Physics
Engineering Physics at the University of Oldenburg, and the long road to becoming a physicist.
Welcome into my world
Kumar Ashish
Germany's national student leader with 9+ years of leadership. A versatile leader: physicist in the making and entrepreneur.
“Escape from ordinary.”
Featured acrossGermany·England·Hong Kong·Africa
Every point of light is a person
Thousands of students. One network.
Nine years of listening to students and helping them through study, bureaucracy and life in Germany.
9+
years of student leadership in Germany
400,000+
international students represented nationally
14 / 14
student elections stood for, and won
140
working days for international students, up from 120, after my campaign
My compass
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन
“Your right is to your work alone, never to its fruits.”
Bhagavad Gita 2.47
Everything here began with seva, service: one student, one problem, one late-night call at a time, without asking what comes back.
How I live · A versatile leader
An M-shaped life, built on three pillars.
Most people go deep in one thing. I chose three, and each one makes the others stronger.
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”
The full saying. Most people only quote the first half.
Entrepreneurship
The GermanCampus vision: one trusted place for everything international students need, from the first application to the first job in Germany.
Leadership
Standing up for students where decisions are made: AStA, BAS and the DAAD Executive Board.
Ten years in Germany
The path so far.
Per aspera ad astra. Through hardships to the stars.
2015
The hard road here
Stolen documents, failed language exams and the Nepal earthquake. I kept going.
2016
Arrived in Oldenburg
Began Engineering Physics at Carl von Ossietzky Universität.
2017–18
Mercedes-Benz, Werk Bremen
First industry experience inside one of Germany's largest plants.
2018–21
Elected student leader, AStA
Three AStA elections won, and regular advice hours opened for international students.
2019–25
Chairman and spokesperson, BAS
National board in 2019, then elected chairman six times in a row. Now National Board advisor.
2020
DAAD Executive Board
A student voice at the table, re-elected every two years, now serving to 2027.
2022
On the federal stage
Invited by the Federal Education Minister to a dialogue in Berlin.
2023
120 → 140 days
My campaign for more working days for international students became law.
2023–26
GermanCampus
From an idea to a launched platform, with a University Finder for 455 universities.
2024
“Der Netzwerker”
Named The Networker by the University of Oldenburg.
2026
North West Alliance
Student representative in the Oldenburg–Bremen Excellence Strategy alliance.
Campaigns
Policy changes that reached real students.
120 → 140 days
More working days for international students
A single-handed campaign that gave students more room to support themselves.
Extra corona semester
Pandemic semesters counted fairly.
Überbrückungshilfe
Emergency aid reaching international students.
Energy price relief
Students included in energy cost refunds.
BAföG for everyone
Broader access to student financial support.
Talks · Workshops · Keynotes
On stage, year after year.
2026
The Power of Networking
Featured speaker at an English-speaking entrepreneurs event.
Lebenslauf & Anschreiben
CVs and cover letters that work on the German job market.
2025
German Council of Science and Humanities
Hearing on how universities should respond to demographic change.
Werkstatt Zukunft Oldenburg
Global justice from the Global South, with school students.
2024
Racism and diversity at German universities
Published chapter, presented at Leipzig University.
Campus of the Future
Housing for international students, DAAD and University of Cologne.
2022–23
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Workshop dialogue “Studying today, studying tomorrow”, Berlin.
DAAD Diversity Conference
On the podium with the President of TU Braunschweig.
15+
Universities across Germany
TU München · Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin · Göttingen · TU Braunschweig · Ulm · Mainz · Potsdam · Bremen · Jena · Köln · Oldenburg and more
Gallery · Moments
Photos and memories.
As seen on
In the press.
DER SPIEGEL“Willkommen in Deutschland – nur Zimmer haben wir keine”2025Read the article ↗
Times Higher Education“German visa bottlenecks ‘deterring international students’”Sep 2022Read the article ↗
Süddeutsche Zeitung · jetztQuoted on uni-assist and the hurdles for international applicants2024Read the article ↗
Augsburger Allgemeine & regional dailies“Wie junge Inder mit Hoffnung nach Deutschland kommen und Betrugsopfer werden”2025Read the article ↗
University of Oldenburg“Der Netzwerker”Jul 2024Read the article ↗
DAAD“Neue Mitglieder für Vorstand und Kuratorium gewählt”Jun 2025Read the article ↗
taz“Einreisebeschränkungen für Studierende: Visum nur bei Präsenzstudium”Aug 2020Read the article ↗
MiGAZIN“Ausländische Studierende bei Corona-Hilfsmaßnahme mitdenken”Feb 2022Read the article ↗
Also featured: DSW Journal · KCS Sachsen (published chapter) · The Local podcast · Phoenix TV, Hong Kong
Coming soonYou Don't Need Fluent GermanKumar Ashish
The book
Fear of German stops too many people.
A practical guide to studying, working and living in Germany while your German is still growing.
Blog · My thoughts
Thoughts and ideas I keep coming back to.
Beyond work · Hobbies
What I do when nobody is watching.
∞
The big questions
Quantum gravity and emergent spacetime. Physics I read for fun.
12
Languages
English, German, Hindi, Nepali and Chinese, plus seven more at a basic level. Now learning advanced Chinese.
🏸
Badminton and swimming
Quick on the court, calm in the water.
♟
Chess
Thinking a few moves ahead, on the board and off it.
Connect
Let's build something together.
Public channels
Based in Bremen, Germany.