Indo-American Youth Group

Jaya DeLong is a senior at Newton North High School. This is her third year at IAYG and first year as a board member. In her free time she likes playing tennis, running, and spending time with friends and family. She is passionate about building a supportive community within IAYG and getting to do community service as a part of this group.

Krishnan is a senior at Noble and Greenough High School. This is his 3rd year as a member of IAYG and his first year on the IAYG Board as Social Chair. In this role, Krishnan hopes to continue strengthening the bonds between IAYG members by organizing and leading various social events. Krishnan also plays on Nobles’ Tennis team, soccer team, and squash team. Krishnan is a core leader for his high school’s Asian affinity groups (Asian2Asian) and the South Asian Affinity Group (SAAG).

Aanika Mohta is a senior at BB&N, and this is her second year on the board, and her fourth year of being a member of IAYG. As vice-president, Aanika helps run the meetings and supports the rest of the board. In her free time, Aanika likes to read, go to the beach, listen to music, and hang out with family and friends. Aanika appreciates the opportunity that IAYG gives to young people to connect over their culture and heritage.

Rohan Jayaraman is a senior at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, MA. It is his third year in IAYG and his second year as a board member. Rohan plays the cello and enjoys playing tennis in his free time. Rohan enjoys IAYG as he believes it is a space where he can interact with other members of the Indian community and work together to foster friendships and understand the complexities of Indian-American identity. As the Co-Vice President of the group, Rohan helps facilitate meetings and ensures the group welcomes new members to the IAYG community.

Ajay Wadhwani is a senior at Boston University Academy and has been part of IAYG for four years. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, skateboarding, and spending time with friends and family. He loves IAYG because of the Indian community and the opportunity to give back.

Ayesha is a junior at Wellesley High School, and it is her third year at IAYG. She enjoys spending her free time with her friends and family, reading, and listening to music. Ayesha loves how IAYG gives her a safe space to celebrate and discuss her culture. She especially appreciates their advocacy for prioritizing Indian-American's mental health.

Aashna Dialani is a Junior at Noble and Greenough High School. This is her third year as a member of IAYG and her first year as a board member. Aashna is one of the co-community service chairs for IAYG; in this role, she helps plan and facilitate community service events for the group. Aashna feels IAYG has provided a space for members to discuss their culture and heritage. Outside of IAYG, Aashna does an Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam and is a second degree black belt in karate. She also loves spending time with family and friends.

Raina is a junior at Dover-Sherborn High School. This is her fourth year in IAYG and her first year on the board as community service co-chair. She plays soccer for a club team and for her high school, and she enjoys spending time with friends and family. In IAYG, Raina is able to help the community and learn about other students' perspectives on culture. She also is grateful to be part of a supportive group of students in IAYG.

Aradhya Jalan is a junior at Brookline High School. This is her third year at IAYG and first year as a board member. As social chair, she hopes to build a stronger community at IAYG. In her free time, Aradhya likes to go to the beach, spend time with her friends and family, and watch new movies. She values IAYG because it's a place where she can connect with her culture and hopefully influence others to do the same.

Aayan Sharma is a senior at Newton South High School and the social media manager for the Indian American Youth Group (IAYG), now in his third year with the organization. Outside of IAYG, he plays tennis and creates YouTube content about PC builds.Aayan values IAYG as a close-knit community where he can connect with peers, explore the many facets of Indian-American identity, and discuss everything from college experiences to career ambitions. For him, IAYG offers a unique space to make meaningful and lasting friendships.