Candidate: Aditya Narain Sharma

Kia ora, 

I’m Aditya Narain Sharma — a sailor turned student, and hopefully your next
representative on the University Council. And here’s a fun fact: my initials are A.N.S… which literally makes me the Answer to your problems.

Before arriving in Auckland, I spent years in the Merchant Navy as a Third Officer. My job? Navigating a 1,300-foot ship across oceans, leading teams during intense cargo operations, and making sure everything (and everyone) reached safely from one side of the world to the other. Basically, if I can manage a crew on a ship the size of a skyscraper, trust me, I can handle a council meeting.

I’ve literally sailed around the globe, crossed the International Date Line a few
times, and even transited the Panama Canal more times than I can count. (By the way, the Canal is so narrow that it feels like parking a bus in a bicycle lane — but somehow, we did it without scratches!) The fun part about the Date Line? You get to live the same day twice. Imagine submitting an assignment late… then crossing the Date Line and suddenly you’re on time again. Sadly, it only works at sea.

These experiences taught me more than navigation—they taught me leadership, responsibility, and the art of working with people from dozens of different cultures. Whether it was solving conflicts onboard or guiding my team through stressful nights, I learned how to listen, act decisively, and keep morale high. And that’s exactly how I see this role: steering student voices in the right direction, with your voice as my compass.

Now, about teaching, research, and community life. I could give you a long policy speech… but let’s keep it real. On teaching and research, I want more practical, hands-on learning—less “death by PowerPoint,” more “this will actually help me in life.” On community, I want every student—local, international, shy, outspoken—to feel like they belong. Think less cliques, more clicks. On leadership, I’ve led teams where mistakes could sink millions of dollars (and ships), so helping represent students at Council feels like smooth sailing. On diversity, I’ve worked with crews from 30+ countries and still managed to keep karaoke nights civil—that’s diplomacy in action.

Outside of studies and leadership, I also sing. Music has always been my way of bringing people together, whether in the middle of the Pacific or right here on campus. So if you see me around, don’t just talk to me about exams—ask me for a song.

To wrap it up: I’ve crossed oceans, bent time zones, squeezed through the Panama Canal, and somehow kept my sense of humour intact. Now I’d like to put that navigating experience into navigating student voices at this university. Vote for me—because when it comes to student representation, you already have the A.N.S(wer).

 Ngā mihi,

Aditya Narain Sharma