By Syahirah Nawawi
GOMBAK, 12 March 2022: Sumathy A/P Vello, a graduate from Kulliyyah of Engineering who received her doctorate in engineering at today’s 36th Convocation, said she had always wanted to grow and was hungry for knowledge.
She said one would keep climbing the ladder to the top no matter that the obstacles that one faced. “It’s not a label that people give, it’s what we want to serve the society,” she shared her views in an interview with IIUMToday.
Sumathy shared that the journey of getting a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) was filled with good and bad ones. Yet, she’s reminded, “Know how to manage every single situation and overcome it positively and never give up.”
The saying of hers had a meaning behind it, as her father fell sick after her enrolment as a part-time PhD student. In spite of the situation she was faced with, the motivation and spirit within her were not lost or became dim.
“My aim in this journey is only one, my father’s wish for me to do a PhD, and that is my ultimate reason to keep on moving and I have it (the scroll) in my hand,” she said.
Talking to Sumathy’s biggest supporter, that is her mother, Madam Dalgit, who is proud of her daughter’s achievement, she expressed her gratefulness to have witnessed the ups and downs of the child of hers in the path of seeking knowledge.
She said, “Parents should encourage their children emotionally, physically and financially in every way they can. For me, I’ll never discourage my children from furthering their studies.”
Madam Dalgit never objected to her daughter’s aim to continue learning and she insisted on giving moral support to not give up even when Sumathy’s father was ill and she always walked together with her.
Speaking to IIUMToday, Sumathy shared her tips on completing the journey.
She said: “When you start something, finish it. Try handling every turbulence with positiveness and keep on going. Remember the aim and try to achieve it.”
Sumathy who is a non-Muslim graduate at this Islamic university mentioned that despite engineering being seen as a male dominant field, she had been treated equally.
“I have received endless help from supervisors and colleagues. Being a non-Muslim in an Islamic university is not an issue. There was no partiality that was shown towards me.
Even when I was sitting in a class, attending my Islamic studies and all, regardless being the only non-Muslim student, I am happy about it,” she added. ***