Saha Kumar is a Japanese Studies major and Political Science minor at UC San Diego studying at Keio University in Tokyo, Japan. From a very young age, Saha had a passion for foreign language studies and especially the Japanese language and culture. Saha deeply treasures the learning of foreign languages, placing high value on communicating and connecting with people. She aspires to contribute to the field of international relations, especially as it relates to U.S.-Japan diplomacy, and looks forward to studying Japanese foreign policy while at Keio University. She aims to achieve JLPT N1 level fluency by her return to the United States in August 2025. Additionally, Saha has a niche, vivid passion for the art of Japanese swordsmithing. She is currently writing a thesis on the poetic significance of swords in classical Japanese literature, which she aspires to publish in a research journal prior to graduation. Saha is very excited to experience the Sapporo snow festival, visit sword-history-rich sites like Hakone, and explore the beautiful Japanese countryside. Saha writes, “One of my favorite experiences so far was attending a Japanese organized Indian Diwali (festival of lights) festival in Yokohama. Japanese people performed classical Indian dance such as Bhangra, played the thabla, spoke Hindi and Japanese interchangeably, and explained the story of Diwali. I was hugely moved to see people have so much joy and passion in celebrating my culture and languages, the same way I was passionate about theirs.”