BOSTON—INDIA New England News, one of the nation’s largest Indian-American news and video magazines serving the South Asian community, announced the winners of its 20-Under-20 Stars for 2024.
The 20-Under-20 Stars were selected based on their achievements, extracurricular activities, entrepreneurship, and participation in community service, as well as exceptional skills in writing, arts and music, among other factors. These winners will be celebrated with a breakfast award ceremony on September 8, 2024. To buy tickets, please click here.
Here are INDIA New England’s ’20 Under 20′ for 2024:
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- Julia Ava Dalal
- Syna Bhuva
- Aadi Dash
- Zayd Dhasthageer
- Neil Dutta
- Ashneel Ejenkar
- Aanya Gupta
- Rishabh Harshal Tole
- Vrinda Heda
- Dhruv Jagan
- Aryaman Jain
- Anaya Joshi
- Diya Karthick
- Vanshika Kumar
- Aaria Madan Nagpal
- Ananya Mathur
- Aarav Menon
- Vishal Rampur
- Anya Sangani
- Bhargav Shah
- Abhay Sharma
- Vyom Shrivastava
- Arya Solur (Shashikiran)
- Soham Chauhan Sudhakaran
- Rhea Yadav
Julia Ava Dalal
12th grade
Lawrence Academy
Lexington, MA
Julia Ava Dalal is a high-performing Lexington, MA rising senior and athlete attending Lawrence Academy. A diligent student leader, Dalal was nominated into a highly selective group of students who help new students get assimilated to school, create fun and learning opportunities for new students, establish school spirit, and make Lawrence Academy feel like home. New students look up to Dalal and see her as a mentor for academics and sports. Dalal also helps underprivileged children in the greater Boston area at the Horizons program at Lexington Montessori School every summer. She works hard to be loving, caring, compassionate, and highly involved in making the children in the program feel safe and happy. Dalal has attended a highly coveted academic summer program focusing on biology and laboratory work at Brown University, where she got an A in the class and made some strong, long-lasting friendships with other attendees. With an overall GPA of 3.60, Dalal has been on Lawrence Academy’s high honor roll every term, taking many AP and Honors Classes including History, Spanish, and English. Dalal aspires to be a child psychiatrist and plans to focus on premed and psychology in college.
Dalal has been playing basketball since she was 4 years old and made it onto the high school varsity basketball team in her freshman year, no small feat at her school. She was recruited to play basketball at Lawrence Academy and is a starting point guard on the Lawrence Academy varsity team Dalal is on the highest level, most competitive AAU basketball club team, Platinum, which she plays on throughout the entire year on Evolution. She aspires to play basketball in college at a high academic Division 3 school Because of her athletic and academic achievements, Dalal was nominated to be a part of a women’s and girls’ leadership program which consists of empowering and getting girls excited about sports so they are encouraged to play in and remain in sports – in spite of the fact that very few girls play and stay in competitive sports.
Syna Bhuva
11th grade
Shrewsbury High School
Shrewsbury, MA
Syna Bhuva is a highly accomplished rising junior at Shrewsbury High School in Shrewsbury, MA. A working actor and model (represented by AWA, & ST & BTM, LA) since 2016, Bhuva has worked in numerous commercials, TV shows, short films, and voiceovers for the past eight years. One of her recent short films premiered at the first South Asian Oscar-qualifying film festival, Tasveer. This film was instrumental to her success due to the effort she spent before and during shooting and the personal, heartfelt connection she felt with the characters. She has also done TV and print commercials for, but not limited to, Apple, HASBRO, Doctors without Borders, and the CDC.
Along with her acting and modelling work, Bhuva volunteered with Hindi Manch as a backstage makeup artist for programs, utilizing her wide range of skill sets. Moreover, she has worked as an independent tutor for a significant period of time. She tutored more than 15 students online, each for two hours weekly, and felt highly fulfilled from this gratifying work. Bhuva has also volunteered with Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, and was later employed as a Recreational Assistant this year. She primarily works in the memory loss care unit with patients suffering from dementia, spending every Saturday and most of her school vacations at the nursing home. She has formed very special bonds with each resident, and this inspired her interest in neurology and allowed her to comprehend the implications of these debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. Bhuva also interned for three weeks at Neurology Associates of Southeast Texas, under the supervision of Dr. Marwan Purghol. She was present for neurological consultations and tests such as electromyography, electroencephalography, nerve conduction studies, among others. Dr. Purghol specializes in using Botox to treat migraines and cervical dystonia- a procedure that neurologists do not commonly perform, and one Bhuva was extremely fortunate to observe. Bhuva has also interned for two months in 2022 at Asian Heart Hospital, India’s number one cardiology institute and spent periods of that time in each hospital department. With its extensive resources, she was introduced to several medical fields besides cardiology, and was allowed to be present in operational rooms to observe open heart surgery and access patient records in the ICU.
Aadi Dash
12th grade
Burlington High School
Burlington, MA
Aadi Dash is an academically-gifted rising senior at Burlington High School (BHS) in Burlington, MA. Dash is a recipient of the Cornell Book Award, which is given to a BHS junior who has shown academic excellence, extracurricular achievement, and leadership. He is a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist and placed in the 99th percentile for the SAT, as well as consistently achieving placement on the school Honor Roll with an unweighted 3.98 GPA. He is one of 3 students in BHS history to skip Honors Geometry as a freshman, and has qualified twice for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME). Additionally, he received the History Distinction Award in his AP history class. He also excels in Latin and received a Silver Medal, a Gold Medal and Perfect Score, and a Cum Laude for the National Latin Exam.
At his high school, Dash is the president of the South Asian Student Association (SASA), where he has helped organize events where members have watched cartoons, played board games, read AAPI books and discussed South Asian culture with elementary schoolers, and played cricket. SASA currently has over 120 members, and he plans to expand it even more in the upcoming school year. Dash is also the Business Team Lead and Project Manager of the BHS FIRST Robotics Competition team. As someone who was interested in robotics, he became Project Manager to interact with members of every sub-team and build a deeper understanding of each field. He is also a freshman mentor, and a member of Math League and National Honor Society. Finally, he has served as Treasurer for his class from 9th to 11th grade and was recently elected as the Vice President of the Student Executive Board.
Dash has been heavily involved in music for almost his entire life. He has been playing piano since before he was in kindergarten and has participated in numerous recitals and competitions. As a result, he secured 2nd Place in the Crescendo Competition and had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall. He is in the BHS Wind Ensemble and Marching Band, plays the clarinet and is looked to as an extremely capable musician and leader by his peers and Band Director. He will be the Woodwind Captain of the Marching Band in his senior year.
