When a girl who has worked hard through her boards, her pre-entrance exams, her collage is ready to pursue higher education, her parents raise their hands and surrender. We don’t have money to educate you further, they tell her.

According to data by the University Grant Commission, in the year 2017-18, over one lakh men applied for PhDs as opposed to only 65,000 female enrolments.

Taking courses under award-winning researchers, working with highly talented people, but mostly, surviving on my own in a land far far away, made me who I am.