Eleven students of Indian origin receive SUNY ‘s highest honor for academic excellence and leadership

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State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr.  announced April 30, 2025, that 193 students from 63 campuses were awarded SUNY’s highest honor for academic excellence and leadership. At least 11 of them are of Indian origin, News India Times/Desi Talk calculated going by the names of the awardees.

The 2025 Chancellor’s Awards for Student Excellence (CASE) recognize students for outstanding achievements throughout their SUNY experience in areas including academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service, and the arts, a Suny press release said.

“SUNY represents academic excellence, and our students have worked tirelessly to not only excel in their academic studies, but also stepped up as community leaders,” King is quoted saying in the press release. “Congratulations to this year’s CASE awardees who’ve distinguished themselves amongst their peers through their work ethic, determination, and commitment to their fields of study.”

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Each campus is allowed to submit two to 15 nominations depending on the student body size. Nominations are submitted by campus officials to the SUNY CASE Selection Committee every spring.

The Indian-origin awardees are as follows along with the brief writeups provided by SUNY:

BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY, Shruti Venkatesh (She/Her/Hers) Integrative Neuroscience Vestal, NY. Shruti Venkatesh is a senior graduating with an Integrative Neuroscience major and Anthropology minor and a perfect 4.0 GPA. She is a significant researcher in multiple fields of inquiry and has been supported in her research as a recipient of the highly competitive Beckman Scholar Fellowship, and she has served as an important campus leader in a number of capacities. Shruti will be attending Upstate Medical School in the fall.

UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, Akshay Tiwari (He/Him/His) Biomedical Sciences Tonawanda, NY Akshay Tiwari graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences. A Pride of New York and Honors Scholar, Akshaw Co-Founded UB’s Hindu Students Council, serving as Event Coordinator and Vice President, and served as Vice President of UB’s Association of Pre-Medical Students. Simultaneously involved in two labs, his research spans behavioral medicine to pharmacology, contributing to studies on maternal smoking cessation and neural regeneration in multiple sclerosis. He served as a Teaching Assistant for multiple introductory level Biology courses and as a Science Ambassador taught scientific concepts to underrepresented and underfunded high school students in Buffalo.

NEW YORK STATE SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND LABOR RELATIONS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY, Shruthisri “Sri” Ravisankar (She/Her/Hers) Industrial and Labor Relations San Jose, CA Sri Ravisankar has been involved in various out of-class activities that underline her commitment to making the ILR School a better place. She has taken leadership roles in the ILR Global Affairs Club and as a Peer Mentor and Admissions Ambassador. She has taken full advantage of all the ILR School has to offer including the Global Service Learning and Credit Internship programs. Seeing the value in these experiences, she encourages younger students to participate as well.

SUNY COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND FORESTRY, Abhinaya Polaka (She/Her/Hers) Environmental Science Proddatur, India Abhinaya Polaka’s advocacy for the environment is evident. As an ESF student, Abhi has excelled in all facets. Abhi is described as “a powerhouse academic, student-leader, environmental steward, and an all-around great person… who embodies the ESF spirit. She is a hard worker, a proponent of sustainability and the environment, … her viewpoint as an international woman of color in STEM is unique and needed. She has been an integral part of ensuring that other international students have what they need to thrive here” A faculty member adds “As an international student, Abhi has flourished at ESF.”

SUNY MORRISVILLE, Vidya Jawahir (She/Her/Hers) Nursing Oxford, NY Vidya Jawahir’s journey to SUNY Morrisville has been unique and exhilarating. It started after the birth of her second child when she experienced a difference in maternal care versus her hometown in the Bronx. As a mother of two children, a growing farm business and boundless sacrifices, her passion is to offer knowledge, diversity and experienced skillsets to the care of patients. Attaining her Nursing degree will propel her dream to make a difference.

NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Rajiv Vakani (He/Him/His) Food and Nutrition Williston Park, NY Pursuing a new chapter after a successful career in finance, Rajiv Vakani embodies the spirit of lifelong learning and a dedication to service to others, evidenced by his outstanding scholarship and contributions to the communities to which he belongs. He believes in “the power of collective action to create meaningful change,” and his accomplishments clearly reflect this philosophy.

PURCHASE COLLEGE, Medha Chandwani (She/Her/Hers) Chemistry and Visual Arts Sharon, MA Medha Chandwani is an exceptional student, double majoring in Chemistry and Visual Arts, with a stellar 4.16 GPA. Admitted through the SUNY Upstate Medical Program, she has exceeded academic expectations, earning an A or A+ in all courses. Her senior project explores canola and corn oil blends in resin projection, blending both fields of study. Medha has been a dedicated Learning Assistant for multiple chemistry courses, helping many students succeed. Beyond academics, she served as Pre-Med Club President, establishing a shadowing program at White Plains Hospital, and contributed to the Food Recovery Network, focused on reducing food waste and insecurity.

Anushri Kulkarni, (She/Her/Hers) Biomedical Engineering Mumbai, India An international student from India majoring in biomedical engineering, Anushri Kulkarni aspires to serve her community through engineering and medicine. As a resident assistant, volunteer EMT, and the President of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Anushri enjoys making a difference in her campus community. Under the guidance of Dr. Eric Brouzes, Anushri is completing an honors thesis based on her microfluidics research. Anushri has also worked as a teaching assistant, peer-mentored international students, and conducted clinical research as an academic associate in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook University Hospital.

STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY, Aryan Sharma (He/Him/His) Biology and Psychology Centereach, NY Aryan Sharma is an aspiring physician in Stony Brook’s Honors College double majoring in Biology and Psychology and is in the MBA Fast Track program. He conducts glioblastoma research in the Tsirka Lab, has published his work and twice received URECA summer funding. On campus, he serves as Vice President of Clubs and Organizations for Undergraduate Student Government, Events Coordinator for Watsi and is a STEM Mentor and Teaching Assistant. Aryan is an Emergency Medical Technician for the Village of Port Jefferson, a Medical Assistant for Stony Brook Medical Associates and volunteers for the Crisis Text Line.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Udya Dewanamuni (She/Her/Hers) Physics Ronkonkoma, NY Udya Dewanamuni, a Physics major, holds a 4.0 GPA and has earned Dean’s List honors every semester for the past two years. She serves as Vice President of Leadership for PTK, a Senator in Student Government, President of the Math Club, STEM Scholar and Chemistry and Physics Tutor. Her interdisciplinary research in Physics, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Computer Science reflects her dedication to academic rigor, innovation and learning through mentorship.

UPSTATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, Akshay Patel (He/Him/His) MD/Ph.D. Norristown, PA Akshay Patel is an MD/Ph.D. student whose achievements span academics, research, leadership and campus involvement. His academic performance has been stellar, with a 4.0 in the didactic Ph.D. curriculum and election to AOA, the national medical honor society. He served as elected President and Vice President of Upstate Student Government, including during the initial COVID pandemic. He received a prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award F30 Pre-Doctoral Fellowship and a SUNY Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) Award for his research, and has published eight peer-reviewed publications, presented 13 posters and given 13 oral presentations as a student.

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