Dash has been volunteer-tutoring since 7th grade. In 7th and 8th grade, he ran a program called Math for Equality, where he taught students and raised over $1000 to support Black Lives Matter and the Indian Red Cross for COVID-19 support. Additionally, he is an SAT tutor at Schoolhouse, which is a non-profit organization run by Khan Academy. In his junior year, Dash started volunteering at Atria Senior Living, where he plays piano, runs games and walks, and organizes inventory. As an Eagle Scout, he cut and blazed half a mile of trail at Fox Hill Elementary School and built 100 feet of bridges to make walking the trail easier for Burlington residents, bikers, and dogwalkers for his Eagle Project, which took over 100 hours.
Dash is currently doing an 8-week internship as a Research Trainee at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Under the provision of a Harvard professor and a postdoctoral student, he will be studying nanoparticles and their use in medicinal drug delivery, as well as working on an AI project with a fellow intern.
Zayd Dhasthageer
12th grade
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Acton, MA
Zayd Dhasthageer is a rising senior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) in Acton, MA, who is interested in researching the link between genetics and pathology, with a desire to pursue a medical degree for his graduate education. In June 2024, he was accepted for publication in Biotreks, a peer-reviewed synthetic biology journal. He was part of a research group that produced a design article to genetically modify algae to increase starch production to combat famines and food shortages, as well as to provide healthier nutritional alternatives. Along with his publication, his team was awarded badges for Innovation and Conference Engagement. Dhasthageer has also done a summer program hosted by Biogen and Lemelson MIT, where he researched the effects of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) and presented a research project to his peers, along with designing an app to help cope with the symptoms of ALS.
Dhasthageer is also the captain of the Acton-Boxborough Quiz Bowl Team. He has been an integral part of the team’s 3 High School National Tournament Qualifications, and the team’s semifinalist placement for the Massachusetts State Championship (High School Quiz Show), with a commendation from the Superintendent of the school district. Nationally, they are ranked in the top 30% of Quiz Bowl Teams. Moreover, Dhasthageer has raised over $1,600 for tournament funds to support the team’s endeavors. Individually, he has also qualified for the National U.S. History Bee Competition. Dhasthageer is currently looking to expand Quiz Bowl outreach, and is in the midst of partnering with International Academic Competitions (IAC) to provide resources and funds for teams that are going through financial difficulties. He is also looking to bolster participation in academic competitions like the International History Bee, and to increase their accessibility to high school and middle school students.
Deeply interested in public service and commited to the improvement of others, Dhasthageer has a Gold President’s Award for volunteering 100 hours in a year, and 2 Silver President’s Awards for volunteering 75 hours in a year. He is the first Muslim Commissioner to join the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Town of Acton, and is one of two high schoolers who represent the student body at ABRHS. He works together with other commissioners to discuss related incidents in the town and discuss ways to improve overall equity in Acton. Furthermore, Dhasthageer is also a Student Ambassador for Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and has undergone training in the Muslim Youth Leadership Program to advocate for Muslims in Massachusetts. He surveys high schoolers and middle schoolers on bullying incidents to gather data that will eventually be used for legislation at the Massachusetts State House. He currently volunteers at Acton Computational Linguistics as an English Tutor for Haitian, Brazilian, and Afghan Refugees who are currently in the U.S. Dhasthageer has been recognized for his volunteerism in the community and local events in Lowell, MA as well.
Academically, Dhasthageer has challenged himself with high-level courses like AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, AP United States History, and AP Biology. In his senior year, he plans to take AP Spanish, AP Psychology, AP BC Calculus, and AP Physics C. Although, some of these courses do not relate to his current interests, he hopes that exposing himself to a wide variety of fields will help guide his post-secondary career. He was also accepted into the Spanish Honors Society which requires its members to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout their Foreign Language courses. In order to connect with his Indian heritage, Zayd has committed himself to increasing his fluency in Urdu, Tamil (his native languages), as well as Hindi.
Neil Dutta
10th grade
Sharon High School
Sharon, MA
Neil Dutta is a rising junior at Sharon High School in Sharon, MA, where he has established himself as a leader in his community and in his studies. Described as “one the most pro-active learners I’ve ever met” in his nomination for the 2024 20 Under 20, Dutta is an active student in and out of his school.
As a participant in the TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Academy, Dutta went out to senior citizen homes to do field research on his team’s idea, creating UV patches to help seniors reduce skin cancer. His work with seniors goes deeper, however – Dutta produced a series of video interviews for the “Volunteer for Seniors” organization, which he has been posting on YouTube for their followers.
Interested in indigenous cultures, Dutta has worked with Professor Robert Goodby of Franklin Pierce University in NH, helping on the site of an archaeological dig. He also collaborated with Goodby to write an article about history and lifestyle of New England indigenous groups in a peer-reviewed journal.
While travelling in Kenya, Dutta arranged to work with a non-profit, visiting their site, where he went to help the kids. After his visit, he went further and raised money to purchase an above-ground rainwater storage tank. Continuing to help the project, he started writing monthly reports for the NGO, which they send to all their followers. He was able to leverage this into acquiring a grant from the Rotary Club to purchase wheelchairs and a food storage unit for the community in Kenya. He is going back to do an immersive volunteer trip this summer. Dutta has been invited to speak on a radio show on WPRO about his humanitarian work in Kenya.
Ashneel Ejenkar
12th grade
Burlington High School
Burlington, MA
Ashneel Ejenkar is a motivated and versatile rising senior at Burlington High School, excelling in academics, engineering, music, sports, and community service. An avid athlete, Ejenkar is a member of his school’s tennis, wrestling, and soccer teams. He is also on the varsity volleyball team and enjoys playing golf recreationally. He has refereed over 75 youth soccer games in his community as well.
Community service is a crucial aspect of Ejenkar’s life. He volunteers at senior citizen centers in US and India, spreading joy among the elderly. He also helps prepare food for homeless individuals, embodying his belief in giving back to the community and making a positive difference in others’ lives. The Indian Association of Greater Boston has acknowledged his tremendous efforts by awarding him a Youth Excellence award.
In the spirit of giving back to the community, he is a founding member of the a non-profit, New England Resilient Individuals for South Asian Empowerment (NE RISE), that is currently thriving and on its way to become one of the biggest in all of New England. Looking forward, Ashneel is excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead in his pursuit of a career in architecture. Ashneel’s engineering and architectural skills are highlighted through his participation in the First Robotics Competition and the Boston Architectural College’s Summer Academy.
Aanya Gupta
12th grade
Lynnfield High School
Lynnfield, MA
Aanya Gupta is a multitalented and hard working rising senior at Lynnfield High School in Lynnfield, MA. Always giving back to her community, Gupta is a YMCA Preschool Counselor, a tutor to middle school students in Math and Science, a student volunteer at Beth Israel Lahey Health, a Girl Scout, and a bookkeeper for a local business. She is also an exemplary student and a part of the National Honors Society. Her rigorous coursework includes AP English Language, AP Biology, Honors Precalculus, Pre-AP Art, and Honors Spanish, where she has maintained a high GPA throughout. Gupta was selected for the Perry Initiative at Yale University, conducting lab experiments and working on orthopedic case studies. Her athletic pursuits include Taekwondo, where she holds a second-degree black belt after eight years of training, and Bollywood dance, in which her team has won multiple awards and she has used her knowledge to choreograph dances for other community members and events.
