Published: 31 May 2023
It's no secret that life can be difficult. We all have a lot going on, especially with the rising costs of living. Unfortunately, these hard times have made kindness harder to come by. Fortunately, there are still examples of it, such as the story of Dushyant Kumar, who is currently pursuing his master's degree at the University of Sunderland in London.
In this article, he reflects on his transition from India to the UK, his educational pursuits and the positive experience at the University of Sunderland in London, which set him further on the path to achieving his desired career. He also alludes to a heart-warming story where he goes out of his way to return a stranger's bag, emphasising that it is kindness which makes the world go round.
"Her mom wanted to reward me with money, but I refused because making someone else happy was plenty for me. A month after my visit to Meagan's place, I received an emotional call from her in which she expressed her thankful gratitude. That's what money can't buy; that feeling proved priceless for me." Dushyant Kumar, MSc Nursing
"I'm from Bharatpur in India, where my profession is general and midwifery nursing. During the pandemic, I worked as a community health nurse, plus prior to relocating to the UK for my studies, I had taken part in the national health programme. With my bachelor's completed, I wanted to stand out from other nurses, so immediately embarked on a master’s in nursing. The University of Sunderland in London made me feel welcome and offered the best course to help me become a registered nurse in the UK. It was UoSiL's multicultural atmosphere, supportive teaching staff, and friendly campus crew that attracted me. From day one, I felt encouraged by everyone, while attending various on-campus events allowed me to learn about other cultures and get closer to my peers.
Goodwill has always been something I strive for, and I make every effort to help out others when I can. Last month, I came across Meagan’s bag and found her personal belongings inside (credit cards, debit cards and car keys). Without delay, my first action was to locate the owner of the bag and return it. After trying to get in touch with her by phone, all that I had was her address. So, even though it meant travelling 3 hours away from home and switching trains twice, plus a half-hour walk until reaching her house, I thought it was worth it. Despite the uncertainty if she would take this positively or not, when I arrived at her doorbell, everything went really well. Her mom wanted to reward me with money, but I refused because making someone else happy was plenty for me. A month after my visit to Meagan's place, I received an emotional call from her in which she expressed her thankful gratitude. That's what money can't buy; that feeling proved priceless for me. In this life, there are good people and bad people; your choice depends on you”.
Receiving Meagan's email was so heart-warming! We were filled with pride knowing that our students are such exceptional people. Here is a snippet of her correspondence.
"This was such a kind and generous act that I wanted to make sure it was highlighted somehow in his favour. This also reflects very positively on the university and shows what caring people you have studying there”.
Dushyant’s story is truly inspiring, and we can only hope it serves as a motivation for others to lead with empathy and prioritise kindness. Participating in something close to your heart can be hugely beneficial, both to the cause and your own sense of satisfaction.
The university would like to applaud Dushyant for his generous deed.
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