Hello, my name is Khushi Thakkar, and I am from Vadodara, Gujarat. I have been selected for the MA in Immersive Arts (Augmented and Virtual Reality) at the University of Bristol for 2022-2023, of 100 students worldwide. Honestly, I was very skeptical of starting a fundraiser because I wanted to keep this tussle to myself and not involve anyone. But a week back, I heard my father affirming, "We shall sell our house if the need be" and I was in tears. What conviction and bravery it took for him even to utter this sentence? Our house, which took him ten years to build, suddenly he kept at stake for my dreams. Thus, after much contemplation, I am here in need of your precious help.

We even tried for a bank loan, but there are many complications with mortgaging our property. Also, I have not heard from one scholarship I applied for, and my application got rejected in others. I am trying my best to earn, not take leave even on my birthday, but I still won't be able to gather the funds needed for my studies. I request you to donate even 100 rupees if you can afford it.

If you wish, I can also help you with writing assignments or send you my poems for every donation above 1000 INR. Just drop me a message on my social media account @thekahaaneekar, and I will certainly reach out to you.

If you have any queries related to the authenticity of my profile or my work, you can reach out to me at: khushithakkar62@gmail.com

Link to my portfolio: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NpUcb2OeF94mKBNI17x1g47xh2ZgA1ll/view?usp=sharing

My writings have been featured by: 

Fambase, a newsletter platform run by   Terribly Tiny Tales.
BeautySmoothie
Pinkvilla
Bennett University, Times of India group.
Divya Bhaskar

My Background:
I have completed my schooling at the Convent of Jesus and Mary Girls' High School, Vadodara, Gujarat. I ranked first in my 12th grade from the Math group, and the first time I saw Papa with teary eyes. Later, I enrolled in the Faculty of Journalism and Communication at MSU, Baroda. I was prolific in the cohort of Science, but my inclination was solely toward Media and Writing. So, I followed my dream and stood first in the entrance exams. A few days back, I graduated, and again, I managed to rank first in every semester, and I am the probable gold medalist of my faculty.

All I had in my hands was making the best out of my studies, for I knew how my parents managed my fees and were my only anchor. Finances have constantly challenged me, but I count on knowledge as it never left my side, even when money did. Even now, I am relying on my studies in the United Kingdom and blessing my parents with the life they deserve. I am not going over the seas to earn, but the fact this is the only country, the only university offering Masters in this course.

My journey:
I am a Senior Content Writer by profession. I have an experience of five years in the field, and I started earning right from the first year of college. I started working as an SOP, CV, and LOR writer, wherein I wrote admission statements and scholarship essays for people aiming abroad. My heart broke every time I penned an SOP because I wanted to write for myself too, but I knew I wouldn't be able to afford the studies.

I continued writing, for it made me happy that someone shall live their dreams. With this, I had still saved a Lakh, and I was on cloud nine. Not thinking much, I searched for universities in silence and didn't let my parents know anything until I was ready with all the admission documents. I poured my soul into preparing my portfolio, SOP, and scholarship essays while doing my job simultaneously. I told my parents about the UK during the application, and their support was unwavering. I hardly hoped to get through Bristol, but I cried my heart out when I received the offer letter, hugging my parents. This was when I first noticed a mark of worry on their happy faces that our daughter shall soon fly and how we will gather funds. We promised each other that we would sail through this and save every penny. Currently, I work at a well-established media firm – Pinkvilla, as a Telly Content Intern. 

Till date, we have saved the best we could, but when we got to know about the total funds required, we were clueless. A middle-class family could best afford 10 Lacs, but 37 is one numbing figure to gather. The first rejection of the scholarship had me crying my worst because I could not help my parents. I lost faith and broke down so many times, but my parents stood beside me like solid rock. However, by no means I wish to convey my parents aren't capable. They are more than eligible. But I wish to go on my merit. Thus, I request you to donate.

The metaverse is the future. And I am a writer by profession and heart. As a child, I always wanted to write a book. But it hurt me when people said books are solely fiction. That's when I envisioned designing a holographic book using 3D Volumetric Display Technology, where every word comes to life. I will project my prose with characters performing the story right in front of readers' eyes using a photonic engine. The book shall need no headsets or 3D glasses. A live book and elements shall exist for real, in that 3D space, all around you.

Also, I never had any latest gadgets, and I envied my friends for their posh laptops and iPads. This void made me dream of a life where I shall have everything that a widget can offer without really having them. I aspire to create a volumetric room where one can type with no keyboards and call with no cellphones. The voxels emitted by specialized screens will be enough to replace all gadgets.

Immersive Art is thriving in western countries but not in India. I yearn to make this technology viable in India before it becomes old for them and new for us. In the coming years, I aspire to be part of the education sector by introducing immersive courses for students and redefining the worthiness of creative arts. And the teaching shall be free, so no student strives for a scholarship or sacrifices on education. This is the vision I have seen for myself and my country. I may sound dreamy, but this is all I have ever known – to see dreams. Today, only you can save them. I request you to please donate.

Thank you for reading through. I am very much grateful to you.