Gupta has been noted in her nominations as a reliable and committed team player, with a wealth of experience in leadership roles, particularly those involving children. As a YMCA Preschool Counselor, she coordinated activities, fostered creativity through arts and crafts, and ensured a nurturing environment for young learners. She tutors middle school students in Math and Spanish, helping them improve their academic performance. Beyond tutoring, Gupta has actively contributed to the community via various activities in the form of Habitat to Humanity, being a Girl Scout since elementary school and working towards higher levels, as well as babysitting.
Gupta’s community service is extensive, reflecting her commitment to making a positive impact. She was particularly noted as an exemplary member of the Student Volunteer Team at Beth Israel Lahey Health during its 2023 Student Summer Program. She contributed twice a week in the Ambulatory Care Unit, included administrative functions, as well as providing ‘Way Finder’ Services to the patient community.
She has also volunteered with the Women Who Win, where she helped with researching, interviewing and editing stories of women from all different industries. She also helped to organize a large summer summit for Women Who Win.
In addition to her academic and work achievements, Gupta is actively involved in extracurricular activities. She has been a Girl Scout since elementary school, completing two ambassador journeys and currently working towards her Gold Award. She is a member of Habitat for Humanity, where she has participated in resource collection, soup kitchens, and toy distribution, demonstrating her dedication to service and community involvement.
Gupta has decided to pursue Neuroscience in college. To supplement this, she is participating in a Neuroscience/Artificial Intelligence course at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in summer 2024, along with continuing her babysitting and child education work in the community.
Rishabh Harshal Tole
12th grade
Xaverion Brothers High School, Westwood, MA
Walpole, MA
Rishabh Harshal Tole is a rising senior at Xaverian Brothers High School with an outstanding academic record, consistently earning top grades in all his subjects. In addition to his academic achievements, he has also excelled across various disciplines, demonstrating impressive accomplishments in diverse areas, including the Presidential Volunteer Service Gold Award in both 2022 and 2023, and recognition with the Distinguished Research Scholar Award at the International Research Olympiad.
Passionate about robotics, Tole serves as the lead software engineer for the last 7 years with the Tech Tigers, the two-time Massachussetts State Champion FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) and FIRST Lego League (FLL) teams, and has represented the state in the World Championship multiple times.
Tole is deeply engaged in several innovative projects that highlight his creativity and technical prowess. He is currently developing a Mapping Project that aims to improve spatial awareness for individuals with dyslexia by developing a pioneering model, which is currently in the prototyping phase. Inspired by cutting-edge AI research, his Phenotes project investigates how artificial intelligence can transcend human limitations in music composition, utilizing genetic algorithms to blend musical styles and create unique patterns and melodies. Furthermore, he created an auto note-taking app that won first place at a local entrepreneurship competition, showcasing his skills in software development and creative problem-solving.
With 13 years of dedicated practice in Hindustani classical music, Tole recently achieved a significant milestone by completing his Manch Pravesh, a solo recital marking a pivotal moment in his musical journey. This accomplishment followed several months of intensive practice. He has won various regional competition awards in the New England area, showcasing his exceptional talent and commitment. His Manch Pravesh was not just a personal achievement but also a gesture of generosity, as he dedicated all the gift money earned from his concert to Ekal Vidyalaya. Tole performed songs in six different languages to honor the diverse backgrounds of his childhood friends from various parts of India, showcasing unity in diversity. This thoughtful selection highlighted his appreciation for cultural inclusivity. The event was a resounding success, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Rishabh’s journey in Hindustani classical music, marked by passion and perseverance, serves as an inspiration to young musicians, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact through their art. He also runs a business, Dholi Beats, where he plays the dhol at various celebrations, such as weddings, festivals, and community events, significantly enhancing the musical experience for attendees.
Vrinda Heda
11th grade
Lexington High School
Lexington, MA
Vrinda Heda is a rising junior at Lexington Hish School in Lexington, MA who combines academics, service, community and creativity. A dancer of 13 years, she has been involved in various forms of dance and has been teaching for the past 5 years. She completed her Arangetram in 2023, under the guidance of Neena Gulati and has been teaching alongside her since. Additionally, she is the captain of her high school dance team.
Last year, Heda co-founded a medical device company through the TiE Young Entrepreneurs program, with a mission is to enhance healthcare workers’ well-being to ensure they perform at their best. Their product is now in clinical trials at Brigham and Women’s Hospital! They aim for broader adoption to aid in stress management for healthcare workers, ultimately benefiting patients. She further interned at TYE, gaining valuable insights and helping groups develop their business ventures.
Aspiring to double major in medicine and business, she is an active in HOSA at her school and has started a TYE club. She is now in the process of starting a non-profit organization to provide a robust platform for various non-profits focused on aiding communities in India. This platform will support initiatives such as providing computers to schools, clothing for the underprivileged, and assistance for the handicapped.
At school, Heda leads the Food for Life club. It started when her family began making sandwiches and meals for homeless shelters during COVID, and soon their community got involved. Heda and her sister started the club to further engage others in helping those in need.
Heda’s passion for baking led her to start an online bakery in sixth grade. Encouraged by friends and family, she turned her love for baking into a small business, catering to gatherings and parties.
For the past five years, Heda has helped organize a Holi festival in her town. This event fosters community spirit and cultural connection, and enables residents to celebrate Holi while educating others about their heritage. The festival features performances from various regions, diverse cuisines, and games, attracting over a thousand attendees annually.
Dhruv Jagan
12th grade
Saint John’s High School
Shrewsbury, MA
Ambitious and involved in his community, Dhruv Jagan is a rising senior at Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury, MA. He is the current President of the India Youth Group at the India Society of Worchester, He has mentored Marathi, his mother tongue, for two years.
Jagan has been an Executive Board member of India Youth Group (IYG) for the past two years, and has been a IYG member for the past five years, where he has helped young adults in the community to appreciate their culture and heritage. As part of his duties in ISW, Jagan started a panel discussion series examining the intricacies of the college application process and how to tackle it. He also hosted the annual IYG Showcase event alongside an Executive Board, raising over $3,500 in revenue and bringing together 600 people in the Indian community. He has mentored students at ISW University teaching them Hindi and Marathi, and stepped in as the official photographer at many ISW events such as the Donor Appreciation Dinner.
Jagan has rowed Crew for two seasons in high school, as well as joined the Bowling Club and placed fourth in the state in 2023. Outside of athletics and academics, Jagan has played the tabla from the age of 7, and has been learning Hindustani classical music since the age of 6.
