From Delhi to Global Institutions: Born in India, Made in the United Kingdom2
Q. What is one thing no YouTube video or blog prepared you for?
Q. When was the first moment you felt, “Okay… I actually belong here”?
Q. What’s one cultural difference that completely changed your perspective?
Harshita Solanki is an MA International Relations graduate from the University of Birmingham with a background in journalism. She has worked across communications, innovation strategy, and global projects with institutions including UNDP and Oxfam GB in the UK.
I didn’t arrive in the UK with a perfect plan. I came from Delhi with a journalism degree, carrying hope and a quiet belief that education could change my life. What followed was not a straight line, but a journey shaped by curiosity, resilience, and learning to ask for opportunities. I went on to pursue an MA in International Relations at the University of Birmingham, where my experiences expanded my focus from storytelling alone to understanding global systems, power, and change
On my very first day as an intern at the University of Birmingham, I was encouraged to apply for a fully funded course at Fudan University, Shanghai. That single moment opened doors I never imagined. It took me from classrooms in Birmingham to studying global health in China, engaging with international policy in Belgium, and working on global health and innovation strategy projects at the University and with United Nations Development Programme. Today, I work on communications and social media at Oxfam GB, bringing together my background in journalism, global policy, and advocacy. Each step built the next. None of it was easy but all of it was transformative.
What surprised me most was realising that opportunities don’t automatically come to you. You have to ask, apply, and create your own path. The UK showed me that the horizon is wide open, from global conferences in China and Belgium to being part of youth advocacy spaces like UN Women UK.
Nothing prepares you for the emotional reality of landing in a new country. The constant pressure balancing finances, studies, work, and wellbeing, can feel overwhelming. You can imagine it, but living it teaches you resilience in ways nothing online ever could.
When I got my first internship at the University of Birmingham. Being a student is one thing, but becoming part of the workforce made me feel trusted and capable. That moment shifted how I saw myself not just as someone learning, but as someone contributing and quietly reassuring myself “I belong here”
The UK’s approach to time and communication really stood out to me. People are more expressive, punctuality is respected, and the 9–5 workday is taken seriously. Even shops closing early on weekends taught me the importance of balance and boundaries.
I would be kinder to myself and trust the process more. What I would never change is choosing the University of Birmingham, it became my foundation, my launchpad, and the place where everything truly began.
