THE 2020 WLP SCHOLARS
Vignesh Iyer
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8)
Vignesh Iyer is a graduating junior at the University of California, Santa Cruz studying Political Science and Economics. Since moving to the US from India in 2014, he has developed a passion for politics and public service. In his two years on the UC Student Association’s Board of Directors, he has worked with the CA State Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom on issues of financial aid, student basic needs, and racial justice. Off campus, he has worked on local campaigns in the Bay Area, and on housing and homelessness policy as a legislative intern for San Francisco Mayor London Breed. He is excited to join the WLP family, and seeks to build on his experiences to find a career in public service.
Ananya Kachru
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-7)
Ananya Kachru (she/her/hers) is from Woodbridge, Connecticut and is a rising junior at Yale University, where she is majoring in Global Affairs. Ananya recently led the 2020 South Asian Youth Initiative—where South Asian college students come together to have critical discussions on issues including mental health, intersectionality, & gender violence. She also leads the Yale International Relations Leadership Institute and is involved with its Board of Directors. Ananya is the incoming co-President of the Yale Women’s Leadership Initiative and South Asian Society. She is involved with South Asian Americans in Public Service and is a Yale Campus Tour Guide.
Mihiri Kotikawatta
Congressman Ami Bera (CA-7)
Mihiri Kotikawatta is a rising senior at the University of California San Diego where she is studying Political Science with a concentration in International Relations and Global Health. She was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka but grew up in Chula Vista, California. On campus, Mihiri works at the Women's Center as a community liaison and is also co-vice chair of the South Asian student association. Her professional interests include education policy, health policy and foreign policy. Mihiri is passionate in ensuring that marginalized working class communities like her own, have better access to higher education and affordable healthcare. Mihiri hopes to attend graduate school and to pursue a career in public service and foreign affairs.
Rucha Modi
U.S. Agency for International Development
Rucha Modi (she/her) is a rising senior at UCLA, majoring in Global Studies and minoring in Public Affairs. She was born and raised in Southern California to parents who immigrated from Gujarat. On campus, she has served as the Lobbying Director for UCLA's undergraduate student government and works for UCLA's Office of Undergraduate Admission. Off campus, she is working on a documentary about the affordability and accessibility of California's public higher education system, and a think tank research project regarding LGBTQ nondiscrimination and media rhetoric. She is passionate about mobilizing young South Asian Americans to challenge exclusionary politics and systemic inequities both in the U.S. and in the Indian subcontinent.
Shreya Pabbaraju
U.S. Agency for International Development
Shreya Pabbaraju is a rising fourth year student at Emory College of Arts and Sciences, double majoring in Political Science and English and Creative Writing. Previously, she has served as the Carter Center’s Human Rights Intern, and has also worked for the organization’s outreach arm with Emory, the Institute for Developing Nations. She currently serves as Lead Coder and Research Assistant for a project on militia violence in Northern Ireland, and is pursuing an honors thesis on violence against women in India. The latter project is a continuation of her work with the Institute for Human Rights. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and writing poetry.
Vishwa Padigepati
Department of Commerce - ITA
Vishwa Padigepati (she/her/hers) is a rising sophomore at Yale University where she is majoring in Cognitive Science and Political Science. She lived in India and France, before moving to California at eight. Vishwa is passionate about genocide prevention and international development and volunteers her time to serve as a youth leader for STAND and Plan International USA. On campus, she is on the board of Yale Review of International Studies and Managing Editor for The Yale Undergraduate Human Rights Journal. She hopes to pursue developmental infrastructure work and human rights law in her future.
Tarun Ramesh
Department of Health & Human Services - CMS
Tarun Ramesh is an Economics and Genetics major at the University of Georgia, interested in substance use disorder prevention and the disparate impacts of addiction epidemics on vulnerable populations. His work on opioid use disorder and rural hospital closures have been published by the Center for American Progress, the Roosevelt Institute, the Georgia Political Review, and the Undergraduate Economic Review, and his policy recommendations have been used by congressional campaigns, rural hospital boards, legislators, and correctional facilities. Tarun has also investigated the socioeconomic determinants of addiction. Tarun hopes to pursue a joint Masters in Health Economics and Medical Degree to help end the criminalization of addiction.
Hillary Shah
Department of Commerce - Office of Civil Rights
Hillary Shah is a rising senior at the University of North Texas where she studies Political Science and Economics, with a certification in Legal Studies. Hillary is passionate about reinvigorating the American Dream and breaking down political, economic, and social structures that prohibit marginalized communities from reaching their full potential - whether that be through voter rights and mobilization work for historically disenfranchised groups, gun violence prevention, or education and resource distribution to first-generation and women of color. In the future, Hillary hopes to attend law school and serve her community as a public advocacy lawyer and public servant.
Krithika Shamanna
Department of Commerce - Women in STEM Group
Krithika Shamanna is a junior at Rice University where she is majoring in Political Science and the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality, while pursuing a certificate in Civic Leadership. On campus, she is involved with the debate team, the school yearbook, and a chapter of non-profit organization Deeds Not Words. She is interested in studying the intersection of law, women's rights, and public policy. As an aspiring lawyer, she hopes to use the law to protect the rights of women and other marginalized communities.
Class of 2019
Aparna Iyer
Madhumitha Krishnan
Natasha Menon
Rupa Palanki
Aziz Sandhu
Fatima Shahbaz
Abeeha Shamshad
Class of 2018
Akshayaa Chittibabu
Aastha Jha
Navya Kumar
Anmol Nagar
Moushmi Patil
Zoha Qureshi
Vineet Raman
Arjun Ramani
Shivank Singh
Class of 2016
Juli Adhikari
Safiyah Bharwani
Shruti Gupta
Faryal Jafri
Mishi Jain
Rahima Jamal
Vishal Narayanaswamy
Rina Patel
Neha Ramani
Shivam Shah
Class of 2014
Batul Contractor
Nisha Deolalikar
Areeba Kamal
Christina Lalani
Meera Patel
Ernest Rajakone
Kaushik Rao
Krishnan Sethumadhavan
Vidhaath Sripathi
Priya Sundaresan
Class of 2012
Sarah Hussain
Amit Jani
Krishna Kavi
Hetali Lodaya
Virag Patel
Neethu Putta
Sonalee Rau
Suparna Reddy
Prady Tewarie
Nithyaa Venkataramani
Class of 2010
Niraj Antani
Suneet Dhillon
Laila Fahimuddin
Neha Gupta
Venkat Mendu
Rishabh Parikh
Herschel Patel
Monica Patel
Class of 2017
Priya Elangovan
Miriam George
Nicholos Joseph
Sharmeen Khan
Vishal Makhijani
Akshar Patel
Riya Patel
Jesal Pothi
Namrata Verghese
Class of 2015
Mehul Bhagat
Shikha Chivukula
Shuchi Goyal
Ali Jessani
Tina Lapsia
Radhe Patel
Rahi Punjabi
Kavita Raval
Jackson Walker
Class of 2013
Hira Baig
Priya Kamath
Aseem Chipalkatti
Sapna Jain
Shirin Johnson
Gautam Kapur
Waleed Hashmi
Kalyan Venkataraj
Dayani Waas
Class of 2011
Mohit Bangia
Fayzan Gowani
Sloka Krishnan
Tanu Kumar
Rajiv Tarigopula
Ashwin Warrior
Class of 2009
Sheila Gholkar
Kartik Naram
Noorjahan Rahman
Urooj Raja
Samiron Ray