Aryaman Jain
12th grade
Westborough High School
Westborough, MA
Aryaman Jain is a disciplined, energetic senior at Westborough High School in Westborough, MA. Immigrating to the United States in 2022, Jain soon found his new place at his school and in his community. Excelling academically, with an unweighted GPA of 3.8, Jain is a member of the National Honors Society. He is also a Research Manager of Neuroscience Youth Network, a country wide network, and a cofounder of his school’s Chemistry Club. He is Vice President of the Impact Club and Captain of the school’s Swim team.
A gifted swimmer, Jain has set 2 swimming league all-time records in the 50 free and 100 free. He has won 5 golds in the Mid-West Swimming league meets in 50 free, 100 free, 100 back, and relays. Among other awards, he has received 2 golds in the Swimming Central-West Sectionals in 50 free and 100 free and placed as D1 Swimming MA State Champion in 50 free as well as 7 New England National nominating events. He placed 1st in the New England Nationals in the 200 free relay with the 3rd fastest split ever recorded and has gotten 2 back-to-back League MVPs, 2 back-to-back Sectionals MVPs, State All-Star 2022-2023, National All-Star 2023-2024, and the Telegram and Gazette’s Best Swimmer of the year Award 2023-2024.
Anaya Joshi
10th grade
Lexington High School
Lexington, MA
Anaya Joshi is an ambitious, creative, and highly motivated sophormore at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA. Joshi began her acting career at the age of 3 and acted in her first short film at the age of 5. She is an actor, singer and filmmaker with experience working on more than 20 award winning short films & 15-plus theatre/stage productions, including “The play that goes wrong”, “The Addams Family”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Moana Jr.”, “Lion King”, “Jungle Book”, “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “The Little Mermaid” and others. Joshi began her acting career at the age of 3 and acted in her first short film at the age of 5. She is proficient in Hindustani Vocal, Western Classical singing and Indian Classical Dance form of Kathak. She is also a member of the LHS acapella group, Improv Troupe and instructor for The Acapella Workshop summer program in Lexington, MA. Joshi has also participated in LHS’ honors Concert Choir and will be joining their Madrigal singers in the upcoming school year.
Joshi likes to volunteer her time for Best Buddies, which is a collaborative club to form connections between neurodivergent and neurotypical kids, and “Presents for Patients”, a club that arranges fund-raisers to create gift packages to donate to patients in hospitals. She is also the Co-President of Soprano/Alto Chorale and section leader of concert choir, as well as the deputy secretary of the Lexington High School drama company.
Joshi has won several awards and accolades, including 2023 Featured Artist by NE Voices for Cover Song “Grenade” on Spotify. She was the lead “Aaliyah” in the film “AmeriGirl”, which was selected in over 20 festivals such as New York Shorts International Film Festival, Sundance, and NFMLA. In 2020, her film, CAGED was selected in 7 film festivals, a finalist in 3 & the winner in 1. In 2016 , “Amma” which debuted at NYU & CalArts Film Festival 2017 was officially selected by: Miami Independent Film Festival, was a Semi-Finalist at Los Angels CineFest and a Finalist at the D.C. Independent Film Festival.
Diya Karthick
12th grade
Westborough High School
Westborough, MA
Diya Karthick is a dedicated senior at Westborough High School in Westborough, MA. Karthick has challenged herself with honors, accelerated, and AP classes and has a perfect GPA. She is known to help her friends with any subject matter and enjoys tutoring middle and high school students in math and chemistry weekly through the high school’s chapter of the National Honor Society. She has won awards for excellence in AP Chemistry, AP Biology, and the University of Rochester Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award at her school. With strong interests in chemistry and biology, she hopes to pursue a career in the pre-med track after graduating high school.
As the President of her high school chapter of NHS, Karthick is honored to lead like-minded students and pioneering community service events for all 215 chapter members. She is also the Vice President of the Chemistry Club and was nominated to compete in the National Chemistry Olympiad 2024. Karthick enjoys participating in HOSA, where she is the secretary; her team placed first in states in the PSA section and will be moving on to compete at HOSA internationals for 2024. In addition, she has been an integral part of the student council for the entirety of her high school career. This year, she chaired the student council’s largest event, the Homecoming Festival, and has also chaired numerous fundraising events and community service at local shelters, food banks, and old age homes.
Karthick is the student liaison of the Westborough Cultural Council, which helps in allocating grant money for underrepresented arts groups to implement project ideas within the Westborough Public Schools and town. Alongside these activities, she is a New Student Ambassador at the high school, giving tours to new students and planning events at the start of the year to help them acclimate to the high school environment.
During the Summer of 2022, Karthick did research on genetic modifications to generate desired phenotypes for E. Coli, which sparked her interest in synthetic biology. Furthermore, she challenged herself with a biomedical engineering course at Brown University. It helped her gain exposure to the field by allowing her to design a novel coronary artery valve replacement. Karthick will be participating in a highly selective internship program at BU GROW for the Summer of 2024, conducting research in the organic chemistry lab under the guidance of Professor John Porco, Ph. D. Additionally, she will be shadowing physicians at the Boston Children’s Hospital and the Milford hospital to gain an immersive experience in the medical field.
Classical dance has been integral to Karthick’s life since she was five. She has been learning this art form for the past 12 years under the tutelage of Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai of Natyamani School of Dance. After years of training and intense preparation, Karthick gave a solo debut performance, an Arangetram, during the summer of 2023, which was filled with eye-catching expressions and beautiful choreography. She plans to continue this art form for years to come. She has also studied music under Guru Tara Bangalore for 8 years and believes her sense of rhythm and love for music originated from learning classical Carnatic music at a young age.
Alongside dance, Karthick started learning Western classical violin from the age of five under the guidance of Anne Kornfeld. She is part of her high school’s Chamber Orchestra and highly selective quartet group. Within the fine arts department, she holds leadership positions as the Treasurer of her high school’s chapter of Tri-M Honor Society, where she coordinates music volunteering events for the members, and she is also the secretary of her orchestra’s leadership team. She tutors younger orchestra students in the summer and works on skill-building and solo piece performance with them. Karthick also shares her love for violin at local fundraisers, high school events, and old age homes. She recently performed for senior citizens at The Willows with a 90-minute solo performance. She has performed at AstraZeneca’s Hope Lodge for cancer patients to bring some positivity and therapy through music. During her high school career, she was a part of the New England Youth Symphony Orchestra for two years and was accepted into the Central Massachusetts Districts Orchestra for violin in 2022, 2023, and 2024, then went on to be accepted into the highly selective Massachusetts All-States Orchestra for 2023 and 2024, performing at Symphony Hall. Karthick enjoys having extremely diverse interests and looks forward to pursuing a career in the sciences in the future.
