26 Indian-Americans, South Asians, among 161 Presidential Scholars in 2018

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Twenty six Indian-American and South Asian-American students, 14 of them girls, have been selected for the prestigious 2018 Presidential Scholars Program. They are among the 161 selected from around the country in what is seen as one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students, the U.S. Department of Education announced May 8. The Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.

In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields.

“I want to congratulate this year’s class of Presidential Scholars on their achievement and also thank their parents, teachers and other academic advisors who have helped guide them along the way,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is quoted saying in a press release. “These students have pushed themselves to be the best they can be, and I am certain that devotion will serve them well as they continue their individual learning journeys,” she added.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on their academic success, artistic excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, as well as evidence of community service, leadership and demonstrated commitment to high ideals.

To understand how competitive this program is, some 3.6 million students are expected to graduate from high school this year, and more than 5,200 candidates qualified for the 2018 awards determined by outstanding performance on the College Board SAT and ACT exams, through nominations made by Chief State School Officers, other partner recognition organizations or the National Young Arts Foundation’s nationwide. Those were culled down to 161 finalists.

The 2018 U.S. Presidential Scholars are comprised of one young man and one young woman from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and from U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at-large, 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts, plus the latest addition of 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education.

The 2018 ceremony will be held June 24, when each honoree will receive a Presidential Scholar Medallion.

Following is the list of Indian-American/South Asian scholars selected this year:  

[*] An asterisk indicates a Presidential Scholar in the Arts

[**] Two asterisks indicate a Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education

American Abroad

Mansi Totwani, St. Thomas – Antilles School

Arizona

Aditya Sivakumar, Phoenix – BASIS PHOENIX

Arkansas

Anika Mittal, Blytheville – KIPP Blytheville Collegiate High School

California

Advait Patil, San Jose – Lynbrook High School Colorado – 2 of 3

Siddharth M. Mane, Greenwood Village – Cherry Creek High School

Isani Singh, Aurora – Cherry Creek High School

Florida

Sidhika Balachandar, Gainesville – Buchholz High School

Kansas

Neeharika Kothapalli, Overland Park – Blue Valley West High School

Maryland

Sreya Vangara, Germantown – Poolesville Senior High School

Michigan – 2 of 6

Neha Seshadri, Ann Arbor – Skyline High School

[**] Veena Thamilselvan, Farmington Hills – Harrison High School

New Hampshire – 1 of 2

Vinjai S. Vale, Exeter – Phillips Exeter Academy

New Jersey – 1 of 5

[**] Deven Singh, Manalapan – Monmouth Academy of Allied Health & Sciences

North Carolina

C – Nithya S. Adusumilli, Cary – Raleigh Charter High School

Ronak Bhagia, Charlotte – Providence Day School

North Dakota – 1 of 4

Nidhi T. Mahale, Fargo – Davies High School

Ohio – 1 of 5

[*] Shreyah Mohanselvan, New Albany – Columbus Academy

Pennsylvania – 2 of 3

Aryaman Khandelwal, Breinigsville – Parkland High School

Pranshu Suri, Bryn Mawr – The Baldwin School

Texas – 2 of 6

Sonesh Patel, Austin – Vandegrift High School

Syamantak Payra, Friendswood – Clear Brook High School

Utah

[**] UT – Kanishka Ragula, Salt Lake City – Skyline High School

Virginia — all three

Kavya Kopparapu, Herndon – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology

Mihir Patel, Great Falls – Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology

Marissa Sumathipala, Ashburn – Broad Run High School

West Virginia

Vinitha Joseph, Morgantown – Morgantown High School