Musician, Black Belt and Future Economist Kushi Celebrates A-Level Success and Imperial College Place

Cardiff Sixth Form College student Kushi Shetty is celebrating her A-Level results today after securing her place at Imperial College London, where she plans to study Economics, Finance and Data Science.

Kushi, who joined Cardiff Sixth Form College on a scholarship, studied Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Economics and Psychology gaining all A* grades. She credits another Cardiff Sixth Form College student with inspiring her decision to join the College.

“I heard so many positive things about Cardiff Sixth Form College from another student and it really ignited my excitement about coming here,” said Kushi. “I’m so pleased I made that decision. It has been an amazing experience and a real step up.”

While her academic achievements have secured her place at one of the UK’s leading universities, Kushi’s time at Cardiff Sixth Form College has been defined just as much by her remarkable contributions to music, leadership and sport.

A talented violinist, Kushi has been playing since the age of nine and has achieved ARSM Diploma level. She is a member of the National Youth Orchestra of  Wales, performing in the prestigious first violin section, and serves as Principal Second Violin for Cardiff and Vale Youth Orchestra.

Music has been at the centre of her school life. Alongside fellow student Samson, she transformed the College orchestra into a student-led organisation, taking responsibility for selecting repertoire, organising rehearsals and leading performances.

“We wanted students to have ownership of the orchestra,” she said. “We’ve loved being able to choose pieces ourselves and create performances that students really enjoy.”

Under their leadership, the orchestra has performed at major College events including the Winter Showcase, Eisteddfod and Cultural Event, involving around 30 student musicians.

Kushi has also helped establish smaller chamber groups, quartets and wind ensembles that perform in local care homes.

“One of my favourite things has been taking music into care homes,” she said. “It’s wonderful seeing how much enjoyment it brings to residents and being able to use music to connect with people.”

One of the highlights of her musical career came last year when she performed at the Proms in the Royal Albert Hall as part of the South-East Wales Youth Orchestra.

“It was an incredible experience,” she said. “We premiered two new commissions as part of the BBC 10 Pieces series as well as Causeway which involved a 450-strong children’s choir, full orchestra and troop of dancers. Standing on that stage was unforgettable.”

Alongside her musical accomplishments, Kushi has demonstrated remarkable commitment and discipline through martial arts, earning a black belt in karate after years of training.

“Karate has taught me resilience, discipline and perseverance,” she said. “Those are skills that have helped me in every area of my life, whether that’s studying, performing music or taking on leadership responsibilities.”

Her leadership credentials extend across the College community. As Deputy Head Student, Kushi has played a key role in organising major student initiatives, including producing the school yearbook, coordinating the Outreach for Music project and organising year-group hoodies.

She also helped organise the College’s TEDx event, hosted at Cardiff Museum and was runner up in the prestigious ISA Lexden Prize.

“TEDx was one of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on,” she said. “The venue was fantastic and it was incredibly rewarding to bring together speakers and students for such an inspiring event.”

Her contribution to College life was recognised when she received the prestigious Student of the Year award.

Academically, Kushi has developed a growing passion for economics and public policy, supported through work experience placements with Barclays Corporate Finance in its mergers and acquisitions department and financial advisory firm Penguin Wealth.

“I became fascinated by how economic decisions influence almost every institution in society,” she said. “The policies governments implement and the decisions businesses make are all underpinned by financial analysis.”

She is particularly interested in the impact of emerging technologies on the finance sector.

“Artificial intelligence is changing the way financial organisations operate and analyse information,” she said. “I’m interested in how technology can improve decision-making and how those developments will shape the future of finance.”

Looking further ahead, Kushi hopes to pursue a career in macroeconomic policy.

Outside school, she is a dedicated volunteer at the Indian Heritage Centre, a Cardiff-based charity that celebrates Indian culture and community.

Her role includes helping organise monthly events, delivering speeches, acting as a master of ceremonies, welcoming guests and supporting catering and community activities.

“It has been a great opportunity to give back to the community while helping to celebrate and preserve Indian culture,” she said.

She is also an accomplished Indian Classical dancer, training weekly with a specialist teacher who travels from London.

Although public speaking was initially outside her comfort zone, Kushi embraced debating after joining Cardiff Sixth Form College.

“I’d never done debating before I came to the College,” she said. “I ended up loving it.”

She went on to qualify for the Oxford University Debating Finals on two occasions and competed successfully in tournaments hosted by Imperial College London, the London School of Economics and University College London.

As she celebrates her A-Level results and prepares for the next chapter at Imperial College, Kushi reflects on a school career defined by academic excellence, leadership and a passion for bringing people together through music.

“Said Cardiff Sixth Form Principal, Tom Arrand: “Whether it’s performing in an orchestra, volunteering in the community, debating or studying economics, Kushi has had a great rapport with other people and is a real team player. She has created a fully student-led orchestra and is an exceptional musician herself.  I’m excited to see where the next stage takes her.”