{"id":78086,"date":"2025-09-04T09:25:25","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T07:25:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazin.tu-braunschweig.de\/?post_type=kb_magazin&p=78086"},"modified":"2025-09-04T09:25:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T07:25:25","slug":"a-home-away-from-home","status":"publish","type":"kb_magazin","link":"https:\/\/magazin.tu-braunschweig.de\/en\/m-post\/a-home-away-from-home\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cA Home Away from Home\u201c"},"content":{"rendered":"

TU students Sanjivani Rajput and Simran Mallar have founded the first Indian Students\u2019 Association at TU Braunschweig. Their aim is to offer Indian students a taste of home and make Indian culture accessible to anyone interested.<\/p>\n

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Simran Mallar (left) and Sanjivani Rajput founded the Indian Student Association. Picture credits: Simone F\u00fcrst\/TU Braunschweig<\/p><\/div>\n

For many students, the first semester is a particular challenge: they must find their bearings at university, sort out various administrative matters, make connections and familiarise themselves with new material. For international students, moving to a new country and tackling a different language add extra hurdles. Sanjivani Rajput and Simran Mallar from India also faced these challenges when they began their Master\u2019s studies in Data Science at TU Braunschweig in April this year. Both had arrived in Braunschweig only shortly beforehand, having completed their bachelor\u2019s degrees at ITM SLS Baroda University and the University of Mumbai. However, the host of new tasks did not deter them from embracing yet another challenge in their first semester of the Master\u2019s programme: founding a student association.<\/p>\n

Heading to Germany for their Master\u2019s Studies<\/h3>\n

The decision to pursue their Master\u2019s degree abroad was not an easy one for Rajput and Mallar. Ultimately it was the Data Science course content and TU Braunschweig\u2019s strong research orientation that won them over. \u201cOf course, the financial aspect also played a role,\u201d says Sanjivani Rajput. \u201cStudying in Germany is very affordable in a global comparison, and the country is regarded as exceptionally student-friendly,\u201d she explains. They discovered TU Braunschweig and their chosen programme through the DAAD\u2019s course database. \u201cWe\u2019re both considering embarking on a PhD after our Master\u2019s,\u201d adds Simran Mallar. For that reason, the profile of TU Braunschweig was a perfect match. They quickly realised upon arrival that Braunschweig is not only a place to study but also a great place to live: \u201cBraunschweig is a truly lovely city where you can feel at home,\u201d says Mallar. \u201cThere were a few teething problems \u2013 for example, our visas arrived very late, and my suitcase got lost on the way to Braunschweig \u2013 but once we\u2019d arrived, these issues felt secondary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Welcome Week as a Starting Point<\/h3>\n

Even before the semester began, both students took part in the Welcome Week for international students at the International House and discovered that, while there was already a Chinese student association, no Indian one existed. That was the spark for taking matters into their own hands and founding their own group. \u201cIndian students make up one of the largest cohorts among the international student body at TU Braunschweig, so it made perfect sense to strengthen our community,\u201d Rajput recalls. \u201cThanks to Welcome Week, we\u2019d already made contact with the International Student Support Team, who welcomed our idea with open arms,\u201d she adds. \u201cThe process itself was surprisingly straightforward,\u201d she continues. \u201cThe International Student Support Team helped us complete the necessary form and set up an email address. We also received a great deal of support from the AStA. Within just two weeks, everything was in place and the Indian Student Community was officially established.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Cricket Match to Kick Things Off<\/h3>\n
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In future, the Indian Student Community is to be a home away from home for many students. Picture credit: Simone F\u00fcrst\/TU Braunschweig<\/p><\/div>\n

In the following weeks, Rajput and Mallar considered what the Indian Student Community should stand for and began planning their first events. They also exchanged ideas with the Association of Chinese Scientists and Students and received advice from the International Affairs unit of the AStA. From these initial discussions a clear vision emerged: \u201cWe want to create a home away from home,\u201d explains Rajput. \u201cIt\u2019s all about supporting each other in the community\u2014whether that\u2019s enrolling for modules and lectures or handling everyday queries. We hope our student initiative will become a go-to resource so our fellow students feel less alone.\u201d Mallar adds: \u201cWe also want to bring a piece of our Indian culture and traditions to TU Braunschweig and open it up to anyone interested.\u201d Membership of the Indian Student Community is open to everyone\u2014regardless of nationality. Their first event is already in the diary: on 14 September, a cricket match will be held on the grounds of the University Sports Centre on Beethovenstra\u00dfe. Cricket was first played in India in 1721 and has since become the nation\u2019s most popular sport. At this event, organised jointly with the AStA, TU students and staff can either try out the game for themselves or cheer on the players.<\/p>\n

The Indian Student Community will present itself during Welcome Week for new international students, which takes place from 13 to 18 October. Plans are also underway for a Diwali celebration \u2013 the Festival of Lights, celebrated in India and many other Hinduism-influenced countries on 30 and 31 October.<\/p>\n

Get Involved<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019d like to learn more about the Indian Student Community or get involved, you can email<\/a> Sanjivani Rajput and Simran Mallar. The association currently has around 50 members and is working on setting up its internal organisational structure. In addition to Rajput and Mallar as presidents, there are plans to establish subject-specific working groups, and an Instagram account is in preparation.<\/p>\n

Rajput and Mallar are looking forward to the coming weeks and many new faces: \u201cA student association is the perfect place to meet new people and achieve things together. We benefited greatly from this in India and are excited to build another fantastic community here at TU Braunschweig,\u201d says Rajput.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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