A part of the 49ers STEM Leadership Institute (SLI) since 7th grade, Aakash has grown as a passionate and determined person while developing valuable leadership and collaboration skills.

As a student, Aakash has excelled in rigorous AP and Honors courses throughout high school, learning to see challenging problems as opportunities to grow. Drawn to hands-on design challenges, he shaped his interest in engineering through various projects such as Science Fair, FTC Robotics and Independent Research, learning to harness design tools in the SLI Fab Lab. Aakash enjoys spending time giving back to his community through initiatives such as Pay It Forward.

As a Maker, Aakash enjoys building and modifying remote-controlled automobiles, fabricating custom components to test ideas. When not tinkering, he enjoys doing art and spending time with his friends and family. Additionally, having earned a 2nd Degree Black Belt after 6 years of martial arts, he understands the value of resilience and dedication while prioritizing wellbeing.

Aakash is excited to pursue engineering through college, exploring interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving to create inventive ideas that bring value to others. Especially driven by his longtime passion for cars and motorsports, he aspires to apply this experience to design future sustainable vehicles.