#DeshKiBeti does it! Well, what led Rashmi Samant to make history win Oxford University SU elections?

Pune, February 18: She dreamt, she strived for decolonisation and inclusivity on campus and this 'Indian root star' Rashmi Samant has finally made it to the Oxford University Student Union (SU) elections! Samant becomes the first Indian woman to be elected president of the Oxford University Student Union (SU) in the history of the institution, on a manifesto promising decolonisation of syllabi and decarbonisation of the world-famous establishment.

 

It was seemingly not that difficult for Rashmi as this Manipal Institute of Technology, Karnataka, alumnus scored an easy victory in the election, where she received 1,966 of the 3,708 votes cast for the post amid a large turnout, according to the official website, supposedly more than all her opponents combined.

 

 

 

Her Indian roots were acknowledged in her manifesto as she highlighted the need for greater decolonisation and inclusivity on campus in the Oxford SU leadership election. “Together, we can reform long-standing shortcomings at the university, provide students with the resources and support they need to thrive in Oxford and become leading changemakers in our society,” it noted.

 

Samant, a graduate student pursuing her MSc in Energy Systems, with a focus on sustainability, at Linacre College at the University, has big plans for her tenure as president. She is set on having removed all statues proven to be imperialist and conduct a comprehensive consultation on the decolonisation of syllabi to ensure Oxford course texts celebrate and educate Oxford students about the achievements of diverse scholarly voices.

 

 

“Being a BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] woman from a former British colony, Rashmi is empathetic towards the struggles faced by marginalised groups,” reads her vision statement. Samant also intends on tackling institutional anti-LGBTQ + ways of the establishment by first conducting a university-wide consultation with the community.

 

 

She wants to ensure support to all students during in lieu of the Covid-19 pandemic, lobbying the easing the pressures in form of suspended residency requirements, extended safety net and mitigating circumstances while still extending access to resources. She also wants to see better attention paid to mental health on campus and more resources allocated to the same.

 

 

 

And, related to her own field of study, her manifesto pledge notes- “Lobby the Conference of Colleges to divest entire financial portfolio from fossil fuels as soon as possible. [and] push all colleges to sign on to a university-wide sustainability strategy.” The president-elect for the 2021-22 term is also joined by other Indians on her team, including Devika as Vice-President Graduates-Elect, and Dhitee Goel as Student Trustees-elect.

 

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