Ten-year-old Joel Regis, a 5th grader at Tom Kitayama Elementary School, has achieved an extraordinary feat by earning two All American honors at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships held in Savannah, Georgia. Representing Mission Valley Track and Field, Regis demonstrated remarkable skill and versatility at the national level.

In the javelin competition, Regis threw an impressive 32.33 meters, securing fourth place and marking his best performance in three consecutive years of competing at Nationals. His consistency and dedication to the event have made him a notable contender among young athletes across the country.

In addition to his javelin success, Regis made an outstanding debut in the 1500-meter racewalk, completing it in 10 minutes and 33 seconds. This first-time effort earned him fifth place and All American recognition, highlighting his ability to excel in multiple track and field disciplines.

Under the guidance of Coach Webb, Regis continues to refine his technique and showcase exceptional athletic talent. His achievements have placed him among the Bay Area’s most promising young athletes, with both his national javelin ranking and racewalk debut signaling a bright future in competitive sports.

Regis’ dual accomplishments at the USATF National Junior Olympic Championships reflect not only his hard work and perseverance but also his potential to inspire other young athletes to pursue excellence across different track and field events. His journey stands as a testament to dedication, training, and the emerging talent in the Bay Area’s youth sports community.

Through this extensive network, and under the Government of India’s PM POSHAN scheme, Akshaya Patra delivers nutritious mid-day meals — along with an additional morning nutrition program — to schoolchildren.

In a recent conversation, CEO Shridhar Venkat spoke about how the organisation blends deep mission-driven commitment with structured and disciplined systems.
He explained that the foundation’s expansion has been built on the principle of “selflessness with systems” — a guiding philosophy that fuels innovation while reinforcing accountability.

Venkat highlighted that frugal innovation has consistently shaped their approach. As an example, he mentioned the development of roti-making machines capable of producing tens of thousands of rotis per hour, designed to accommodate diverse regional food preferences across the country.

He also emphasised that transparency and strong governance have always been fundamental to Akshaya Patra’s ethos. Venkat recalled that during a challenging period in 2020, the foundation voluntarily commissioned a forensic audit by a Big Four firm — which concluded with no major financial irregularities.

Today, the foundation stands as more than just a provider of meals; it has evolved into a robust public–private partnership. While a significant portion of its support comes from the Indian government through the PM POSHAN scheme, it also relies heavily on contributions from corporate partners and individual donors.

Looking ahead, Akshaya Patra aims to expand its reach even more. By 2025, it hopes to provide meals to 3 million children every day — a target that aligns perfectly with its wider mission of ending classroom hunger throughout India.

As it celebrates its 25-year milestone, the foundation’s leaders express heartfelt gratitude to every volunteer, donor, government body, and community that has contributed to its progress — and reaffirm their ultimate goal: ensuring that no child in India is ever denied education because of hunger.

California State University, Fresno has presented Akhil Kanodia from the Department of Management with the Outstanding Lecturer Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to teaching and entrepreneurship. As part of the Provost’s Awards, this honor celebrates his commitment to hands-on learning and innovation.

Kanodia encourages students to think like entrepreneurs and play active roles in real-world business ventures. His course, “Managing the New Venture,” offers students the unique opportunity to operate the Craig School of Business Student Store. They oversee every part of the business—from product creation and trademark licensing to handling vendors, marketing, and sales. Under his guidance, the students launched 10 exclusive Fresno State and Craig School-branded items, earning $5,640 in sales and achieving a 27% net profit.

Beyond the classroom, Kanodia plays a key leadership role in entrepreneurship at Fresno State. As the acting director of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, he’s at the forefront of fostering entrepreneurial energy on campus. He chairs the planning committee for the Fresno State Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit, further driving the university’s mission to connect education with real-world impact.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Kanodia actively mentors both current students and alumni. He advises the university’s Entrepreneurship Club and regularly serves as a judge in pitch competitions. His continued involvement in entrepreneurial programs ensures his teaching remains dynamic and aligned with today’s business landscape.

Kanodia’s holistic approach to education, combining practical business experience with classroom learning, exemplifies why he was chosen for this distinguished award.

