Shivi Garg, Amisha Nehra, Deeksha Sarin, Madhuri Garg, Rajyalakshmi Pyda, Saharsh Mehta and Hari Chelvan were the winners of the 2010 ISW Scholarhships for Academic Excellence and Citizenship.

Year 2010 Academic Excellence Award winners

Shivi Garg
Shivi Garg is currently a senior at Westborough High School.  Besides excelling in academics, she has been involved in various extra-curricular activities.  She donates most of her time to Anatomy Club, Marlborough Hospital, Interact, SASA (serving as secretary), babysitting, and working at Kumon Math and Reading Center of Marlborough.  She also plays for her high school track team as a sprinter and a pole-vaulter.  She was treasurer and secretary of Indian Youth group before moving on to becoming vice president last year.  She has played the violin for 7 years and enjoys travelling, singing, and performing and choreographing dances for the community.  Her experience through Marlborough Hospital has sculpted Shivi’s dream to study and become a physical therapist.

Amisha Nehra
Amisha Nehra is a junior at Shrewsbury High School. She has been on the high honor roll consistently throughout these years. Along with excellence in academics, Amisha takes part in extra-curricular activities such as Track and Field, Indian cultural dance, and Speech and Debate club. She is an active member in Asian Culture Club, Tri-M (National Music Group), Habitat for Humanity, Entrepreneur’s Club, and the MVP board (helps freshmen transition to high school).  She has also been elected on to the student council with four other members of her grade. In the community, Amisha has volunteered at Children’s Hospital Boston and is member-at-large of  IYG.  She was recently a winner of the INDIA New England’s 20 Under 20 award as well.

Deeksha Sarin
Deeksha Sarin is currently a junior at the Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School.  She has been on the honor roll for the past 3 years in this very competitive school, and has done very well on all of her AP exams.  She is currently on the AMSA Speech team and the Science Competition team.  She has been on the Track and field team and participated in many meets. She is an active member in the AMSA Dramatic Society and has been a dancer and part of the chorus in many past school plays. She has performed Bharatnatyam many times in the temple and for the Akshya patra foundation, and is preparing to have her Arangetram.  She has been attending Darshan Meditation camp for the past 5 years and volunteered this summer there as a counselor in training. She has won 2nd place in the American Mathematics contest, and won many poetry awards. She is currently volunteering at community Health connections in Leominster. She is also an active member of IYG and attempts to participate in their volunteering programs. Science and Math are her passion and she aspires to be a physician like her parents.

Madhuri Garg
Hi, my name is Madhuri Garg and I am a senior at Wachusett Regional High School. I am involved in many clubs at my school including; Varsity Math team, Mountaineer Volunteers club, Senior Mentor Program, Echo (school newspaper), math and science tutoring for high school students and elementary school students, and Model UN. I am a member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, and National Math Honor Society. I have been on Honor Roll all years of high school. I have been dedicated to Dance for many years and love the activity.  I am also very active in IYG, and at present serving IYG as P.R.

Rajyalakshmi Pyda
Rajyalakshmi Pyda is a junior at Worcester Academy who believes that life itself is a learning opportunity and that the whole world is a classroom.  She believes that no one can actually tire from being a student, because part of being human is to learn and apply whatever one has learned for the betterment of mankind.  In fact, part of the reason she wants to become both a researcher and a clinician is in order to cure those whose parents had once thought a cure was unattainable, while pursuing her curiosity.  Although she realizes that she may initially encounter frustration, the amount of hard work that she will put in can only add to the degree of satisfaction in the end.

Year 2010 Citizenship Award winners

Saharsh Mehta
Saharsh Mehta is a senior at Westborough High School and a member of the National Honor Society. He participates in a number of community service activities as president of the Indian Youth Group. He conducts activities for senior citizens and helps them out at the Beaumont Rehabilitation Center. In 2009, he attended a course on social issues facing urban communities and civic responsibility at the Civic Leadership Institute in Baltimore. During this time he volunteered in and around the city of Baltimore. He tutors young children in math and reading. He feels that his community has been integral in shaping the person he is today and feels strongly obligated to give back to his community. He enjoys playing sports and participating in ISW cultural programs.

Hari Chelvan
Hari Chelvan is currently a senior at St. John’s High School. He is has always been the Honor Roll in his school and is part of the National honor Society. He participates in various clubs in his school for example Model UN, The Red & White school paper, Chinese Club, and is currently the Treasurer of the National History Club. He has volunteered in his school’s Service Day two years in a row, and has also volunteered at UMass Memorial Hospital.  He has been a member of IYG for four years, and has served as Assistant Secretary.

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