At the age of 14, Nguyen Thi Thanh in Vietnam was overcome with "profound sadness" and set out on a quest for inner peace which led her to a Buddhist monastery.
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Twenty-two years later, the Buddhist nun has travelled to several countries, is fluent in seven languages, and has completed Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from Delhi University (DU).
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Nguyen (36) was among the 910 scholars who were awarded PhDs at the Delhi University convocation on Saturday.
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Amid young women dressed in Indian attires, Nguyen stood out in a grey robe and a shaved head.
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"I left home in Vietnam at 14 because I felt a profound sadness for no reason. My mother and grandmother cried for three months after I decided to become a nun. Gradually, they came to terms with it. I went to a monastery where I learned about Buddhism," said Nguyen, who also left behind four siblings.
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Away from home, Nguyen continued her studies and graduated in Buddhist Studies before she started travelling to different countries, including Taiwan.
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"I stayed in Taiwan for a year. Then I decided to pursue MA in Buddhist Studies at Delhi University," said Nguyen, who came to India in 2017.
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"I topped in MA and received a gold medal. Then I decided to pursue Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies," she said.
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The subject of her Ph.D. was Sanskrit text in Buddhism and its comparison with other languages.
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Asked about her life in different countries and how she managed things, she said, "I am enough and I don't need anyone to survive. I may be alone but never lonely. I am content with life. When you learn to detach yourself from things, you become happy. Have compassion as well."
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Now, she plans to pursue a second Ph.D. from the Department of Sanskrit.
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DU awarded 910 Ph.D. degrees at its convocation, with women scholars outnumbering their male counterparts. This figure for Ph.D. degrees is the highest ever in the history of the university.
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A total of 170 students were also awarded medals and prizes at the convocation ceremony.