After overcoming obstacles to attend BYU–Hawaii, Vikram Raj, a freshman accounting major from southern India, said he hopes his education will help him improve the lives in his home country by ending corruption and poverty. His journey to BYU–Hawaii is a story of sacrifice and faith.
George Paroi, Raj's friend from Bangladesh said, “Vikram is one of the kindest and friendliest people I know. He deserves his status as a student at this university.”
When asked about his heritage, Raj said, “I come from a small city called Kakinada in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. I primarily speak Telugu as my mother tongue. A lot of people believe Indians only speak Hindi, but this is not true. India has no official language actually. It is just as diverse as the United States, maybe even more so.”
India is the second most populated country in the world, with 1.3 billion people. According to LDS.org, India has two missions and around 13,750 members.
In a 2015 census by the government, 79.8 percent of Indians were recorded as practicing Hinduism, with 14.2 percent being Muslim, and the other six percent being Christian, Sikh, or Buddhist.
What is it like being a member of The Church in India?
“It is very hard to be a convert to the gospel of Jesus Christ because India has so many dominant religions. There some Hindus, Muslims, other Christians, and some other religions. If they choose to convert from something different, they need to start from the beginning. This requires a lot of sacrifices, especially if you want to convert from Islam or Hinduism. Sometimes, their families will disown them completely or, in extreme cases, they will kill them.
“In India, if someone really wants to be a member, then they need to decide but also take into account what might happen to them if they do. It takes a lot of praying and sacrifice. Very different from the rest of the world.”
Why did you choose to attend BYUH?
Raj answered, “I waited nearly 10 years to come and study here. That is why I am 28 and only now starting college. I wanted to come so badly, but I had a lot of financial and visa issues. This made it so I couldn't come for a while until I saved up enough money and got my papers in order. It is costly to live in the United States, but the school opened the doors for me through IWORK.”
“Brother James E. Faustino, his father, and many other representatives came to help us,” he continued. “I usually had to travel very long distances to meet church leaders by bus or train, but at this school, I am right next to a temple and everyone understands the gospel of Jesus Christ.“
What do you hope to do with your education at BYUH?
Raj answered, “I hope to return to India one day and help fight corruption in the government and improve the lives of children. Education is something I am very passionate about. It is the gateway to escaping poverty.”
“India is facing many great challenges, including clean drinking water, public sanitation, and corruption. There are also issues with healthcare, gender inequality, terrorism, education, and employment. And there is also the caste system, which are different levels of social classes. Today, it’s why the poor stay poor.”
The caste system is an age-old system for dividing up the population by their social and economic status. Wealthy at the top, and at the bottom, untouchables, who are typically people who are homeless, disfigured, orphaned, or otherwise. For thousands of years, it has dictated who married who, and who had the power. Within the caste system, there is little to no mobility.
Pilli Balu, from India, also served the Bengaluru mission with Vikram. According to Balu, “Vikram has such a great dedication to helping the people he comes in contact with. He’s so kind and really cares about his home country.”
BBC News reported that India’s constitution banned discrimination based on social setting, but today, it is still a large factor in the country.
How will the new temple in Bengaluru bless India?
“Having a temple is a great blessing. It is truly a treasure for India. When it is built, it will be a great historical event for the saints. For my Indian brothers and sisters, attending the temple is not easy. The closest temple to us is the Hong Kong temple.”
While Raj was preparing for his mission, problems with his visa prevented him from going to Hong Kong. Instead, he went to the Manila temple to receive his endowments.
“It took a lot of money to travel there, but it was all worth it,” Raj said with a smile. “Anyone who wants to attend the temple is put in a very difficult financial situation. Some saints don’t even have passports and cannot afford the fees to get them.”
“Once India gets a temple, it will be the first time many members will ever set foot inside one. Families can finally be sealed for eternity. I served my mission in Bengaluru, and I believe they deserve a temple. The people there are so kind and faithful.”