When Ms Aishwarya Hariharan Iyer, 21, first arrived in Singapore as a curious tourist, it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the city-state’s lush environment, multiculturalism, and urban charm.
Singapore left such an impression that she made a life-changing decision: to pursue her undergraduate degree in Computing and Computer Science at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
“The environment here really helped me with my self-discovery,” Ms Aishwarya said.
Computer Science has always been more than just algorithms and applications, noted Ms Aishwarya, who completed her four-year programme in July 2025, graduating with First Class Honours.
“It’s a tool,” she said, “one that can be used to communicate ideas that eventually become tangible and can be used in the real world. I believe it can drive progress across sectors such as healthcare, environmental science, and the arts.”
Ms Aishwarya is particularly intrigued by the intersection of technology and creativity. She sees immense potential for artificial intelligence not just in data-heavy domains but also in poetry, literature, and other artistic expressions.
“The convergence of these different worlds remains so fascinating to me,” she said.
Rather than pursuing computer science within a single silo, Ms Aishwarya hopes to apply her technical skills across a range of disciplines. One area she’s especially drawn to is academia. “I’m very interested in how computing can be used to enhance learning.”
This curiosity led her to take up a module titled ‘Heterogeneous Indians of Contemporary Singapore’, which deepened her understanding of identity and belonging. As part of the course, she visited the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, an experience she described as deeply moving.
“Temples aren’t just architectural structures,” she noted. “Within their walls are the lived experiences, customs, and histories of entire communities.”
The visit opened her eyes to how Indian identities in Singapore differ from those of Indians in other countries, especially in terms of language, heritage, and daily practices.
For her meaningful engagement beyond the classroom and her contributions to the understanding of South Asian culture in Singapore, Ms Aishwarya was awarded the prestigious Syed Ahmad Khan AMU Memorial Prize by NUS.
The award, established in 2021, is annually presented to two NUS graduates who have made significant academic and cultural contributions in the field of South Asian studies.
