A serial achiever, Ragesh Lalloo, was homegrown by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and he has graduated with his fourth degree in Marketing, once again with distinction. Lalloo started climbing UJ’s academic ladder when he enrolled in a Diploma in Marketing, then an Advanced Diploma in Marketing, followed by a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Marketing and now Master of Commerce in Marketing Management. He has been consistent in walking the Sanlam Auditorium stage with a Cum Laude title at all his graduation ceremonies.
“I completed every one of them with distinction. So, there was never a single “degree” so much as a ladder I climbed deliberately, one rung at a time, each qualification deepening the last”.
Lalloo’s Master’s dissertation, titled “The Influence of Precursors to E‑Trust on the Intention to Purchase Athleisure Apparel,” investigated how Generation Y men in South Africa build trust when shopping for athleisure apparel through Instagram. Drawing on a multi‑theoretical framework and quantitative analysis, his study revealed counterintuitive findings: perceived risk strengthened trust, while online reviews weakened it, underscoring the importance of transparent risk communication and authentic visual storytelling. Lalloo’s research highlights e‑trust as the strongest driver of purchase intention, offering both theoretical insights for emerging markets and practical strategies for retailers navigating South Africa’s mobile‑first social commerce landscape.
Much like academics, Lalloo excels in sport too. The squash captain said; “Sport taught me the same lessons that carried me through my studies: discipline, consistency, and the understanding that excellence compounds over time. The intersection of sport and marketing is a natural one, because both are about audiences, loyalty, emotion and moments that people never forget”.
Every journey has challenges and his were late nights, the moments of doubt and quiet sacrifices that no one sees. He says that there were times where the road felt too long, but what carried him through was the support of those close to him, family, friends, classmates and supervisors that made the difficult parts bearable.
On the other hand, he said the victory in this journey was not the distinction but, him refusing to settle for anything less than his absolute best across every single qualification as well as proving that consistency and excellency compound over time.
“Academia grew on me as I climbed. Each qualification I completed with distinction showed me I didn’t just want to finish. I wanted to understand things deeply and contribute to the field. Reaching a Master’s, with distinction, as the final piece of a full set of distinctions from Diploma right through to MCom, is difficult to put into words”.
Lalloo said this is not the end for him and said it’s what he called the launchpad. He added that the next horizon is a doctoral study and to continue both as an academic and a professional. “I also want to begin the journey of writing articles, conference papers and journal articles on subject matter that is interesting and unique which I can tie into my own experiences. When it comes to my teaching element, I want to empower the youth and give them, teachings and learnings I wished I had when I was going through my university experience. As always, I will do all of this to my highest possible standard. What looks impossible today becomes your legacy tomorrow, and I intend to keep building”.
“UJ is where potential gets taken seriously. Every step of my journey, from Diploma to MCom, happened here, guided by supervisors and mentors who invested in me and pushed me forward, alongside classmates who became a genuine community. If you’re willing to commit and do the work, UJ gives you the mentorship, the standard of excellence, and the belief in your potential to turn that commitment into something lasting. Keep going. The road is long, but consistency and excellence compound, and this is the place to build that”.
