The morning sun at the university was bright, but for Swarna, the only light that mattered was the one that would soon shine from the podium of Lecture Hall 4.

Swarna stood in front of the tall mirror in the girls’ common room, adjusting her outfit for the third time. She wasn't wearing the usual jeans and a t-shirt. Today, she had chosen a deep, emerald-green silk saree. It was draped low on her hips, hugging her curves in a way that was both elegant and dangerously bold. The sleeveless blouse showed off her creamy shoulders, and she had applied a drop of expensive, musky perfume behind her ears and on her wrists.