Congratulations: The Eswaran brothers posing for a photo during the November 2025 graduation ceremony.
Studying together in a supportive and enriching environment helps students stay motivated and makes the learning journey more enjoyable and meaningful.
Twin brothers Hariharan and Harishankar Eswaran, who recently graduated with a Master of Applied Engineering degree from Monash University Malaysia, credited their strong bond for helping them navigate postgraduate studies and achieve this milestone together.
The 26-year-olds had often studied together, discussing difficult concepts and supporting each other based on their respective strengths.
Their synergy deepened over the years, enabling them to collaborate, challenge each other’s thinking, and fill knowledge gaps for mutual benefit.
For Harishankar, the motivation to pursue a master’s degree stemmed from his desire to broaden his engineering knowledge and stay current with emerging technologies.
Hariharan, meanwhile, had long been fascinated by fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and unmanned aerial vehicle systems.
Although they initially considered postgraduate study independently, their shared interests naturally aligned, leading them to embark on the Master of Applied Engineering together.
Both focused on industrial and robotics engineering, with Harishankar exploring advanced manufacturing and AI, and Hariharan specialising in solar energy.
“It was a great feeling (graduating with my brother). I was proud of my own achievement, but also really happy to see him succeed alongside me,” Harishankar said.
Sharing the same sentiment, Hariharan reflected on how graduating together had been a recurring thread throughout their lives, from kindergarten to undergraduate studies, and now, their master’s degree.
But their success did not come without challenges. Balancing multiple assignments and project deadlines required discipline.
For Harishankar, maintaining steady progress was key to managing the workload.
Hariharan, on the other hand, recalled the difficulties of navigating unexpected hurdles in his research.
“It wasn’t about being brilliant. It was about being stubborn enough not to give up.
“Most people need a friend to talk to. I have my brother,” he said.
Behind the twins stands a family that has always valued education.
Their father, a former academic, and their mother, a homemaker, created an environment where learning was encouraged.
Regular check-ins, thoughtful advice and unwavering emotional support kept the brothers grounded through even the most demanding periods of their studies.
Along with an elder sister, the family unit has been a constant source of strength for the brothers.
Despite their intense focus on engineering, both brothers make time for pursuits that keep them balanced.
Online chess is a shared favourite, with Harishankar particularly fond of daily puzzle challenges while Hariharan enjoys reading and playing badminton.
Both brothers plan to continue their academic journey by pursuing a PhD in Engineering.
With the aim of building on the research foundations they have developed, they aspire to contribute to the field as researchers and future academics.
In many ways, the duo’s graduation marks far more than the completion of their master’s degrees.
It reflects the years they have spent learning side by side since their childhood days in Ipoh, supporting each other through challenges, and celebrating every win together.
As they move towards their next academic challenge, they carry with them the invaluable certainty that they are not walking this path alone.