Vanshika Kumar
12th grade
Acton Boxborough Regional High School
Acton, MA
Vanshika Kumar is a dynamic 17-year-old high school junior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Acton, MA. From a young age, Kumar has demonstrated a keen interest in art, language, culture, and literature. As a budding entrepreneur, she founded a website called “Quetly” in the fourth grade to showcase her artwork and publish literature, and she has featured her work at the Acton Children’s Business Fair. Since the age of six, Kumar has been refining her creative writing skills in poetry, fiction, horror, and magical realism. She has won numerous awards for her short stories, including the Short Story Writing Contest at IAGB and Best Writer – Short Story (under 12) from Calcutta Club USA SANSKRITI 2018.
Kumar’s passion for writing and editing flourished in middle and high school, where she became an active contributor to school publications, including Window Seat, AB’s literary and art club. An avid reader across various genres, Vanshika possesses extensive knowledge of global history and maintains an active interest in politics, current affairs, and global policy. She is also an activist and serves as an editor for journalism on topics such as eating disorders, inclusive policies for the disabled community, and indigenous communities. Kumar eagerly embraces volunteer opportunities through her school and beyond. Her love for speech and debate led her to join the Acton Debate Club and AB Speech Debate Club, where she participated in numerous competitions across Massachusetts, honing her oratory and debating skills. Her extemporaneous speaking abilities have won awards in Speech & Debate categories such as Interpretive Duo, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Lincoln-Douglas debate events.
She has also volunteered her speaking talents as an emcee at non-profit events for organizations like Ekal Vidyalaya and AFEC, raising funds for young adults transitioning out of the foster care system. Kumar is also a dedicated teacher who believes in bringing out the best in each student by understanding their individual strengths. With the support of Acton-Boxborough schools, she has participated in free online tutoring since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, Kumar became the CEO of the student-run organization “Kids Teaching Kids,” which offers free lessons in subjects like math, science, Spanish, and chess. Her participation in Model UN has equipped her with valuable skills, including lobbying at the MA Senate for Climate Council initiatives. Her school team won the Harvard Model Congress Boston 2024 Award.
In addition to her Honors-level academic achievements in English, Spanish, and Latin, Vanshika is a member of several language clubs at her school, including ASL, French, and Korean. Her love for languages led to her selection for the SPARKS Immersion Program at Seoul National University in Korea, and she was awarded Maxima cum laude in the all-USA National Latin Exam.
Aaria Madan Nagpal
11th grade
Lexington High School
Lexington, MA
Aaria Madan Nagpal is a sixteen-year-old rising junior at Lexington High School, who exemplifies dedication, versatility, and a strong sense of community. Her journey is marked by numerous achievements and roles that reflects her commitment to positively impacting various facets of her life. Since October 2023, Nagpal is serving as Cofounder, former Secretary, and current Vice President of NE RISE, a non-profit organization that fosters a community for South Asian teenagers in New England, helping them embrace their cultural identity with pride. In 2023, she was a Youth Ambassador for the Tyler Clementi Foundation, where she promoted kindness and prevented bullying, embodying compassion and advocacy for social justice.
Nagpal’s extensive volunteer work underscores her dedication to community service. She has contributed to organizations such as Hindi Manch, Ekal Vidyalaya, Indian Americans of Burlington, LearnQuest Academy of Music, and Saheli. Through these roles, she has supported cultural and educational initiatives, fostering connections within the Indian American community. Her volunteer work reflects her deep-rooted values of giving back and supporting those in need. As an active member of the Hindi Manch publicity team, Nagpal has used her graphic design skills by creating promotional posters for social media and coordinating the Baal Yuva Manch event, which encourages children to speak Hindi.
In addition to her volunteer efforts, Nagpal is a talented dancer, showcasing her artistic side as a member of the DFD Travel Team. Along with a few friends, she has also taught Bollywood dance to younger kids for small performances around the Lexington area. She is also a part of her school’s Bollywood dance team. She practices Odissi dance and is preparing for her Manch Parvesh in 2026. Recently, she received the first-ever Student of the Year award at her Odissi dance academy, Upasana.
Alongside her passion for dance, Nagpal has pursued musical interests, learning Hindustani Classical Music and Western Piano since the age of five, and has excelled in swimming. Her academic achievements are equally impressive. She received the President’s Education Award in 2019, highlighting her academic excellence and dedication. She has taken numerous honors and AP courses and was a member of the National Junior Honor Society at Austin Prep. In NJHS, she helped create charity baskets for the Lazarus House. Balancing these diverse roles and achievements requires immense dedication, hard work, and a positive attitude—qualities that Nagpal consistently demonstrates.
Ananya Mathur
11th grade
Billerica Memorial High School
Billerica, MA
Ananya Mathur is a passionate, hardworking junior at Billerica Memorial High School in Billerica, MA. Throughout middle school and high school, she maintained a consistent GPA of over 4.0. Mathur has challenged herself with many tough courses including AP-level courses in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. She has also recently received a Book Award from Bryn Mawr College, which is given to select 24 students from the junior class based on academics and community involvement.
Mathur excels as a team player and is greatly involved in the community. She has honed her leadership skills by effectively leading the Future Medical Professionals Club at Billerica Memorial High School. Being the president of Future Medical Professionals, she oversees organizing meetings and events as well as coordinating between the leadership team and the advisor. Through the club, Ananya hopes to raise awareness about the different careers available in healthcare and teach students about different medical topics. Mathur is a member of the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society where she has developed service, leadership, and character skills. She also contributes to building an inclusive community for newcomers at her high school through the Peer Leaders organization, for which she is the Social Media Coordinator.
In December of 2023, Mathur initiated a food drive for Community Giving in collaboration with IAGB and collected over 500 lbs of food for donation to the local pantry in Burlington, MA. She has volunteered at Lahey Medical Center in Burlington for two consecutive years, assisting patients and professionals in the oncology and mammography department. She has also volunteered at various non-profit organizations like Hindi Manch, Ekam Boston, Indian Association for Burlington, Ekal Vidhayalaya, and IAGB. She has confidently hosted events such as the Annual Diwali Event at IAB and the Baal Yuva Manch for two consecutive years.
After moving on through the school and regional fairs, Mathur participated in the Massachusetts Science & Engineering Fair (MSEF) and became one of the ten groups qualified to represent Massachusetts at the international level in Los Angeles. At the International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF), her group presented their project under the Behavioral Sciences category. Mathur has also qualified for the State level in DECA under the entrepreneurship category (ETDM).
Apart from her community involvement, Mathur is very passionate about dance. She is trained in Bharatnatyam and Bollywood fusion dance and is currently a part of the collegiate-level competitive Travel Team at DFD. In her free time, she enjoys using watercolors to paint landscapes and also likes sketching faces. She is currently learning how to paint portraits.
During the summer, she will be interning at a Pediatric Chiropractor in Lexington to research birth defects affecting oral development in infants.
Aarav Menon
12th grade
Natick High School
Natick, MA
Aarav Menon, a senior at Natick High School in Natick, MA, is student who doesn’t let life’s trials keep him from succeeding. He is a member of the National Honors Society and Tri-Music Honors Society, with a 4.2 weighted GPA. He is fluent in Arabic, English, Hindi, French and Urdu, with self-taught reading and writing as well as conversational fluency in Arabic and Urdu, and self-taught conversational fluency in French.
