The Award I Once Hid

The Award I Once Hid

When I received the Best International Student award during my undergraduate studies in India, I quietly tucked it away. Unlike others whose awards celebrated academic excellence or technical brilliance, mine was for conduct. At the time, I didn’t quite know what to make of that. It felt intangible, something you couldn’t measure or display with grades, publications, or certificates.

So I hid it.

Looking back now, I realize that this award represents something far more enduring than any academic accolade ever could. It represents who I was when no one was watching, how I treated people, how I navigated challenges, and how I carried myself in a space far from home.

In India, I learned that true leadership begins with conduct. It is shown not only in what we achieve but in how we make others feel seen, heard, and respected. In a diverse, sometimes challenging environment, it meant learning empathy, cultural sensitivity, patience, and courage, qualities that have since defined my approach to law, governance, and advocacy.

Today, as I reflect on my professional journey, from the courtroom to international conferences, I see how that simple recognition foreshadowed much of who I have become. In legal practice, integrity and composure often speak louder than eloquence. In arbitration and negotiation, conduct determines trust. And in leadership, it is conduct that sustains respect long after titles fade.

I used to think the award didn’t mean much because it wasn’t about performance. Now I see it as a quiet affirmation of values, of character, ethics, and humanity, the very things that form the foundation of lasting impact.

So no, I no longer hide it. It stands today as a reminder that excellence is not only what you achieve, but how you achieve it.