Jaedon Naidu with his parents, Dr Sean Naidu and Dr Anoshini Moodley, and girlfriend, Alicia Khader.
Image: Sethu Dlamini
Jaedon Naidu, a top-performing student at UKZN, graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of science honours degree in statistics and is set to pursue a Master's degree in statistical science at the University of Oxford.
“I am incredibly grateful and excited for the experiences that lie ahead,” said Naidu.
Naidu, ranked as the top-performing UKZN graduate in 2025, was approached during his school years by the then dean and head of the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, Professor Delia North, who encouraged him to pursue data science.
“Mathematics was always my best subject at school, so although I initially accepted an offer to study medicine at UKZN, I ultimately changed to the data science programme, which is an interdisciplinary field combining mathematics, statistics and computer science. I quickly realised it was exactly what I had been looking for.”
With triple majors in mathematics, statistics and computer science, he chose to specialise in statistics because of its application of advanced mathematical techniques to the modern field of data science.
Throughout his studies, Naidu gravitated towards modules that challenged his analytical abilities.
“The modules I enjoyed most were those that were more mathematically rigorous – ones that emphasised critical thinking and problem-solving rather than memorisation,” he said.
“Like most students, I don’t particularly enjoy memorising large volumes of theory; instead, I find problem-solving engaging, almost like working through a puzzle.”
Among his favourite honours modules, Time Series Analysis stood out, particularly for its focus on understanding how quantities evolve over time.
For his honours research project, Naidu used data from a major South African debt collection agency to understand the causes of low debt collection rates.
Titled "Diagnosing Low Debt Collection Using Generalised Additive Models and Heckman Selection", the project offered a comprehensive, two-fold solution that addressed both debt collectors and debtors.
It also introduced the foundations of potential new theoretical techniques and was recognised by some academics as being of Master’s degree level, with the potential – given further development – to reach doctoral status.
“A large part of my interest in statistics stems from my childhood,” Naidu shared.
“I grew up competing in national and international mathematics, computer programming and physics Olympiads. So, a field like statistics, which integrates these disciplines with real-world data, felt like a natural bridge between theoretical learning and practical application.”
He added that in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, statistics and mathematics underpinned many of the techniques used in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development, making this background increasingly valuable.
He credited his achievements to a strong support system, giving thanks first and foremost “to God, for the combination of my abilities and the environment in which to develop them”; to his family, especially his father, Dr Sean Naidu, mother Dr Anoshini Moodley, brother Aaron Naidu, his girlfriend Alicia Khader; and to his grandmother, Eveline Vincent, “my first teacher, to whom I owe my academic foundation”.
He also acknowledged his teachers, including his high school teachers at Eden College, UKZN Emeritus Professors Poobhalan Pillay and Delia North, and the many UKZN lecturers who guided him along the way.
Beyond academia, Naidu maintains a balanced lifestyle, enjoying training in weighted calisthenics and playing the piano, while also dedicating time to growing his YouTube channel, where he shares content on study skills and productivity.
Offering advice to fellow students, he emphasised the importance of perseverance: “To anyone about to begin their degree, or currently pursuing one, remember that hard work and consistency will take you further than natural talent alone ever could."