Menon is a black belt in Taekwondo, which he has practiced for 13 years and competed at state, regional, national and international competitions a world-class black belt for USAT. He is also a 4-year member of the varsity Ski Team at his high school.
Menon has played piano for over 12 years, participated in numerous recitals, and received awards from Trinity School of Music-London. He also plays viola in the school orchestra as the sole viola player, performing in various concerts and public events. He plays viola at farmer’s markets, and piano at the temple and local senior centers regularly, to uplift the community.
Combining his interests in marketing, languages, and Taekwondo, coupled with passion for self-defense and self-help, Menon has created and promoted a Taekwondo self-defense workshop. He marketed the class through social media campaigns, community flyers, school announcements and word-of-mouth, resulting in a popular & sold-out online workshop. He raised $3,700 through the workshop tuition & donations for Ekal Vidyalaya’s cause to promote education in rural India.
Vishal Rampur
11th grade
Westford Academy
Westford, MA
Vishal Rampur is a junior at the Westford Academy in Westford, MA leading his community. As a Patrol Leader and active Boy Scout member, he displays exemplary leadership skills, earned multiple merit badges, and planned and executed many successful group events, such as overnight camping trips. L ast summer, he went on a rigorous backpacking expedition to Philmont, New Mexico, where I hiked more than 150 miles, climbed mountains exceeding 14,000 feet, and camped outdoors for 2 weeks as part of his Eagle Scout progression.
Rampur’s involvement with New England Kannada Koota (NEKK), Veerashaiva Samaja of New England (VSNE) and international organization, Veerashaiva Samaja of North America (VSNA), highlights his dedication to fostering community spirit and making a difference on a larger scale. Throughout active engagement with these organizations, he helped improve the community by educating hundreds of people about the impacts of plastic pollution on the ecosystem and the impact of COVID-19 on plastic pollution. Rampur even took action to reduce the pollution by replacing single-use plastic with biodegradable products during community events.
Alongside staging countless cultural performances, Rampur has won multiple awards in various competitions, including math bees, essay contests, dance and singing competitions, and the VSNA International Speech competition, where he was a 3-time winner. He was even given the opportunity to deliver a speech on global peace and non-violence, which was broadcasted globally.
Rampur’s dedication to basketball, both in the school varsity team and as a counselor at the summer camps every year, demonstrates a commitment to sportsmanship, teamwork, and empowering young players to succeed both on and off the court. By counseling younger children in these summer camps multiple times a week, Rampur helped raise over $30,000 for his school’s basketball program. He has been awarded Most Outstanding Player, Dual County League All-Star, Dual County League All-Conference, and Mansfield Tournament All-Star.
Given his interest in the healthcare field, Rampur has demonstrated a readiness to contribute positively to the field by participating in the Health Occupations Students of America club (HOSA), taking the Cell and Molecular Biology summer course at Tufts University and the Principles of Organic Chemistry at Harvard University, and being an Emergency Medical Technician trainee.
At the TYE Entrepreneurship Academy, Rampur developed Connect, a mental health startup that utilizes AI technology to help students manage stress through access to live therapists, student rooms, courses, an AI advisor, and a journaling feature. During the state competition, his team’s startup was a Top-5 winner and was awarded with the Best Lean Canvas Award at the Final Pitch Competition, which won us $500.
Rampur is a High Honors student, consistently achieved academic excellence. He has been awarded the President’s Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence, won the Gold Award in the National Spanish Exam, and received academic achievement awards every year, with a 4.25 GPA on a 5.0 scale.
Bhargav Shah
11th grade
Wheeler School, Providence, RI
North Attleboro, MA
Bhargav Shah is a junior at the Wheeler School in Providence, RI and a native of North Attleboro, MA. With a maintained GPA of 3.83, he has taken challenging honors-level high school courses such as Geometry, Algebra 2, Trigonometry, and Chemistry; as well as college level courses including Intro To Business Management at the Cornell U. Summer School, and Health and Wealth at the University of Rhode Island.
Shah is currently doing a summer research project with the Innovation Center for Urology Research and Education (iCURE), a Brown University lab. He was elected Co-President of student government twice, in 9th grade and 11th grade, and serves as the President of the Biomedical Club and a member of STEM Club and Neuroscience Club at his school. As an athlete, Shah is a participant in the year-round swim team, Gators Club and a member on the Wheeler School team.
Shah is the founder of Clothes for a Cause, a non-profit organization that has shipped over 1,200 pounds of used clothes to orphanages and underserved communities in Gujarat. He is also the Founder and President of Brighter Futures and Tutoring Club, which offers free tutoring services to underprivileged communities in Rhode Island, and the creator of the Local Legends Podcast, which he started to highlight the impact of local non-profit organizations. On top of these, he also works a weekly 4-hour volunteer shift at Mariam Hospital, in Providence, RI.
Anya Sangani
12th grade
North Quincy High School
Quincy, MA
An active leader, Anya Sangani is a senior at North Quincy High School in Quicy, MA. She is on the Distinct level in grades, the highest honor roll at her school and the top 15% of her grade, GPA-wise and a member of the National Honors Society (NHS). She was a co-founder and CFO of the startup Electrocise at the TiE Young Entrepreneurs (TYE) Academy. She came back in 2024 as a co-director at the TYE Academy, assisting in the startups Telepark and Mypath. She was also an intern for Peace of Mind Financial Planning. Sangani is the DECA club treasurer, a board member of the Political Engagement Club, and the treasurer of the SADD club in her school.
Outside of school, Sangani has worked as a front desk associate at a hotel and as barista for 1.5 years. Chosen for her involvement in sports and academics, Sangani was invited to a leadership event that 50 kids from the junior class in her school go to for their involvement in sports, academics, arts or ROTC. She was also selected as 1 of 5 students out of 1400 kids for a YouTube video. These 5 kids were handpicked by the principal for being leaders in the school in multiple fields. In the video, she discussed role models, inspirations, and aspirations.
As an athlete, Sangani has played soccer for 2 years and 3 years of basketball and has been JV captain in tennis. She also started a field hockey team at her school, which included recruited 18 girls, 2 coaches, and 2 years of effort to convince the school athletic director to let them begin playing. She is spending the summer creating captains’ workouts and learning and teaching girls to play field hockey.
She also was involved in investing in stocks like Zoom and Sofi during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sangani is also very active in her community- she volunteers at the middle school to help with their Diversity Club and volunteered to help TYE with social media help. She also helped organize the Diversity Club’s diversity show at Central Middle School for the last 3 years and has volunteered to do bookkeeping for the freshman girls’ basketball, make sandwiches for the underprivileged through SADD, and volunteered at ENGin where she teaches Ukrainian kids basic English skills once a week. Also, her religious experience was published in a collection of diary accounts from kids when she was going into middle school, which were used to show kids in India that even kids in America are connected to the Hindu faith as well as show other kids in India how rewarding it could be.
