OU cheers its youngest ever law graduate at UK ceremony

The Open University (OU) is proud to congratulate Indian alumnus Krishangi Meshram on becoming the university’s youngest ever Law graduate.

Krishangi was just 15 when she started studying with the OU and just three years later the talented teenager completed her studies to gain a First Class Honours Degree in Law at the tender age of 18.

Krishangi, who resides in ISKCON Mayapur in India, joined fellow graduates at a degree ceremony at Bridgewater Hall, Manchester this month, to receive her degree.

A delighted Krishangi, now aged 20, said:

She said she chose to study law, to gain a degree that would give her “a breadth of transferrable knowledge” with skills such as reading and analysis of complex documents and writing essays.

Learning at a distance meant “a whole lot more”

It was doing her Year 3 practical modules that really changed her outlook about what to do in the future, she says, and when she realised that becoming a lawyer was truly going to be “her thing”.

Learning at a distance with the OU, she says she also got a whole lot more.

“I didn’t realise that I’d be gaining the valuable skills that the OU taught me, from self-discipline to organisation.”

Krishangi attended an international school, close to her home and family. The bright student completed her school exams by 15 and wanted to pursue study at higher education but wasn’t keen to leave her parents and younger sister.

“My family and I are also lucky enough to travel a lot, so I needed a study option that I could take with me on our adventures around the world.

Shaping her studies around family life

“This is when I found out about the OU – it ticked all the boxes. I could utilise the open entry policy so I could start a degree without A Levels, I’d be studying at a UK university, where I could remain living at home and carry on travelling with my family.”

The teenager studied at full-time pace, shaping her studies around family life, meaning she completed her studies in July 2022 at just 18 years and six months.

Krishangi’s academic journey also saw her make new friends amongst the OU’s international online community, including a “study buddy” from Russia.

Professor Hugh McFaul, Head of the OU Law School, said:

Huge congratulations to Krishangi on her tremendous achievement! I’m very proud that the OU Law School was able to support her in achieving this success without her having to leave family and friends in West Bengal.

“Her story shows the tremendous reach of the transformative open access education we offer, and I wish her every success in what I’ve no doubt will be a stellar legal career.”

Krishangi credits her OU Law degree with helping her secure her first job; she has already started working in the industry in Singapore and is getting closer to finishing her studies and becoming a qualified lawyer.

She has recently completed her LPC and Masters in Business, Law and Management from the University of Law, and hopes her next step will be to finalise her specialism.

Photo credit: Krishangi Meshram