Association of Indians in America-Graduation Celebration
A salute to student achievements
A salute to student achievements
| Heidi M. Pascual* Publisher & Editor * 2006 Journalist of the Year for the State of Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA) |
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By Heidi M. Pascual
The Association of Indians in America (AIA) recently
honored outstanding graduates and students with certificates
of recognition at a dinner in Zhor Shrine Place. “There are 18
graduating Indian high school students: 11 from Memorial High
School,” AIA President Aruna Rajagopal said in a brief
interview with Asian Wisconzine before the program. “It’s a
great pleasure to have students here and honor them and
celebrate their success. Honorees this year include a post
graduate and a 12-year-old middle school student.”
Students honored were:
• Bhabna Patti (age 12, Kromrey Middle School): recipient of
‘The President’s Call to Service Award- Gold Star level,
presented by the President’s Council on Service and Civic
Participation. She is also involved in the UW-Arboretum
project, “Clean and Green Middleton Festival.”
• Nivedita Prabakaran (8th Grade, Spring Harbor Middle
School): winner of Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented
Youth (WCATY) Award; member, Field Biology Club. Her
interests: Bharatanatyam, Volleyball, Bollywood dances.
• Suman Gunasekaran (9th Grade, Memorial High): WCATY
award winner; 3rd place in Capital Science Fair 2009;
member of Spartan Youth Service. His interests: Camping
(recently attended Boy Scouts camp at the Grand Canyon);
tennis.
• Nisha Pillay (HS graduate): Member of Verona Conzimius
Program- a prestigious club with invited members involved in
community service. Her interest: Bollywood dance.
• Prashanth Prabakaran (11th Grade, Memorial High): Winner
WCATY scholarship. Interests: Athletics, guitar.
• Dashini Sathasivam (HS graduate): Volunteer and Vice-
President of Spartan Youth Service; co-editor of The
Independent student newspaper. She plays club soccer at
premier level, and interests include Bharatanatyam and
bollywood dance.
• Suvai Gunasekaran (HS graduate, joining Harvard
University in Fall 2009): president of Spartan Youth Service;
captain of Science Olympiad of Memorial High School. She
has played at the regional level as part of the Math Team;
president of Spanish Club; and editor in chief of the school
paper. She is also one of 141 Presidential scholars this year.
• Debjit Roy -(Graduated with a masters in manufacturing
systems engineering from UW- Madison; now pursuing a Ph.D.
He holds a bachelor’s from India; rawarded the Vinod K and J.
Gail Sahney Scholarship for academic excellence by the
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and
Wunsch material handling prize at UW- Madison.
The AIA, aside from celebrating Indian American
students’ achievements annually, also holds a number of
gatherings that highlights Indian culture and traditions. “There
are a lot of things that we want to do , but given the time
frame, everything might not be accomplished,” Rajagopal
said. “What I wanted to do at least is bring in more visibility to
the Indian community. One of our plans is to move India Day
from the Library Mall to some place which is more visible. The
next event is Mother’s Day, and after that, the biggest event is
Diwali. This year, we’ll make it even grander.”
The Association of Indians in America (AIA) recently
honored outstanding graduates and students with certificates
of recognition at a dinner in Zhor Shrine Place. “There are 18
graduating Indian high school students: 11 from Memorial High
School,” AIA President Aruna Rajagopal said in a brief
interview with Asian Wisconzine before the program. “It’s a
great pleasure to have students here and honor them and
celebrate their success. Honorees this year include a post
graduate and a 12-year-old middle school student.”
Students honored were:
• Bhabna Patti (age 12, Kromrey Middle School): recipient of
‘The President’s Call to Service Award- Gold Star level,
presented by the President’s Council on Service and Civic
Participation. She is also involved in the UW-Arboretum
project, “Clean and Green Middleton Festival.”
• Nivedita Prabakaran (8th Grade, Spring Harbor Middle
School): winner of Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented
Youth (WCATY) Award; member, Field Biology Club. Her
interests: Bharatanatyam, Volleyball, Bollywood dances.
• Suman Gunasekaran (9th Grade, Memorial High): WCATY
award winner; 3rd place in Capital Science Fair 2009;
member of Spartan Youth Service. His interests: Camping
(recently attended Boy Scouts camp at the Grand Canyon);
tennis.
• Nisha Pillay (HS graduate): Member of Verona Conzimius
Program- a prestigious club with invited members involved in
community service. Her interest: Bollywood dance.
• Prashanth Prabakaran (11th Grade, Memorial High): Winner
WCATY scholarship. Interests: Athletics, guitar.
• Dashini Sathasivam (HS graduate): Volunteer and Vice-
President of Spartan Youth Service; co-editor of The
Independent student newspaper. She plays club soccer at
premier level, and interests include Bharatanatyam and
bollywood dance.
• Suvai Gunasekaran (HS graduate, joining Harvard
University in Fall 2009): president of Spartan Youth Service;
captain of Science Olympiad of Memorial High School. She
has played at the regional level as part of the Math Team;
president of Spanish Club; and editor in chief of the school
paper. She is also one of 141 Presidential scholars this year.
• Debjit Roy -(Graduated with a masters in manufacturing
systems engineering from UW- Madison; now pursuing a Ph.D.
He holds a bachelor’s from India; rawarded the Vinod K and J.
Gail Sahney Scholarship for academic excellence by the
Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and
Wunsch material handling prize at UW- Madison.
The AIA, aside from celebrating Indian American
students’ achievements annually, also holds a number of
gatherings that highlights Indian culture and traditions. “There
are a lot of things that we want to do , but given the time
frame, everything might not be accomplished,” Rajagopal
said. “What I wanted to do at least is bring in more visibility to
the Indian community. One of our plans is to move India Day
from the Library Mall to some place which is more visible. The
next event is Mother’s Day, and after that, the biggest event is
Diwali. This year, we’ll make it even grander.”
(First row, L-R) Bhabna Patti, Suvai Gunasekaran, Dr. Suresh &
Mrs. Sunitha Chandra; Nisha Pillay; Dashini Sathasivam.
(Second row, L-R) Nivedita Prabakaran; AIA Pres. Aruna
Rajagopal; Suman Gunasekaran; and Debjit Roy
Mrs. Sunitha Chandra; Nisha Pillay; Dashini Sathasivam.
(Second row, L-R) Nivedita Prabakaran; AIA Pres. Aruna
Rajagopal; Suman Gunasekaran; and Debjit Roy
| The current AIA Board with Dr. & Mrs. Chandra: (Back row,L-R) Nitin Saini (Youth Coordinator); Shashank Partha (Treasurer); Gopal Krishnan (Board Member & Emcee of the event); Biswajeet Pati (Board Member); Amit Mangar (Gen. Secretary); Badrinath Lankella (President Elect); Shayam Koppikar (Immediate Past President); (Front row, L-R) Kamlesh Saini (Board Member); Preeta Guptan (Cultural Secretary); Dr. & Mrs. Chandra; Aruna Rajagopal (President); Subhra Pati (Board Member) |
Combat Blindness
Foundation founder Dr.
Suresh Chandra keynotes
Foundation founder Dr.
Suresh Chandra keynotes
| Student honorees Suvai Gunasekaran, Dashini Sathasivam, Nisha Pillay, and Nivedita Prabakaran |
| The Gunasekaran family |
| Meenakshi Ganesan performs a Bharatnatyam number to entertain |