WAISIKI Naqiolevu, a 31-year-old originally from Soso, Kadavu, with maternal links to Nakasaleka, Kadavu has returned to Fiji after completing a transformative two-year academic journey in India.
Mr Naqiolevu completed a Master of Arts in English Literature at the prestigious Delhi University under an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship.
Reflecting on his experience, Mr Naqiolevu said he felt deeply honoured to represent Fiji in a land he now considers a second home.
“When I first arrived in India, everything was new to me. The people, the language, the food, and the street full of life,” he said.
“I came as a student, but India made me feel like I came home. India taught me that diversity is not a weakness, but a strength.”
Despite the chaotic nature of a vast nation, Mr Naqiolevu found beauty in the coexistence of the past, present, and future, and the peaceful side-by-side living of many religions and languages.
At Delhi University, his education extended beyond literature.
“My professors did not only teach me literature, but they taught me Ambika, they taught me Vande Mataram, they taught me all sorts of beliefs that existed in a society.
“They believed in me even when I doubted myself.”
His time in India was also marked by cultural immersion, from experiencing festivals like Diwali and Holi to enjoying street food and chai at 10am and 10pm.
However, the transition was not without challenges. Mr Naqiolevu described his first week as a tad bit challenging as he struggled to fit into a society where his language and traditions were not shared.
He credits his faith as his primary support system during these times.
“I believe it’s my relationship with God that has constantly been an anchor for me.
“To be in a place where they don’t speak my language, they don’t eat my food, they don’t worship the same God as I do — I think God became the closest more than anybody else out there. Prayer was my coping mechanism.”
Now back in Fiji, Mr Naqiolevu aims to inspire other iTaukei and Fijians to pursue similar opportunities.
“If I can do it, they also can do it. There’s always hope,” he said, adding that he discovered the ICCR opportunity through word of mouth from a lecturer friend while he was at the Fiji National University.
“There’s opportunities like this that exist to elevate the life and come back to the society and elevate everybody’s life.”
Mr Naqiolevu now sees himself entering the academic arena to inspire and deliver in his field, carrying with him the lessons of unity and resilience learned in India.