Jupneet Singh and Sreekar Mantena, two Indian American students at Harvard Medical School, have been awarded the esteemed Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Their selection continues a long-standing tradition of excellence among Indian American scholars in this highly competitive graduate scholarship program.

Established in 1997, the Soros Fellowships provide support to immigrants and their children as they pursue graduate studies in the United States. This year’s winners, Singh and Mantena, not only stand out for their academic promise but also for how their backgrounds and work intersect with broader social causes.

Singh has made history as the first woman Soros Fellow serving in the U.S. military and the first female Air Force ROTC Rhodes Scholar. Her path combines a commitment to public service with medical education. She has also led de-addiction initiatives in Punjab and worked with domestic violence support programs, using her platform to address issues across borders.

Mantena, meanwhile, is leveraging data science and machine learning to address health inequities. His nonprofit, which develops medical technologies for underserved communities, reflects his broader mission to bridge cutting-edge tech with equitable healthcare access.

Both students credit their Indian heritage for shaping their values and ambitions. Singh draws strength from her Punjabi and Sikh upbringing, while Mantena recalls formative experiences spent with his grandparents in Southern India. This cultural grounding appears frequently among Indian American Soros Fellows, suggesting a strong link between cultural identity and perseverance in academic environments.

Their achievements underscore a growing trend: immigrant and second-generation American students are not only excelling in higher education but are also redefining the intersection of professional expertise and community service. The Soros Fellowship’s emphasis on empowering “New Americans” has enabled rising leaders like Singh and Mantena to bring fresh, culturally rooted perspectives to medicine and social innovation.

Their stories offer a glimpse into how immigrant communities, particularly Indian Americans, are leveraging educational platforms to craft careers that balance personal success with meaningful societal impact. As Singh and Mantena continue their journeys, they represent the evolving face of American academia—diverse, mission-driven, and globally connected.

Summer vacation presents university students with an invaluable chance to gain real-world experience through internships. These roles not only strengthen professional profiles but also offer crucial networking prospects, allow for career exploration, and refine essential skills, sometimes with compensation. One individual, now a multimedia journalist at a local television station, attributes their various college internships to the experience that enabled them to present themselves as a seasoned professional immediately after graduating from their institution.

The director of a university career center emphasizes how these experiential learning opportunities bridge the gap between academic studies and the expectations of employers for entry-level staff. An executive at a global supply chain company, which hired a significant portion of its 2022 summer interns for permanent positions, points to the increased efficiency that prior internship experience brings. As the summer season approaches, the following five strategies are vital for university students aiming to secure a productive internship:

1. Leverage Your University Career Center: This campus resource serves as a comprehensive hub for professional development tailored to individual needs. Advisors can guide students in exploring suitable internship options aligned with their majors and interests. The interim dean of an institution’s internship and career center underscores their role in developing strong resumes and professional communication skills. Furthermore, career offices often have information about financial aid, such as travel grants or compensation for unpaid internship opportunities, thereby expanding accessibility.

2. Develop a Creative and Targeted Resume: Even without prior internship experience, it’s possible to create a compelling resume. New applicants, including first-year students, should highlight transferable skills gained through coursework, group projects, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, and volunteer work. A career center director advises creating a distinct resume for each specific internship, emphasizing the relevant skills and qualifications that directly address the job requirements.

3. Explore On-Campus Opportunities: While off-campus summer internships are popular, students shouldn’t overlook potential positions within the university itself. A career center director notes that universities are substantial employers with various departments like Marketing, IT, HR, and Finance that frequently engage student interns. Additionally, participating in on-campus recruitment events offers an excellent opportunity to meet company representatives face-to-face and make a lasting impression, according to a supply chain executive.

4. Embrace Remote Internships: The rise of remote work has generated more internship opportunities. Once a niche area, remote internships have grown in number and popularity, transcending geographical boundaries for students. While some remote internships are unpaid, many do offer compensation, as indicated by a university study. This accessibility opens doors for students who may not have had work opportunities in their immediate vicinity.

