was all about the interview that was going to happen the next day.
Then came the interview day. I had my slot in the morning. So, couldn’t sleep well.
I spoke to my brother and then decided that I’m not going to worry about the result. Wonderful people were going to me that day. So, I thought I’ll just have a nice conversation with them during the interview. Thankfully, the liked my conversation.
Khushi: On the final day the interviews had started right in the morning. I had my interview post lunch and It was relatively short. I was asked questions from the essay I had submitted. It was more or less what I had prepared.
- How was the feeling of actually realizing that you’ve received the scholarship, after all the hardwork?
Navya: It was a delightful moment to receive the scholarship; however, it took some time to absorb the results after the substantial striving that went in the process. I was filled with ecstasy and a sense of gratitude towards everyone who played a crucial role in helping me achieve the scholarship.
Ashwin: The scholarship seemed to me as a validation of the effort that I had put in during the whole process starting with CLAT prep. I’m sure, people who were not able to get the scholarship had also put in a lot of hard work to make it to NUJS. It felt really good that I was given the opportunity and that I had managed to make it through the interview, successfully that day. Amazement just took over.
Khushi: There was a feeling of satisfaction. I wouldn’t say I worked throughout the month but definitely put in effort. So,it was a great feeling that it ended on a good.
- What did you do right after knowing that you have become the recipient of this prestigious scholarship?
Navya: I had mixed feelings in the incredible moment when the results were announced. Right after the news set in, I shared my elation with my parents and brother, to whom I credit my success.
Ashwin: I Just took a moment to think of what was happening around me. I was completely blank. After my name was called out, I went completely numb and just walked to receive the certificate. Then, came the happy feeling of winning something that was wonderful, the scholarship.
Khushi: I texted my parents and my best friend- I got it. They were on cloud nine. It was an amazing moment.
- Do you want to give out some tips for the next batch of students? Any dos/don’ts?
Navya: My word of advice to the aspirants is to remain honest and portray yourself as who you genuinely are. It’s an excellent opportunity to explore yourself and learn, so good luck for the journey!
Ashwin: I would like to ask the next batch of students to not worry about the results. The process is what that matters. Put in a lot of thought on what to write in the essay. Have genuine things said, that you are really passionate about. Don’t procrastinate during the essay writing process. Get as much as help you need from your seniors. Enjoy the process. And I would also like to add that it doesn’t matter if you don’t make it through the rounds. You have a whole lot of wonderful things to do, ahead of you. Go ahead and have fun. All the Best.
Khushi: While there is no one size that fits all, I’d like to emphasize on the fact that one should be genuine- Both while writing the essay and during the interview. Faffing won’t work in the candidates favor. All the best to the future candidates!
