My అమ్మమ్మ, ammamma (mother’s mother) heard from a priest about a prediction that I would either grow up to be a దొంగ (fox) or రాజు (king) based on the day I was born. Although my mom was unsure, my ammamma did not doubt that I would become a king. When my mother told me about the prediction, I related it to the houses at Hogwarts. The prospect of being a Slytherin, known for ambition, or a Hufflepuff, characterized by compassion, intrigued me as there was no right answer. In my journey, I aspired to blend the qualities I found in both Hufflepuff, known for helping others, and Slytherin - recognized for ambition and success. My actions in the world of robotics, for example, demonstrated this fusion. Although the team I assisted was our direct competition, I lent them my expertise to optimize their code. Yet, my loyalty remained with my team, and when we clinched second place in that competition, we celebrated together. I made sure to share these experiences with my ammamma to prove her belief right. I cherished my ammamma's constant positivity, which made it gut-wrenching when it was taken away from me. My heart froze in my chest when I saw her devoid of her smile as she sat on the hospital bed looking pale, sickly, and drained. Before I had a chance to ask about her health, her question, “Did you eat?”, left me utterly perplexed. Even though she barely slept last night and could barely breathe, her first words were not of her suffering but of my well-being. My heart swelled with a slurry of emotions and I choked up as I tried to reassure her that everything would be okay. At that moment, I didn’t know who I was trying to comfort — her or myself. She started to worry about me, asking if I was careful on my drive to the hospital. Those words pushed me back to that robotics competition — would I have extended the same helping hand if my team had been under duress? Her words proved to me that even at the most pivotal moments of life, my kindness and selflessness needed to be unwavering; only then was it a true testament to my character. I am learning to apply this mindset to every task I face, dealing with the outside world in the same fashion as I learned from my ammamma. I want to bring these principles to academia, to contribute to a more empathic academic environment, with a focus on guidance and support even during adversity. I will stay committed to engaging with students and colleagues even with commitments like potential publication and conference deadlines on the horizon. As I set my sights on a career in quantum computing research, these principles hold even greater significance. It’s a field where the collective effort of researchers is paramount, where selflessness and collaboration can be the driving force behind groundbreaking discoveries rather than competition. When my ammamma believed that I would rise above life’s trials to become a king, her vision didn't entail wielding power or possessing riches. Instead, she strived to impart the value of placing the needs and well-being of others above my desires, unwavering in even the toughest circumstances. And most importantly, she wanted me to know that being a king means leading with kindness, compassion, and selflessness — a ruler not of a kingdom, but of the heart. Hufflepuffs - the true kings/queens of the heart.