Malaysia, despite being a small country, is home to many extraordinary and accomplished students who have made the country proud.

Two Malaysian students, Thenesh Anbalagan (International Law, Harvard University) and V. Yashvinnie (Immunology, King’s College) has been awarded the esteemed Yang di-Pertuan Agong Scholarship (BYDPA) 2023.

Raised in a single-mother household after his father's passing at a young age, Thenesh was accepted into Harvard University's LL.M. (Master of Laws) program. Harvard Law School is renowned as the top-ranked law school globally, providing Thenesh with an incredible opportunity to delve deeper into his interest in international trade law. His aspiration to represent Malaysia in international dispute settlements and trade negotiations showcases his ambition and desire to contribute to his country's legal landscape on a global scale.





When he was turned down by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in his pursuit of studying Law, Thenesh did not give up. Instead, he took it upon himself to appeal his case, traveling back and forth from Johor to Bangi until he successfully turned the rejection into an offer.

Recognizing the financial challenges associated with pursuing his goals, Thenesh diligently applied for multiple scholarships. Finally, he was awarded the prestigious Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Scholarship, which will fund his studies in the United States. This achievement highlights both his academic excellence and the recognition of his potential to make a significant impact in the field of law.

On the other hand, we have V. Yashvinnie - the 24-years old young lass who will be furthering her studies for Immunology at King’s College, London.

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BYDPA is a prestigious scholarship that was introduced in 2006. To date, 198 individuals have received sponsorship for studies in the fields of Economics, Law, Science and Technology, as well as Islamic Finance.

According to Istana Negara Portal, the students who received scholarships at the PhD level are Wan Nur Hanisah Wan Noor Azam Shah, 31, who is pursuing her studies in Machine Learning at University College London (UCL) and Muhammad Nasri Nasehir Khan, 24, in Environmental Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

The rest are Izzati Izyani Japar, 25, (Mathematics and Statistics, UCL); Chia Yuh Cai, 28, (Genetics & Heredity, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia); Siti Saffa’ Shaharuddin, 28, (Islamic Finance, International Islamic University Malaysia), and Wong Whui Dong, 25, (Nanotechnology, Universiti Malaya).



Adding on the recipients for the master’s degree programmes are Nurul Juliana Syafinaz Abu Sopian, 25, (Veterinary Immunology, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)); Nurul Najwa Asip, 25, (Food Technology, UPM); and Faten Hanani Muhamad Hakimi, 26, (Earth Sciences, UCL).

We are proud and honoured to celebrate this incredible achievement of these two exemplary individuals. Congratulations to them for being recognised as two of the best and brightest minds of our nation!

Source: Yayasan Tunku Abdul Rahman , Bernama