[MUSIC PLAYING]
My name is Chandan Singh, and I'm from New Delhi, India.
I live in a slum called Jeevan Nagar.
And it's in south part of Delhi.
This slum was established, like, 40 years ago.
The place consists of about 3,000 slum dwellers.
And it's, like, a very congested area.
You can say that.
In this area there is hardly, like,
10 to 11 students who actually are
able to make it to colleges.
So I am one of them.
So these are my books, that I left here for other children
to read.
In spite of all challenges--
I mean the challenges like electricity, water,
or the problem with spaces, we all somehow manage,
and we do our work.
When I was 11 years old, I realized
that I like mathematics problems-- solving problems
in different ways.
And just from there, I realize this is what I like.
Dr. Kiran is director and founder of charity called Asha,
in Delhi.
Dr. Kiran has played a really important part of my life.
She made me understand the value of the grades.
She kind of gave assurance that there
is no way that the university will not accept me.
But again, college fees were something
that is equal to, like, my father's one-month salary.
But somehow Dr. Kiran understood.
And then, she told me that she will pay my college fees.
Yes.
So this is where it really started, and then I
went to college.
[STREET NOISE]
My father is my biggest inspiration.
Because in spite of facing all these challenges,
he never gave up.
And I know that he has less, but he never say no to my needs,
and he worked hard.
He proudly tells our relatives and people in my village
that my son has completed a master's degree,
and my son will visit Australia.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
We are going to Hancock Library, one of my favorite places.
So earlier this year, I got an opportunity
to come here at ANU, to study mathematics
for more than three months.
And I'm trying to find my special book--
where it is, where it is.
This is one of the algebraic topology books.
And this is my area of interest.
I want to do my research in this area.
And this particular branch of mathematics
studies spaces, by putting algebraic variants on them.
Yes.
So this particular section is full of algebraic topology
books.
Yeah.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Earlier when I was in India, I always
used to think that I am somewhere
lower than other people.
So in India we have a lot of hierarchical things.
So after coming here, I was equally
treated by people as they treat others, and no discrimination.
So it's a great gift, I would say.
Education is the only way to go out of poverty--
to fight poverty.
And there are many students like me.
I know that.
And education is the only weapon.
And education is the only key to fight from these challenges.
[MUSIC PLAYING]