#MyAshokaStory: Embracing Change and Excellence

My experience at Ashoka has been fantastic and invigorating. I have fabulous colleagues in the department and excellent, innovative students. Interacting with both colleagues and students has been intellectually exciting.

I had been teaching at Delhi University for three decades and was looking for a change due to the evolving nature of public universities. Ashoka University had a sterling reputation, and I knew many of the people here already. I was attracted by the idea of being part of such an institution. To test the waters, I did one semester as a visiting professor, loved it, and subsequently applied for a permanent position.

Choosing a single memorable moment is difficult, but if I had to pick one, it would be about my student Daksh Walia. Daksh was in my statistics class during my first year at Ashoka, and we continued to stay in touch. He applied for an international competition organised by the International Economic Association and won the best undergraduate essay prize. While I was officially his mentor, the work was entirely his own. Daksh went on to do his master’s here and became a Rhodes Scholar. Today, he is my co-author, and we recently published a paper together. Watching Daksh’s journey, coming from a very disadvantaged family background but excelling brilliantly, fills me with great pride and satisfaction. Ashoka provided the space to nurture his brilliance and allowed him to express himself in ways that few other institutions might have.

Ashoka’s rapid expansion is exciting but also challenging. As we grow in numbers and disciplines, it becomes a much larger entity, and everyone will need to work harder to retain the quintessential Ashoka characteristics. Coming from a university with one lakh students, I know that the larger an institution becomes, the harder it is to maintain its unique traits.

As Ashoka expands, we must think creatively to retain its innovative spirit and the little touches that make it unique. While this will be challenging, I am confident that with the bright minds at Ashoka, we will meet these challenges. Balancing expansion, diversification, and retaining Ashoka’s quintessential character will require innovative and creative approaches. But I believe that together, we can achieve this balance and continue to make Ashoka an exceptional place.

(Ashwini Deshpande is the Head of the Department, Economics and Professor of Economics, Ashoka University)