1.What is the funniest thing you remember as a child?
I’ve been a musical geek for all of my life—in elementary school, I picked up flute, guitar, and piano, and have never put them down since! My love for singing began after I watched High School Musical in second grade. Every single night, I would practice “Breaking Free” in my room. My practice must have paid off because now, nine years later, I’ve sung for multiple choirs, 2000-person crowds, and at Carnegie Hall!
2.What is the one piece of clothing you wish you owned?
During my frequent trips to India as a young girl, on the first day of our visits, my family and I would all sit on the floor and eat lunch off of a huge banana leaf. My aunts would make a variety of curries and end the meal with fresh Gulab Jamun (dessert) from the local store. Afterwards, I would lay on my great grandmother’s lap while my cousins, uncles, and aunts told horror stories.
3.What season of the year is your favorite and why?
From as early as I can remember, I’ve always had my nose stuffed in a book. In fact, there were many times in school when my teachers would yell at me for reading too much! My passion for reading introduced me to writing, and by seventh grade, I finished my own novel and became a full-time volunteer at the library. My love for reading is a huge reason behind my advocacy of child education.
4.What is your favorite movie?
Bollywood dancing was, and still is, one of my favorite hobbies. I started Indian dancing when I was about five years old, and moved from Kathaak to Bharatnatyam and finally, to Bollywood Fusion, which puts hip hop dance moves to Bollywood film songs. Now, I take every opportunity I can to show off my skills and perform!
5.What song makes you think of yourself?
I knew that I wanted to go into business after I switched my Pop Tiger magazines with my dad’s Time magazines and made $100 from a snow-shoveling business in middle school, but it was only after attending the UN Human Rights conference that I realized I also have, and have always had, a passion for social entrepreneurship. This summer, after attending Cornell’s Social Entrepreneurship program, I will enact my social change project in India.
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