After the quiet yet powerful lessons of his childhood, Dr. Seeruttun Karan Amritlall stepped into adulthood carrying nothing but determination and the values his parents had so deeply instilled in him. His world was changing, but his foundation remained rooted in simplicity and hard work. What began as a journey of learning was now transforming into a journey of becoming — a phase that would test his endurance, expand his perspective, and lay the bricks of the man he was destined to be.

The transition from school to university was not an easy one. For a young man from a lower-middle-class background, education beyond school came with immense financial and emotional challenges. Yet, Karan never allowed circumstances to dictate his pace. He chose to pursue higher education through sheer perseverance and a burning desire to rise. He joined Rushmore Business School, where he embarked on his Diploma and Bachelor’s in Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management through Leeds Beckett University, followed later by his Master’s in Project Management with Merit from the University of Mauritius, in collaboration with the University of Central Lancashire. Each of these achievements was not just an academic milestone but a personal victory — a proof that willpower could triumph over limitation.

But for Karan, education was not a full-time luxury — it was a part-time privilege that came at the cost of sleep, comfort, and rest. While many of his peers attended lectures in the day and studied in the evening, he worked during the day to support his education and attended classes at night. He lived in a rhythm of responsibility — juggling his early career, long work hours, and demanding coursework, all while ensuring that his performance in both spheres never faltered.

There were days when exhaustion threatened to take over, when the lines between work and study blurred. Yet, Karan would remind himself why he started. He was not studying merely to earn a degree — he was doing it to change the story of his life, to prove that even someone without privilege could reach the highest levels through grit. His nights were often spent finishing assignments after long hours on-site, and his mornings began before dawn, preparing for another day of work. He built his days like an engineer constructs a building — one careful, deliberate layer at a time.

During this phase, Mrs. Phoolkoomaree, his mother, became his unwavering companion in perseverance. Even after her own long days as a teacher, she would sit beside him, typing out his handwritten assignments and dissertations late into the night. It was their shared effort — a mother and son building a dream together word by word, line by line. Meanwhile, his father, Mr. Kresenlall, continued to be his silent support, ensuring that Karan never lacked the essentials to continue his education. His parents didn’t just invest in his studies; they invested in his belief in himself.

Karan’s sense of discipline during this time became legendary among his peers. He had a self-made timetable that guided every hour of his day — work, study, rest, and review — everything was precisely planned. He followed it not because someone told him to, but because he knew that organization was his only weapon against chaos. He would often say later in life, “I didn’t have extra hours, so I had to make the ones I had matter.” That attitude carried him through this intense balancing act between education and employment.