Daniel Persaud, an electrical engineer at the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), has been named the University of Guyana’s Valedictorian for 2025. Persaud read for a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Technology and secured a Perfect Grade Point Average (GPA) of 4.0, copping the coveted prize of the President’s Medal for Best Graduating Student with a bachelor’s degree.
Persaud, 33, will be amongst the three thousand seven hundred graduands who will be walking the university’s graduation stage when the nation’s premier tertiary institution hosts its series of convocation exercise from November 20 to December 6, 2025.
Upon hearing the news that he was named the UG’s 2025 Valedictorian, Persaud said that he was lost for words at first. “I couldn’t explain how I felt. I am humbled by it. I am honoured by it. I never envisioned me being here. I actually thought this would have been awarded to one of my classmates.” He attributed his high-achieving 4.0 GPA to a focused approach, reminding himself that “getting an A is not impossible, there is no reason to fail.”
Persaud explained that his academic success was not easily achieved, it required commitment, hard work and a drive to succeed. “The challenges were basically just balancing what was required at UG with what was happening at home. UG had lots of late nights, exams and lots of assignments to take care of and I also had many responsibilities at home.”
According to Persaud, the rigorous nature of engineering, especially the intense mathematics required, compounded the difficulty. “In engineering, there’s a lot of math, and I wasn’t good at math before coming to the university. There were definitely times when I questioned, ‘What are you doing here Daniel? Why did you choose this torture?’”
Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana; His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana; Daniel Persaud, University of Guyana’s 2025 Valedictorian; and his Friend Chelsea Balkarran, pose for a photo at the Office of the President where Persaud received the President’s Medal.
Persaud, a son of Wales, Region Three, acquired his secondary education at the West Demerara Secondary School. In his drive for academic success, he then continued his studies at the GuySuCo Port Mourant Training Centre and the Government Technical Institute in Georgetown.
Persaud’s journey to UG was not immediate. He recalled that prior to 2021 when he was accepted in UG, he had initially applied for admission, but he was not accepted since he did not meet the requirements at the time for admission. “I felt rejected when I did not get through at first. But looking back, if I had gotten accepted, I would have struggled without that GTI foundation.” He noted that he did not back down, he ended up using the opportunity to complete the necessary technical training at the Government Technical Institute (GTI) which provided him a stronger foundation to pursue his Electrical Engineering degree at UG.
Persaud’s academic pursuit at the University of Guyana was made possible through a scholarship from Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), where he started working in 2013. The company’s leadership, he explained, “promotes growth for their employees.” He gave special mention to his manager, Mr. Khemraj Sukhdeo, who was also instrumental in pushing him forward. According to Persaud, he was not required to work while on the scholarship.
Throughout his time at UG, Daniel credits his success entirely to a strong support system. His parents, Sewchand Persaud and Jasoda Deokaran, encouraged him throughout his studies. His siblings, Nadeina Persaud and Debbina Persaud, were also supportive, but the cornerstone of his early education was his grandmother, Mabel Persaud, who, he said, “has been a support of my education from the time I started school up to the point of UG.”
Beyond his immediate family, he highlighted two key mentors. Chelsea Balkaran, whom he referred to as a “very special friend,” was the person who encouraged him to apply for the scholarship at DDL and guided him throughout the complexities of university life. “She was always a mentor… she did not want me to go through what she went through, so she taught me how to navigate UG,” the proud graduand said.
His academic partnership with friend Lemuel Williams was important for tackling the workload. “For me, this is the guy that knows everything about anything. There were many late nights, group meetings. We would utilize Zoom, sometimes Google Meet, and we would teach one another.”
Though the demanding schedule of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology meant he could not participate in any UG extracurricular activities, Persaud remains an active person outside of school, dedicating time to martial arts, cricket, a little football, and volleyball, among other activities.
Addressing current and future students, Persaud shared the wisdom passed down by his mentors. “Treat the negative you hear about UG as noise, take the challenge and come. There is so much you could learn at UG, not only lifelong skills, but the relationships you develop.” He urged peers to find study groups, be vocal in class, and engage with lecturers who, he believes, “are trying to help you grow.”
The Valedictorian encouraged his peers who are also graduating this year from the University of Guyana to serve their homeland as too often persons with key skills are looking outward for opportunities. “We are at a stage right now where we are building bridges, roads… we are experiencing rapid development… as our President says, transformation. Stick around, take advantage of the opportunities, don’t be afraid to share your ideas, dream big, innovate, be yourself.”
Having achieved the pinnacle of his undergraduate career, Persaud is hoping to continue his career at DDL while also pursuing his Master’s degree in a related field. He remains deeply grateful for his faith, noting that being Valedictorian is all thanks to “God and my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
The public is invited to celebrate with the University of Guyana at this year’s very special graduation events which will be streamed live on the University’s Facebook page:
and UG Broadcasting Service at https://broadcasting.uog.edu.gy/ The ceremonies will also be covered by local and international media.
The University of Guyana has produced upwards of 80,000 graduates in its 62-year existence – many of whom have gone on to serve at the highest levels in both the private and public sectors nationally and internationally.
Please see link for the full list of awardees:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AUY4Qt3ouHBcBpFuQDG6D1KPi7FbcZrM/view?usp=sharing
