Assam's Arani S. Hazarika becomes first from state to graduate in Sanskrit from Oxford University

21-year-old Arani S. Hazarika from Bamunimaidam, Guwahati, Assam, has etched her name in history by becoming the first Assamese to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Sanskrit and Classical Hindi from the prestigious University of Oxford.

The degree was conferred at Oxford’s historic Sheldonian Theatre on Saturday, August 9 (UK time), in a ceremony attended by the university’s Vice-Chancellor, eminent scholars, and researchers from across the globe.

A former student of Holy Child Higher Secondary School, Chandmari, Arani excelled in her CBSE Class 10 and 12 board exams before being admitted to Oxford at the age of 18. She studied at Balliol College—established in 1263 and one of Oxford’s oldest colleges—under the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, specializing in the rare combination of Sanskrit and Classical Hindi.

Her academic journey was further distinguished by receiving the Simon and June Li Undergraduate Scholarship, a recognition reserved for exceptional international students. She began her studies in October 2022 and successfully completed the rigorous program within the stipulated timeframe.

As part of her undergraduate work, Arani authored a significant research paper on the standardization and authentication of 15th-century palm-leaf manuscripts from Dakhinpat Satra in Majuli, Assam. Founded by the Vaishnavite saint and reformer Srimanta Sankardeva, the satra holds immense historical and cultural value, making her research a notable contribution to the preservation of Assamese heritage.

Arani is the daughter of Partha Pratim Hazarika, senior journalist and Assistant Editor of The Assam Tribune, and Sudakshina Bhuyan, a prominent Feng Shui–Vaastu consultant. Her achievement is being celebrated as a proud moment for Assam, symbolizing the state’s growing representation in global academia.