Durban - SUBASHNEE Reddy was 11 years old when her grandfather gave her a few law books. This set her on a path to pursue her legal studies.
“My late maternal grandfather, Kistnasamy Moodley, was a Tamil school teacher. He bought the law textbooks second-hand and gave them to me while I was in primary school.
“Perhaps it was my destiny to follow this career path,” said Reddy, 31, of Pinetown.
In 2012, she graduated with her Bachelor of Social Sciences (BSS) degree in criminology and legal studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
And last Friday, she obtained a Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree at the same university.
Due to the lockdown, a virtual graduation ceremony was held on Friday. It was supposed to be held in April at the university’s Westville campus.
To celebrate her achievement, her immediate family held a surprise party.
“Despite the disappointment of not being able to experience this achievement with my peers after all the hard work, dedication and sacrifices we invested into our studies, I felt blessed to be surrounded by so much love from my family on my special day.”
Reddy, who holds the rank of captain, is a manager at the investigations unit of the Durban Management Area at the Department of Correctional Services in KZN.
She is responsible for investigating cases of misconduct in correctional centres falling under the Durban management area.
After matriculating at Pinetown Girls’ High School in 2005, she studied for a BSS. After graduating, she served her internship at the Department of Correctional Services in December 2013.
In August 2014, she received a permanent position as an investigation clerk. Four years later, she was promoted to manager of the investigation unit with the rank of captain.
Reddy said that in 2016 she received a bursary from the Department of Correctional Services to pursue an LLB and attended night classes.
She now hopes to pursue a Master’s and then a doctorate in law.
Reddy, a Bharatha Natyam classical dance graduate, said her mom Shushie and her dad Dan were her role models.
Her father passed away in 2013. Her sister, Kerusha Colan, is an insurance underwriter.
Reddy’s message to those contemplating pursuing higher education studies: “You have to have the right attitude and a positive mind to achieve anything. And to those working, you can still pursue your studies.
“I worked part-time at a retail store while studying full-time and, thereafter I worked full-time while studying part-time. Anything is possible.”