5. Utilize Your Existing Network: Students often underestimate the power of their current connections. An interim dean encourages students to recognize that their network includes not only formal professional contacts but also family members, friends, neighbors, teachers, and coaches. Sharing internship search efforts with this network can lead to unexpected opportunities. Casual conversations can also yield valuable leads, as many individuals are willing to assist students in their job search.

By proactively utilizing campus resources, strategically crafting their resumes, pursuing diverse opportunities, and engaging their networks, university students can significantly enhance their chances of securing a meaningful summer internship that will provide them with invaluable experience and propel them toward future career success.

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These roles not only strengthen professional profiles but also offer crucial networking prospects, allow for career exploration, and refine essential skills, sometimes with compensation.”

By proactively utilizing campus resources, strategically crafting their resumes, pursuing diverse opportunities, and engaging their networks, university students can significantly enhance their chances of securing a meaningful summer internship that will provide them with invaluable experience and propel them toward future career success

Among the 30 recipients of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans this year, seven remarkable Indian American individuals have secured spots, standing out from over 2,600 applicants. This prestigious program, designed for immigrants and children of immigrants, offers up to $90,000 over two years to support graduate education in the United States.

Arjun Ramani from Indiana is pursuing a PhD in economics at MIT, focusing on innovation and technological change. His academic journey began at Stanford, where he studied economics and computer science with an emphasis on artificial intelligence. A published writer at The Economist, Ramani’s reporting on India and artificial intelligence has earned him international recognition.

Devika Ranjan, raised across the US and originally from Nashik, India, blends theater with activism. As a creative storyteller, she crafts immersive performances on migration and social justice. With advanced degrees from Cambridge and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Ranjan continues to shape critical dialogue around immigrant experiences.

New Jersey native Eshika Kaul, daughter of Kashmiri immigrants, double-majored in economics and peace studies at Wellesley. Her policy work with the IRS, White House, and Treasury Department highlights her dedication to economic justice, and she’s been recognized with awards like the Harry S. Truman Scholarship and the Upstander Award.

Jupneet Singh, an MIT chemistry graduate and former top-ranking Air Force ROTC cadet, broke new ground as the first woman Air Force ROTC Rhodes Scholar. With degrees from Oxford and ongoing MD studies at Harvard under the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship, she plans to serve as a military surgeon.

Sreekar Mantena, a Harvard graduate, founded a global nonprofit focused on developing medical technologies for underserved communities. Now in the Harvard-MIT MD/PhD program, he combines data science with medicine to build equitable healthcare systems through machine learning.

Swathi Srinivasan’s academic curiosity spans social science and medicine. A Rhodes Scholar and AmeriCorps Fellow, she’s researched overdose responses globally and now supports vulnerable populations in Boston through public health programs.

Lastly, Vaithish Velazhahan, who began his academic path in India and Kansas, has received global acclaim for his research in cancer and neuroscience. With publications in Nature and a PhD from Cambridge, he’s now at Stanford pursuing medicine and leading research to improve global health access.

The

Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, the 2025 competition calls on young writers to research and present innovative, solution-oriented essays on India’s pressing challenges. The goal is to amplify youth voices and inspire fresh perspectives for India’s development.

Winners from each category will receive a $1,000 grant to donate to a charity of their choice, while runners-up will be awarded $500 grants. Selected students will also be invited to share their ideas at a high-profile national conference in Fall 2025, attended by philanthropists, nonprofit leaders, and business executives.

Essays will be judged by a panel of nonprofit professionals. The submission deadline is July 1, 2025, and winners will be notified by late August or early September. The IPA will cover travel and accommodation costs for the conference attendees.

Alex Counts, IPA’s Executive Director, emphasized the importance of youth participation, stating, “Young people have the ability to rethink complex challenges and offer innovative solutions. This contest empowers them to contribute meaningfully to India’s future.”

In a major step toward integrating industry expertise with academic innovation, Ajay Anand, an Indian American executive at Johnson & Johnson, has been named the first Executive in Residence for the Wharton AI & Analytics Initiative (WAIAI). Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Global Services, Strategy, and Business Services at Johnson & Johnson, Anand now brings his leadership acumen to the esteemed Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Wharton’s new Executive in Residence program aims to connect leaders from top companies with faculty and students, enhancing the relevance of artificial intelligence research while fostering a new generation of innovators. Each year, a select group of executives will collaborate with the academic community to align AI development with practical business challenges.

