BAVINA SOOKDEO
Sharad Hatai, 19, proudly describes himself as “home-grown,” having already achieved what many can only aspire to –earning an open scholarship in general studies, one of the highest academic honours in Trinidad and Tobago.
A resident of Caroni, Hatai’s journey from primary school to this milestone underscores the vital role of community support, coupled with unwavering diligence, humility, and a steadfast commitment to excellence.
As to why he describes himself as “home-grown,” he explained he attended Caroni Hindu Primary School from first year to standard two, Warrenville TIA Primary School from standard three to five, and Vishnu Boys’ Hindu College –all within the Caroni area.
Reflecting on his childhood, he shared, “From a young age, I embodied a love for school and learning. My mother always reminds me, ‘When I dropped you off on your first day of preschool, you ran in and did not look back, while all the other children were crying.’”
Hatai told Newsday he comes from a humble background and he would not have been able to afford studying abroad if not for the open scholarship opportunity.
“I have always been content and grateful, but I always knew finances sometimes hinder you from being able to expand your opportunities. I feel extremely blessed now to be granted this opportunity and proud of myself for never giving up on my education, and my family for investing as much as they could into my journey. Ultimately, every individual out there faces challenges, in a multitude of ways, but it is your determination and drive to never give up that defines you.”
An only child, Hatai comes from a close-knit family. His mother is a senior accounting assistant while his father, Shastri, is a former pressroom supervisor at Newsday.
[caption id="attachment_1125844" align="alignnone" width="683"] Sharad Hatai with his grandmother Vida "Rasheeda" Mohammed, left, and his mother, Salina Mohammed-Hatai and the awards he received at the Vishnu Boys’ Hindu College graduation ceremony on September 23. -[/caption]
Hatai’s academic achievements are impressive. He excelled at SEA, scoring in the 97th percentile, and later earned eight grade ones (seven with distinctions) at CSEC and eight ones at CAPE Units 1 and 2 (also seven with distinctions). Yet, he admits that he never envisioned winning an open scholarship.
“When I was starting form one at Vishnu Boys’ Hindu College, my aunt said, ‘One day, you will make a name for yourself and put your school on the map.’ I knew I was doing well and would always try my best, which was a mantra I follow, 'Just try your best,' but making it this far and actually seeing the fruits of my work is surreal. Suddenly, everything that I ever faced felt worth it.”
The open scholarship allows recipients to pursue tertiary education at accredited international institutions. Hatai’s combination of CAPE subjects –environmental science, management of business, and sociology along with the compulsory Caribbean and communication studies – reflects his interdisciplinary a
