BURLINGTON, MA– Young team of Ayush Agrawal and Haasini Buddepu will serve as emcees for the annual 20 Under 20 Awards ceremony this Sunday at Burlington Marriott in Burlington, MA.
Produced by INDIA New England News and The Mishra Group, the event is hosted by Jharna Madan. Keynote speaker this year is venture capitalist Nilanjana Bhowmik, founder and general partner of Boston-based Converge, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests behind ambitious entrepreneurs solving businesses’ most pressing needs.
The event will be held at Burlington Marriott Hotel from 8:00 am to 10:00 am.
Mr. Agrawal is a recent graduate of Burlington High School and is currently a freshman at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where he is pursuing a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Deeply connected to his community, he takes immense pride in the neighborhood and culture he calls home. His commitment to service is evident through his involvement with various non-profit organizations, including Shishu Bharati School, Hindi Manch, Ekal Indi-Art, Dharma Center of America, and Indian Americans for Burlington.
Mr. Agrwal’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. In 2022, he was honored as one of India New England’s “20 Under 20” for his remarkable contributions. His talents also led him to perform as an emcee at various events, including the 2023 “20 Under 20” stars, Indian Americans for Burlington, and Hindi Manch – Baal Yuva Vibhag.
His leadership skills were further demonstrated during his time as an Executive Committee member of the DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) team at Burlington High School. DECA is an international organization that equips aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs with skills in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. He competed at district, state, and international levels, and was one of the select few chosen to lead Burlington High School’s DECA team.
Beyond his academic and leadership pursuits, Ayush is also an accomplished athlete. He represents WPI on the volleyball team and plays cricket for the Massachusetts State Cricket League.
Ms. Buddepu is a passionate and hardworking student leader, heavily involved in academics and multiple activities, including being the Logistics Director for the Astronomy Club and Treasurer of the IANH Youth Group. She co-founded a Summer STEM tutoring program and is the Public Affairs Officer as a Senior Master Sergeant for AFJROTC. Additionally, she is very active in dance, being a dance teacher, and being part of dance groups, and the DFD Travel Team. DECA, mentoring, pre-school volunteering, and public speaking are among some other activities she does, helping to make a positive impact in both academic and community spaces.
Ms. Buddepu is a junior at Nashua High School South, known as hardworking, determined, and driven by her need to help others. She is an active member in many community-facing organizations, such as Treasurer of the Indian American Association of New Hampshire, spreading culture to the community and fundraising for causes in New Hampshire and India.
Recognizing the dangers that the younger generation faces on the internet, Ms. Buddepu co-created Privacy Protectors, visiting local schools and organizations hosting presentations, helping the youngest generation protect themselves. She presented this at the NH DECA CDC and placed second, qualifying for the DECA ICDC conference.
As a music lover, being a flutist, violinist, and a passionate dancer, she is part of the DFD Academy Travel Team and is very involved in various dance teams. Additionally, she taught young kids to dance, leading one of the teams to win third place at the IANH Vasant Utsav. She is the Public Affairs Officer as a Senior Master Sergeant in AFJROTC and co-founded a STEM tutoring program, also mentoring freshmen at high school and volunteering at a preschool, being the favorite of many young children.
Ms. Buddepu is also greatly interested in sciences, most notably Astronomy. As the Logistics Director of an Astronomy Club, she creates engaging activities, and organizes events such as eclipse viewing parties. Her officer team and she presented at the New Hampshire Astronomical Society and her dedication to science has also led her to work with her physics teacher to research various topics such as radioactive decay, hawking radiation, and black holes, gaining special recognition for her research.
Communicating her ideas with the world, Ms. Buddepu has an extensive history with public speaking. As a freshman, she advanced to the final round a public speaking contest, speaking about how the definition of a teenager changed over time. She continued on to give a TEDX speech about responsibility, and has continued to give speeches, spreading knowledge all around.
