Indian-origin student wears her first-ever lehenga to Swiss graduation, wins hearts

A law graduate from the University of Basel in Basel, Switzerland, has gone viral for her unique way of celebrating her Indian roots. Lakshmi Kumari, 25, who is half-Indian and half-Finnish, wore her first-ever lehenga — a traditional Indian outfit — to her graduation ceremony. 

As reported by Hindustan Times, she chose a green and golden creation by designer Anisha Shetty for the special occasion. Lakshmi, who completed her law degree in German despite not being fluent in the language, shared how the cultural attire held significant meaning for her. 

Speaking to HT, she explained, “As I struggled with the language (because it’s not my native language), I felt very proud after having completed my bachelor’s degree… I told myself, if I am able to complete my bachelor’s degree in a language that I am not fluent in, I MUST wear something special for myself.”

Determined to make the day memorable, Lakshmi spent weeks searching for the perfect lehenga online. Eventually, she found the Anisha Shetty design via Fabilicious Fashion and had it delivered to Switzerland just in time for the convocation, held in November.

Her decision to wear the lehenga was also influenced by her deep connection to her Indian roots. “Growing up, I always felt connected to my roots… but I’ve never owned a lehenga! I’ve only ever seen them in Indian fashion shows,” she told HT.