Securing a good education for his children has always been a priority for rice farmer, Yaad Ram, of Dreketi, in Labasa.

He was unable to continue his studies. But he made sure his children were not deprived of any opportunity.

“I studied until Form Five. I was a very good student, but wasn’t able to continue studies due to the death of my brother,” he said.

Mr Ram, 49, was at the Fiji National University’s Pasifika Campus with his daughter, Sushmita Devi, to attend her orientation into the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme earlier this week.   

Sushmita, who was excited to be on campus, said she was looking forward to her new journey.

She was passionate in pursuing the course. However, she could not get a place in the programme last year because her Year 13 marks required her to take up foundation studies.

“I enrolled into full foundation programme and upon completion was able to get the GPA required for the MBBS programme,” she said.

Sushmita said she was happy to fulfill the dreams of her dad who has always supported her.

“I am going to work hard and get good grades in all units,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Ram took to the floor to share his experience with hundreds of students present at the Pasifika Campus auditorium.

He was happy that his daughter was accepted into the programme.

Mr Ram said he learnt farming skills from his father and worked hard on the farm.

Hard work and dedication won him Best Rice Farmer Award in Dreketi in 2005. He was then selected to go to Indonesia to learn rice farming techniques in 2007.

Mr Ram told the students present that upon his return he used the techniques learnt on his farm and produced 28 tonnes of rice which won him Best Rice Farmer in Fiji award in 2008.    

His years of hard work is coming to fruition with his eldest son working as an accountant, his second child pursuing a degree at another university, a third in her first year of MBBS at Fiji National University and the youngest daughter, is a Year 10 student at Dreketi High School.

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