Anand joins the inaugural cohort alongside Achim Welter, Senior Director of ERP, Digital & IT Strategy at The Hershey Company. Together, these industry veterans will help shape WAIAI’s projects, including the Wharton AI & Analytics Accelerator, offering valuable mentorship and strategic guidance to both faculty and students.

Anand expressed his excitement about this opportunity, stating that it is an honor to partner with one of the world’s top business schools. He looks forward to engaging with Wharton’s leading researchers and bright student minds to explore how AI and analytics can reshape industries and create meaningful impact.

Through this role, Anand will actively contribute to shaping the direction of academic research in artificial intelligence, ensuring it remains grounded in real-world business needs. His appointment marks a strategic fusion of academic excellence and corporate innovation, reflecting Wharton’s commitment to staying at the forefront of AI-driven transformation.

This move not only strengthens ties between academia and industry but also provides a platform for Anand to mentor upcoming professionals and future leaders in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

 Washington State University (WSU) has announced Dr. Partha Pande as the new dean of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, starting April 16. His selection followed a national search for a leader capable of building on the college’s tradition of academic and research excellence.

Dr. Pande, who joined WSU in 2005, has been serving as interim dean since February 2024. Over the years, he has shown exceptional leadership in advancing technological innovation, supporting student development, and strengthening ties with industry partners.

Reflecting on his new role, Pande said, “Voiland College faculty and students are actively solving society’s biggest challenges through impactful research in fields like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, cybersecurity, and energy systems. It’s a privilege to lead such a forward-thinking community.”

Before becoming dean, Pande held key positions such as director of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Boeing Centennial Chair in Computer Engineering. Internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in network-on-chip (NoC) technology, his research improves energy efficiency in data centers and high-performance computing.

WSU Provost Chris Riley-Tillman praised the appointment, highlighting Pande’s collaborative leadership style and dedication to outcomes. “We believe Partha’s guidance will propel Voiland College into its next phase of growth,” he noted.

Dr. Pande has authored over 250 scholarly articles and has garnered close to 10,000 citations. His accolades include being named an IEEE fellow, receiving a National Science Foundation Career Award, and earning WSU’s Outstanding Researcher Award. He also served as a distinguished speaker for the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society and is a member of the Washington State Academy of Sciences.

He holds a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of British Columbia, a master’s in computer science from the National University of Singapore, and a bachelor’s from the University of Calcutta.

 Dr. Indrajeet Chaubey has been appointed as the next provost and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Arkansas, with his term beginning on July 1, 2025. He will be stepping into the role currently held by Terry Martin, who will transition back to teaching full-time within the College of Engineering.

A distinguished figure in hydrology and water quality, Dr. Chaubey has led extensive research into the impact of watershed management on water resources, agricultural productivity, and environmental sustainability. His scholarly contributions include more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and research funding exceeding $40 million.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Chaubey shared, “It is an honor to return to the University of Arkansas. I’m grateful for the trust Chancellor Robinson has placed in me. I’m eager to collaborate with the university community to further strengthen U of A’s academic and research mission.”

Currently serving as the dean of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources at the University of Connecticut, Dr. Chaubey has also led the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station since 2019. Under his leadership, the college saw its student enrollment reach record highs, a 67% increase in scholarship support, and a twofold rise in external research funding. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in launching new academic programs during his time there.

Before joining UConn, Chaubey held faculty and leadership positions at Purdue University from 2007 to 2019 and was part of the U of A community from 2000 to 2006.

Chancellor Charles Robinson praised the appointment, stating, “Dr. Chaubey brings remarkable experience in academic leadership and research innovation. His commitment to excellence in education and research will greatly benefit our university as we look ahead.”

Dr. Chaubey earned his Ph.D. in biosystems engineering from Oklahoma State University. He also holds a master’s in biological and agricultural engineering from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Allahabad in India.