Welcome to the Student Voice series. The series interviews students in our English-medium programs. We hope these interviews can be helpful to you when thinking about choosing to come to Ritsumeikan University (RU).
Post by International Admissions Office
At the moment, I am based in New Delhi, India, where I work for a private development consultancy which exclusively works on projects with the potential to create positive social impact. More specifically, I am working on an Australian government-funded project called South Asia Regional Infrastructure Connectivity (SARIC), which aims to foster better-quality and socially inclusive energy and transport infrastructure connectivity across South Asia. I hold a position called Training and Operations coordinator, and my work entails supporting senior regional decision makers across the South Asian energy and transport sectors. We do this by filling certain knowledge gaps via capacity building programs on various topics covering regional integration, best practice in planning, financing, and implementation of infrastructure and energy projects. I get to interact with public and private sector officials, interview them as part of monitoring activities, and gain interesting insights about the grassroots realities in South Asia. My work has allowed me to pursue in-depth research on topics like gender and climate mainstreaming, renewable energy transitions, energy poverty, urban planning and mobility patterns, and social inclusion. As the youngest member on my team, I get to develop a variety of skills related to project management, business development, procurement, branding compliance and project coordination. It has truly been an amazing learning curve so far, and I cannot wait to take on more interesting tasks and projects in the future.
My undergraduate experience at Ritsumeikan gave me the foundation that I was able to shape in my master’s education and my current work. First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for the knowledgeable faculty I was able to learn from. I entered the College of International Relations with a fairly narrow and restricted understanding of IR. My professors not only exposed me to various perspectives of global policy and cultural realities, but also encouraged me to explore the field on my terms and at my pace. Learning about area studies as practice taught me how to engage in sociological and anthropological research authentically, which in turn allowed me to unapologetically discover the world and the various peoples it holds. It made me more curious, adventurous and accepting of differing worldviews, practices and opinions.
Studying abroad from RU to the National University of Singapore
Immediately after graduating from Ritsumeikan in 2023, I started my master’s program at the London School of Economics and Political Science studying Human Rights and Politics within the Department of Sociology. I knew I wasn’t satisfied with my academic journey in my final year of undergrad and thought that jumping into graduate school would give me the opportunity to dive deep into my research focus, widen my research skillsets, and boost my confidence before starting the job-hunting process.
At master's graduation,
the London School of Economics and Political Science
In London, I had the
Find out more about Study Abroad Programs
As someone who has only recently started working in the development sector, my current priority is to experiment and learn about various aspects of this field to find my interests and calling. My research has often focused on social aspects of development such as gender and social inclusion, labor rights, decolonial projects and complexities of humanitarian interventions in violence-stricken areas. I can envision myself working in international institutions, NGOs and consultancies where I can work on projects dealing with social protection, education, human rights, healthcare, and gender equality. My motto is straightforward – to work on endeavors that create social impact at the grassroots level. I realize that there are multiple ways to achieve this, so my current task lies in figuring out how I can best achieve this goal that is in line with my research interests.
I would like to strongly encourage prospective students to apply to the Global Studies Major in the College of International Relations. It is the perfect amalgamation of studying the world from international as well as Japanese perspectives and discovering your true potential. Ritsumeikan is the perfect platform for kickstarting your journey towards international cooperation and development. Do not underestimate the power of making connections with people from all backgrounds and reaching out to the people around you when you need help. Ritsumeikan alumni have been ever so gracious in helping me whenever I needed it, even giving me insights about the program when I was a prospective student myself. I would be most happy to speak to anyone who wants to chat or wants a different perspective. Do not hesitate to reach out on LinkedIn, and I look forward to having productive conversations with you all!