In the bustling world of university life, where each student embarks on a unique academic adventure, one particular journey stands out – that of Bisal Bikash Ram.

His voyage at the Fiji National University (FNU) began as a mystery, an uncharted territory waiting to be explored. Little did he know that this academic journey would lead him to forge lasting friendships and invaluable connections, ultimately transforming his life.

He is a proud graduate of the College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST), having graduated with a Diploma in Engineering (Civil) (Level 6) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering (Honours).

“I started off as a stranger to FNU, which everyone is, but ended up building friendships and forming affiliations with numerous people at FNU. I commenced my educational journey in 2016 with a Diploma in Engineering (Civil) (Level 6) and later pursued bridging units to qualify for a Degree programme,” he said.

“While juggling my daily commitments, I achieved my objective and graduated in 2020. One of the most valuable experiences was studying with three different cohorts of students each year. This served as motivation and empowered me to make informed decisions and offer guidance to the younger students within the cohort.”

Education 

Ram attained his primary education at Sawani Indian School and later on pursued his secondary education from Saraswati College. After completing his secondary education, he realised that barely anyone from his family belonged to the engineering industry. This challenged him and motivated him to pursue his education at the Fiji National University (FNU).

“I grew up in the Small village of Luvuluvu Bua, Vanualevu and attended my Class 1 and Class 2 at Bua Primary School. When our land lease expired, we had to move from Bua to Waila, Nausori. My father and mother took up work as a driver for a supermarket, while my mother was a babysitter,” he shared.

“I then continued my primary school education at Sawani Indian School until 2010. After looking at my parents’ hardships, I started working with my elder brother, Manoj Ram. My brother and I worked together at a Suva supermarket, enabling us to support our family during the school break.”

“In 2011, I started my secondary school studies at Saraswati College whilst working as a wheelbarrow boy at a supermarket during weekends for some time when I got a job in the Cinema to work as an usher part-time. I continued my education and was doing well with my academics. I had overcome all the hurdles that came through and helped my parents in any way possible. I would say life treats everyone differently, no matter their age.”

“After completing Years 12 and 13, I found myself uncertain about the path to pursue for my tertiary education. It wasn’t until I realised that engineering was my calling and becoming the first in my family to venture into this field. I commenced my tertiary journey, but a significant accident befell my father during my studies, nearly crippling our family’s income. To support my family, I took on a role as a Clerical Clerk at the Waila Water Treatment Plant within the Water Authority of Fiji while continuing my education simultaneously.

Subsequently, I transitioned to employment at Chands Engineering and Project Managers, where I balanced work and studies. Just when things were progressing smoothly, my father suffered a major heart attack during the COVID-19 pandemic, thrusting my family into a severe financial crisis.

Career 

Ram stood firm on the saying that when there is a will, then there is a way. Despite fighting many hidden battles, he never lost hope and continued to work hard.

“My engineering career has included a wide range of engineering projects, principally in building services, concepts, designs, and detailed documentation leading to construction, which included work on several Retail, Commercial, Residential and Medical Building Projects within our economy,” he said.

“I now run an engineering and construction business known as Conceptave Design Services. After being in the industry for more than seven years and acquiring greater knowledge from FNU, I realised that it was about time I could run my own business during the pandemic, I opened up the business, and it has flourished since then.”

Motivation 

Ram acknowledged the support of his lecturer, Maika Tuicakau, who once motivated him to do well and ensure that the trade he learned would give him dividends.

“I am immensely grateful for the incredible lecturers I had the privilege of learning from during my time at Fiji National University. Maika Tuicakau’s wisdom continues to resonate with me: ‘Whatever you do, remember that’s your bread and butter.’ These words and my parents’ enduring encouragement to ‘be consistent with your grades, as the transcript reflects a lot about an individual student’ have been my guiding lights on this academic journey,” he said.

“This accomplishment also honours my late grandfather, Dhan Raj, who set excellent examples for our family back in Luvuluvu, Bua. My parents, Suresh Ram and Roshni Devi are the bedrock of my entire journey, without whom this achievement would have been impossible.”

“I am also thankful to my wife, Kazal Ram, for her unwavering support throughout the journey, helping me navigate all the hardships that came our way.”

Source: FNUNIKUA – Fiji National University’s (FNU)