He spent the 2019 calendar year at National University of Singapore (NUS). Working closely with both NUS and Purdue, upon return to Purdue he worked with Purdue’s Study Abroad Office to welcome new incoming international exchange students arriving to campus.

Thakur says, “Our international partner schools and Purdue staff really go out of their way to ensure all of us have a study abroad experience which cultivates and shapes an important part of our life trajectory. The least I could do was reciprocate with the same warmth I felt when being welcomed to NUS, and back home to Purdue. We tend to underestimate the value of “being thankful for what we have”. It is especially important during this unprecedented time when there is so much uncertainty around the world, with many people going through hardships and some even battling for their lives. Be thankful for what you have today, live each day like a new one, and be the change you wish to see in this world.”