Swastika Persad – Success through Dedication and a Supportive Family

The academic success and professional status of the title of attorney-at-law has now been bequeathed upon Mrs. Swastika Persad – a daughter of the SWAHA family. She has ploughed her way through academic institutions with courage, dedication and hours of study both at home and abroad.

Swastika is the second daughter of Pt. Balram Persad (Upa-Paramacharya of SWAHA) and Mrs. Nalini Persad; one of a large family of six – three brothers and two sisters.

Having attended the Don Miguel Hindu School, she then proceeded to continue her education at St. George’s College where she graduated with eight CXC and four A level passes. She then went to the Institute of Law and Academic Studies to further her education at the tertiary level. At this institution, she was awarded Bachelor of Laws Degree (LLB) Hons. Thereafter, in September 2010, she proceeded to the Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), United Kingdom, to complete the nine months conversion course to be admitted to the Bar of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago. While there, she was awarded the Legal Practice Certificate with Merit in June 2011. After successfully completing her six-month internship, she was called to the Bar of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago in March 2012.  At present, she is a practising attorney-at-law and is also employed at the National Infrastructure Development Company Limited (NIDCO).

One of the greatest and lasting impressions that Swastika  would constantly tap into are the words of advice, guidance and motivation that her Guru and grandfather the late Shankaracharya Pt. Hari Prasad shared with her. He would constantly say, “Failure is my enemy. Duty is most important in one’s life. Of all the successes in my life, my family is my greatest achievement and driving force for happiness.”

Swastika has never had to look beyond the members of her family for role models and exemplars. Her father, Pt. Balram Persad, ensured the holistic development of his children balancing the physical, mental, spiritual and social aspects of one’s life. Her mother, Nalini Persad educated her by leading by example in the traditional Hindu values of integrity, family life and Pati-vrataa Dharma.

Her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Kahmraj Maharaj, taught her how to achieve fulfilment and santosh through hard work and determination. Her siblings encouraged and motivated her through all her ordeals and obstacles by creating an unwavering and impenetrable forcefield of brotherly and sisterly love.

In short, Swastika attributes her success to the many avenues of support from those surrounding her and as such, continues to uplift herself on the path of dharma and righteousness.