Jasmine is founder of a non-profit educational organisation, Khalsa Catalyst
Exeter chose me, and it changed my life.
On my UCAS application, I left 4 university choices blank. Oxford University was my only aim. I left the college allocation open, and Exeter chose me, becoming my home for the next 4 years.
Just 3 weeks into university life, having arrived in a new country and culture, I approached the then Rector, Sir Rick Trainor, with an unique and unheard of before, request: a space in which Sikh students could celebrate their traditions. With his wholehearted support, I established Oxford University’s first official Sikh celebration—Vaisakhi. Bringing together around 150 guests from diverse backgrounds, the event became an annual tradition of the College and continues to be celebrated at Exeter today. The College’s support has endured across successive generations of leadership. Last year, Rector Dr Andrew Roe kindly opened the doors of the Rector’s Drawing Room for Sikh devotional music during Vaisakhi and joined the audience for an evening reflecting cultural heritage and Exeter’s spirit of openness and inclusion.
Some of my most cherished memories were forged in Exeter’s 24-hour library. A committed night owl, I often worked through the late hours before stepping outside at dawn to watch the first light emerge behind the Radcliffe Camera. Having since travelled to 22 countries and studied in three, I can say with confidence that few sights have matched the quiet splendour of those Oxford mornings.
Life at Exeter offered opportunities far beyond the library. I was awarded runner-up for Best Director in Cuppers for a Greek tragedy and set up a student film production group, through which I produced two short films. I also became the then-youngest President of the Undergraduate Historians Assembly (UHA), helping to facilitate dialogue between students, tutors, and the University’s governing bodies. Alongside this, I was involved in access and outreach initiatives, serving as a 3-time Exeter Telethon caller and visiting schools across UK to encourage young people to pursue languages in higher education. In my final year, I was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Climate Colloquium Award, selected as part of the winning team from over 50 entries.
Following graduation, I joined the Economic Cooperation and Development Division of the German Embassy in New Delhi. In January 2026, I was part of the core delegation supporting Chancellor Merz’s visit to India, assisting in preparations for engagements between the German Chancellor and the Prime Minister of India. As the youngest member on the table, in many of the meetings and delegations I facilitate, I am frequently reminded of Oxford’s tutorial system. The discipline of defending ideas under scrutiny, refining arguments, and expressing complex thought with clarity continues to shape my work in diplomacy and public policy.
Despite coordinating numerous high-profile state visits, few occasions have been as personally meaningful as Rector Andrew Roe’s visit to India. It was a privilege to dine with
him and reflect on the enduring influence Exeter continues to have on its alumni, long after they have left its walls.
My commitment to widening access to education has remained central to my life beyond Oxford. I founded a non-profit educational organisation, Khalsa Catalyst , supporting students from underprivileged backgrounds through confidence-building and communication training. I created a leadership bootcamp for 60 students, delivered 7 months of online teaching, and designed a residential programme at Oxford focused on leadership and confident communication. When parents spoke of a renewed sense of confidence in their children, I realised that something meaningful had shifted. Aspirations had expanded, possibilities had become tangible, and a cycle of opportunity had begun.
To help others gain confidence has been one of the most meaningful ways of honouring the opportunities Exeter and Oxford gave me.
Exeter chose me, and it changed my life. I hope to spend mine helping change the lives of others.
