Mr Dalian Sunder, a BSc Applied Mathematician and Physics graduate, received the Zac Yacoob Scholarship Award at this year’s annual Scholarship Awards ceremony.

Youngest in his family, Mr Sunder recollects how his interest in outer-space blossomed to his passion for Maths and Physics during high school. At a tender age, Mr Sunder would spend hours at the library with his mother reading up on the universe and outer-space.

‘I was always fascinated by outer space from a young age. I would memorise facts such as Yuri Gagarin who in 1961 became the first man to journey to outer space. I always annoyed my parents with questions about everything. My mom should spend hours with me in the non-fictional section of the library, and it was there that I developed an interest for outer space and trying to understand how the universe works. This passion only grew throughout high school, and thus led me to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree,’ said Sunder.

He graduated earlier this year summa cum laude with a BSc degree in Applied Maths and Physics. He is currently pursuing a BSc Honours degree in Applied Maths. With this scholarship, he feels he will be able to accomplish his goals of becoming an astrophysicist.

‘I plan on continuing with postgraduate research at Master’s level. This will allow me to build on my current knowledge and delve deeper into topics that were introduced in my undergrad studies which will also prepare me for PhD studies. This is a step forward in becoming an astrophysicist,’ said Sunder.

For Sunder, receiving this scholarship is not only validation of his hard work but also serves as a motivation to continue in the same diligent streak in future.

‘The scholarship means acknowledgment of past work and motivation to work harder in the future. It is the happiness on my parents’ faces. It creates a sense of accomplishment. In short, it means a lot to me. I would like to make a special thanks to God, without whom, none of this would be possible. I also especially thank my parents for their endless support and encouragement, but most importantly, for selflessly sacrificing so much for me. Without them, I certainly would not be here today. You could say I stand on the shoulders of giants,’ he said, also extending gratitude to the scholarship donors.

‘Thank you for acknowledging my efforts. It is uplifting and shows your confidence in my generation. I thank you for your overwhelming generosity and will strive to emulate it in the future,’ says Mr Sunder.

Professor Kavilan Moodley, Mr Sunder’s lecturer, said he (Sunder) has performed exceptionally well in his undergraduate degree and has a bright research career ahead in the field of astrophysics and cosmology.