Abhay Sharma
12th grade
Masconomet High School
Boxford, MA
Athletic and hard-working, Abhay Sharma is a senior at Masconomet High School in Boxford, MA. Academically, Sharma has taken many of the hardest courses his school has to offer, such as BC Calculus and AP Physics C, as a junior and has stayed within the top 5% of his class throughout high school. His commitment to excelling in academics demonstrates his dedication to thrive in a challenging environment and balance these demanding courses with his other responsibilities.
From a young age, Sharma has always shown athletic prowess, whether it be him receiving a black belt at just six years old or playing in AAU basketball tournaments in elementary and middle school at a high level. In high school specifically, Sharma has committed all his time to being a competitive rower. Having placed exceedingly well in numerous regional, national, and international races and regattas, Sharma knows all about perseverance and having a passion for winning. He has taken part in races such as Head of the Charles, US Summer Nationals, Head of the Fish, Saratoga Invitational, Independence Day Regatta, Cromwell Cup, Northeast Youth Championships, Textile Regatta, and has placed in the top section in the semi-finals/finals bracket of his races. In the future, he plans on revisiting many of these races and additionally adding the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta to the list. As one of the more experienced varsity members on his team, Sharma assists younger or new members of the team on the many intricacies of the sport.
Since the 4th grade, Sharma has been an excellent musician for multiple instruments, with drums/percussion being his focus. Competitively, he has been successful in being one of few from his school to make the regional/district band and to ultimately play in Jordan Hall in Boston for 1,000+ spectators. He has also played in numerous smaller concerts and events, even going as far as Barcelona, Spain, to perform for a large variety of audiences. As well as concerts, Abhay has participated in many gigs with a local church, earning him money and experience in the field of performing arts.
As a former member of Greater Lawrence Rowing in Lawrence, MA, Sharma had helped with all sorts of maintenance and work within his team, helping out coaches and administrators with certain projects along the way. This includes projects where he regularly washed the boats to remove dirt, algae, and other debris, assisted with minor repairs, such as fixing scratches, patching small holes, and ensuring that riggers and footrests were securely attached, and conducted routine inspections to check for any damage or wear and tear. During the winter season, Sharma also helped with snow removal around the boathouse, as well as with salting and de-icing the whole area itself. Sharma is interested in exploring computer science as a career. As well as having done many computer science courses in high school, he enjoys learning about the field as a whole outside of school and has projects on the side that he is working on. A large summer project he has co-founded is called Figma, which allows for thorough preparation for the United States Naturalization Test, aimed at immigrants who wish to become citizens of the United States. It allows for practice exams and test preparation guidance based on the types of questions based on all the possible federal questions they may ask. The app is supported on Android and iOS devices respectively.
Arya Solur (Shashikiran)
11th grade
Acton Boxborough Regional High School
Acton, Massachusetts, United States
Arya Solur, a business-minded and entrepreneurial student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Acton, MA, displays a remarkable array of qualities and accomplishments as a high school junior. He is proficient in using cybersecurity tools like Kali Linux and has programming skills in Python, which he has applied in various projects and internships, including a product management internship at Techolution where he supported the development of a med-tech robotic arm. Solur founded Sec Armor, a startup focused on delivering cybersecurity solutions to protect small businesses from ransomware. He has successfully delivered solutions to pilot customers and is planning to scale the operations. He also created and hosts the podcast ‘The Exponential Edge,’ where he interviews industry leaders, including C-level executives such as the co-founder of Tinder and CXOs of several publicly traded companies, and venture capitalists. The podcast has produced 30 episodes and has reached 10,000 listeners across four platforms, He is currently writing a book titled “The Decade Ahead: 10 Founders, 10 CXOs, 10 VCs on the Next 10 Years,” which is based on insights from his podcast and is scheduled for publication in August 2024
Solur is deeply committed to community service, contributing in various roles including refugee tutoring, youth sports coaching, and charity performances. His volunteer activities also extend to teaching violin to young children.
A tri-sport varsity athlete, Solur actively participates in football, track and field, and basketball, demonstrating leadership as the captain of his varsity football team. He was a member of the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, participating in high-profile orchestral productions. Outside of the orchestra, he also engages in cross-border music collaborations.
Vyom Shrivastava
11th grade
Lexington High School
Lexington, MA
Vyom Shrivastava is a musically talented junior at Lexington High School in Lexington, MA. A classical pianist learning under David Mora for 13 years and a jazz pianist of 4 years under the combined tutelage of Mora and Pat Donaher, Shrivastava has played for several prestigious venues, including the New England Conservancy’s Youth Orchestra.
Shrivastava has been recognized for his talent in several festivals, including an Honorable Mention for Outstanding Jazz Combo at the Clark Terry Jazz Festival at the University of New Hampshire, and as an Outstanding Soloist at the UMass Amherst Jazz Festival. He has been accepted to the Cape Ann Jazz Messengers Summer Program at Endicott College with the Cape Ann Jazz Festival from Rockport Music, which includes opportunities to work with Grammy-winning pianist, Steven Feifke. Shrivastava has also played at the Regatta Bar at the Charles Hotel as part of the Next Generation Showcase.
Shrivastava is also proficient in Indian Classical Music, which he has learned for 9 years from Dr. Pradeep Shukla. He has performed at Learn Quest music festival convocations, as well as taken lessons with Sandeep Ghosh, the Gundecha Brothers, and Supriyo Dutta.
As a Classical Singer, Shrivastava is a former member of the Children’s Choir at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, directed by James Burton and performed in the world premiere of The Lost Words by James Burton at Tanglewood. He has also performed at opening night of Tanglewood with the orchestral premiere of The Lost Words by James Burton. He has performed in Holiday Pops at Symphony Hall with the Boston Pops, conducted by Keith Lockhart for 2 years. He has also performed in Children’s Chorus performance of Friday Afternoons by Benjamin Britten at Symphony Hall conducted by Andris Nelsons, and the Children’s Chorus performance of the opera Suor Angelica by Giacomo Puccini conducted by Andris Nelsons.
Outside of music, Shrivastava has volunteered over 80 hours at Tennis youth camps run by the Town of Lexington and has been bolunteer staff at Lexington High School Jazz Camp, Cape Ann Jazz Camp and the LearnQuest Academy of Music annual festival for the last 5 years. Shrivastava has come in second place at State Novice Policy Debate Tournament and first place at Pennsbury Novice Policy Debate Tournament.
Soham Chauhan Sudhakaran
10th Grade
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School
Acton, MA
Soham Chauhan Sudhakaran is a rising junior at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Acton, MA dedicated to making a positive impact. Sudhakaran’s academic achievements include excelling in Advanced Placement courses in Biology and Environmental Sciences in the 9th grade. He is set to take Statistics, Chemistry, and US History in his junior year. He learned in advanced math at the Russian School of Math, consistently achieving above 90% in both geometry and algebra.
