INDIAN GIRL 'BEST STUDENT' AT WESTMINSTER UNIVERSITY
(5 January 2007)

Indian Biosciences graduate Varnika Roy was celebrating a double success at the end of last year – after graduating with first-class honours from the University of Westminster in London, and being named undergraduate student of the year. Varnika, 24, from New Delhi, took home the Robert Mitchell medal for best undergraduate at the University, which appointed Indian-born businessman Lord Swraj Paul as its inaugural Chancellor last year.

She also took home the Raymond Whittle prize for excellence in experimental work and the Institute of Biology Top Biosciences Student award at the School of Biosciences graduation ceremony at London’s Barbican Hall on November 28.

Varnika came to Westminster after winning the Ken Bird Scholarship, named after the former head of the University’s Technology and Design department. The scholarship is awarded to one female student from India or Sri Lanka each year to study a technology-based subject at Westminster.

She said: “The last three years been the most fabulous years of my life. The lecturers were an excellent support network, and every time I came to the Cavendish campus I felt as if I was walking into another home.”

Bob Scott, Head of the Department of Molecular & Applied Biosciences said: “Her academic performance has been exceptional throughout her degree, and everyone here is very proud of her achievements. She was a model student who was a joy to teach, as she put lots of effort into her studies and joined in the life of the campus.

“It was clear from the first few weeks of her first year that she was going to be very successful in her degree and it was no surprise to anyone that she was awarded a first.”

Varnika is currently studying for a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Maryland in the USA.

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