At age 11, he excelled in Robotics & Programming, participating in the Lego League EV3 competition in the UK, where his team won regionals (Cambridgeshire, UK) and was a finalist in the national competition. His stop-motion animation film “Shop Heist” was selected and screened as a winning entry in the 2020 Boston International Kids Film Festival, a project submitted to the Filmmakers Collaborative (FC) Academy.
Sudhakaran’s leadership skills are highly acclaimed and endorsed by scoutmasters, including military veterans and West Point graduates, through his leadership role in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). He co-led a troop of 40 scouts for a year and led a crew of 13 scouts through Philmont, a nine-day backcountry backpacking high adventure program. He was shortlisted by the BSA and trained in the National Youth Leadership Training Program. Sudhakaran’s commitment to community service included over 100 hours dedicated to biomedical and ecological conservation efforts. For his Eagle project, he built a boardwalk in the Acton Forest conservation area, reflecting his commitment to environmental stewardship. He is now an Eagle Scout and a nominated member of the Order of the Arrow, Scouting’s Honor Society.
Sudhakaran has received three National Outdoor Awards for hiking 250 miles, biking 200 miles, camping more than 45 nights in the wilderness, canoeing over 70 miles per stretch, one-mile swimming, and snorkeling in the open ocean. He has also received two 50-Miler Awards in Canoeing and backpacking. Additionally, he has earned 36 merit badges, including those in Business, Inventing, Aviation, Movie Making, Digital Technology, Electronics, Programming, Fingerprinting Analysis, Rifle Shooting, Archery, Emergency Preparedness, First Aid, Signaling, Orienteering & Backpacking, Citizenship in the World/Nation/Community/Society, Personal Fitness, and Cooking.
In athletics, Sudhakaran was the Captain and Goalkeeper for the Junior Varsity Soccer team at his high school and also played as a goalkeeper for the Varsity Team, ECNL-regional FC, and Strikers Clubs. He received the ‘Coach’s Award’ in 2023 for his role as Captain and Goalkeeper of the Junior Varsity team. Additionally, he played tournaments for the Junior Varsity Squash Teams and played Tennis and Chess Tournaments in private clubs, where he has won two chess competitions.
Sudhakaran participated in the TiE Young Entrepreneurs Program, where he co-founded EcoBasket, a company aimed at eliminating food waste at grocery stores, and pitched it to investors and judges, emerging as a semi-finalist in a Boston-based competition. He has also participated in several fundraisers for causes such as Friends of Acton Memorial Library book sales, Walk for Hunger, Alzheimer’s awareness, Acton-Boxborough High School, and the BSA.
Deeply involved in the arts, Sudhakaran has assisted in organizing 40 Indian Classical Music concerts through MITHAS and NESOM, contributing to the cultural enrichment of the Boston community. A Tabla player for 12 years, he is set to perform at a graduation ceremony in September 2024. Additionally, he has studied Piano and Music Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and the Royal College of Music in London.
Rhea Yadav
11th grade
Winchester High School
Winchester, MA
Rhea Yadav, a rising junior at Winchester High School in Winchester, MA, is a highly talented and multifaceted student, excelling in a diverse array of fields including academics, dance, music, and community service. She maintains an outstanding academic GPA while showcasing her musical prowess. Not only is she a committed member representing the Winchester High School Girls’ swim team, focusing on fitness and physical form, but she also indulges her passion for baking in her free time. Yadav loves to treat her friends with homemade delights like cupcakes, macarons, and crepes, adding a flavorful touch to her diverse interests and talents.
Yadav’s musical achievements are notable; she was inducted into the Winchester Tri-M (Music) Honors Society as a freshman, reflecting her deep passion for music. Rhea has played violin in the orchestra for many years, has been learning the piano since elementary school years, and has been part of the high school choir since her freshman year. In 2023, she experienced the unforgettable honor to perform with the school choir at Disney World, where she collaborated with professional musicians and gained exposure to diverse techniques and styles. Recently, she was selected to join Bella Voce, a prestigious treble choir group at her school. Music is not the only art form Rhea pursues; she is also dedicated to Indian classical dance, Odissi. She has been training since her early school years with Mouli Pal, a renowned Indian classical dance teacher and entrepreneur in the New England area. She has performed at numerous festivals and public events and is growing to be a graceful dancer. Through Odissi, she feels deeply connected with her Indian roots and believes that this enhances her overall well-being. Currently, she is learning new pieces and techniques in preparation for her Manch Pravesh in 2026. She was the proud recipient of the Gold Medal in 2024 for her dedication and excellence in dance by her Odissi dance academy, Upasana.
During the TiE Boston TYE bootcamp, Yadav developed a startup project called “SaveSmart” with her team. With extensive market research, she and her partners were able to create a pitch deck that was presented to well established entrepreneurs and angel investors to judge. The experience provided Rhea with invaluable lessons and insights into the world of entrepreneurship. Her entrepreneurial spirit was initially ignited by her personal small business on Etsy, which she started in middle school. During the quarantine in 2020, she found a creative way to utilize her time, by creating rainbow loom bracelets and charms to sell online. These were extremely popular in her age group, and soon she was selling her little packets to girls across the United States. As a middle schooler, she found herself making hundreds within months! With this experience, she was granted the position of the Director of Fundraising for NE RISE, a student-led non-profit in the New England area.
Inspired by her mother, who has spent most of her career with biotech companies, Rhea has developed a strong interest in exploring this fascinating area when she is older. Over the past year, Yadav has actively participated in drug production labs and research projects at Boston University. These experiences have provided her with valuable hands-on knowledge and skills, further fueling her interest in the field. This summer, she has taken on a new role as a lab assistant, where she will continue to expand her understanding of biotechnology. She is particularly excited about delving deeper into topics such as gene editing and drug production, both of which she finds incredibly intriguing. As she looks to the future, Yadav is excited about the endless possibilities that biotechnology holds. She is determined to make meaningful contributions to the field, exploring innovative solutions and advancing scientific knowledge.
Rhea is passionate about volunteering and giving back to the community. She feels most energized when she is serving the community. She has been an active member of the Girls Scouts troop in Winchester since elementary school. As part of her girls scouts projects, she has served the local community and several food shelters. She has also volunteered for non-profit organizations and local businesses in the community. Whether it is volunteering at the local farm, such as the local Wright-Locke Farm or for organizations with a humanitarian mission like Saheli, or for the community for music (Winchester Friends of Music, LearnQuest), she enjoys it all and smiles with pride doing this work.
She has loved being connected with Hindi Manch, an organization dedicated to promoting Indian heritage and languages and performing plays for Baal Manch which is the children’s section of Hindi Manch. Collectively, she has gained over 150 hours’ worth of volunteering in the past couple of years.
