The Las Vegas Indian-American Class of 2025 in Las Vegas has distinguished itself through extraordinary academic accomplishments, steadfast commitment to community service, and decisive leadership. These students have earned respect and recognition across the educational landscape; our young guns have shown their pursuit of academic and community service excellence.

From advancing environmental policy and championing social justice, these driven young individuals have shown an unshakable commitment to their diverse passions. Armed with a stellar academic success, leadership, and civic engagement record and an impressive list of college acceptances, these graduates are poised to make a meaningful impact wherever their paths lead. 

Here’s a look at their outstanding high school accomplishments and the exciting academic journeys that await them.

Nikash Garg, a standout graduate of Bishop Gorman High School, has earned admission to several prestigious universities, including the University of Southern California (USC), University of Michigan, New York University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Florida. With a wealth of impressive options, Garg is undecided and expected to make his final decision soon.

Garg’s academic record is beyond exceptional. He was nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program and is on the shortlist to become a National Merit Finalist. He represented Bishop Gorman on the Nevada All-State Academic Team four times, highlighting his consistent academic excellence.

In addition to his academic success, Garg is also an accomplished athlete. He played for the Bishop Gorman basketball team and was part of two Nevada State Championship-winning teams.

Recognizing both his academic and extracurricular achievements, Garg has been awarded multiple scholarships. These include the USC National Merit Scholarship, the University of Florida Distinguished Scholar Tuition Scholarship (totaling up to $16,000 over four years), the University of Washington Purple & Gold Scholarship, and the prestigious University of Miami President’s Scholarship, which awards over $25,000 annually.

Jia Mahesh is graduating with honors and a valedictorian from a prestigious charter school, Coral Academy of Science. Mahesh has demonstrated her academic prowess and potential for future success with an impressive list of college acceptances, including Northeastern University, University of California, Davis, and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, accompanied by over $150,000 in academic scholarships. Mahesh is joining UCLA University to pursue her passions for environmental policy and economics. 

Mahesh’s accomplishments extend far beyond the classroom. As the founder and president of The Outdoor Intellect, an environmental club at her high school, Mahesh has promoted environmental awareness and activism among his peers.

In addition to her environmental work, Mahesh has also been involved in various community service initiatives, including internships with the Clark County Summer Business Institute and TurnUp Activism. Mahesh advocates for sustainable policy changes as the Vice President of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Mountain West Youth Chapter. She mobilized young voices across the region to take action on climate change. Her passion for environmental justice is rooted in believing that youth must lead toward a livable future. Beyond her civic, cultural, and academic commitments, Mahesh is also a dedicated athlete. She leads her high school varsity swim team as captain and swims competitively year-round with Team Rebel Aquatics. Mahesh is also President of Women in STEM and Female Empowerment clubs at Coral.

Mahesh’s achievements have not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous awards and honors, including the Congressional Award Gold Medal, the City of Henderson Mayor’s Honor Roll, and several swimming awards. Mahesh is a recipient of the Northeastern National Recognition Program Scholarship.

Bishop Gorman High School senior Nina Pomerantz continues to distinguish herself as an academic, athletic, and community leader. Although admitted to multiple prestigious universities, Pomerantz has decided to attend the University of Southern California (USC). Most recently, Pomerantz earned an invitation to the prestigious Global Leadership Program at USC’s Marshall School of Business. The program, offered only to the top 10% of incoming business students, further highlights her extraordinary accomplishment in gaining admission to the highly selective Artificial Intelligence for Business major—a joint offering from the Marshall School of Business and the Viterbi School of Engineering, which admits just 50 students annually. 

A National Merit Finalist and U.S. Presidential Scholars Program Candidate, Pomerantz has consistently demonstrated excellence across disciplines. She is the recipient of the Ivy League Book Award from Brown University, a National Speech and Debate Excellence Distinction, AP Scholar with Distinction, and AP Capstone cohort at Bishop Gorman. Her academic success matches her passion for leadership, community service, and advocacy.

Pomerantz is the Founder and President of the Make-A-Wish Nevada Youth Leadership Council; she’s led efforts to support children facing critical illnesses. She has also volunteered at the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation’s Camp Cartwheel and served as a Schoolhouse Worldwide SAT peer tutor.

Her leadership extends into student government, where she served as Freshman Class Representative, Freshman Success Chair, Social Media Chair, and ultimately Student Body Treasurer. At the same time, she was an active member of Speech and Debate, winning 1st Place in Congressional Debate and earning National Speech and Debate Excellence Distinction.

In athletics, Pomerantz has earned varsity letters in track and field, bowling, and volleyball and was named Female Thrower of the Year for Bishop Gorman’s track and field team. She was also selected for the Nevada All-State Academic Team in three sports.

Pomerantz interned at La Roche Posay and Clark Hill Law Firm. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, and the National English Honor Society. She serves as a Student Ambassador and Gael 2 Gael mentor at Bishop Gorman.

Pomerantz is a recipient of the University of Southern California (USC) National Merit Scholarship, Regents Scholar, Provost Scholar, and Popovich Family Scholar within the USC’s Marshall School of Business. 

Clark High School Valedictorian Suchir Sunkara will be attending Case Western Reserve University, where he plans to major in Biology and Pre-Dentistry. At Clark, Sunkara demonstrated a passion for science and leadership as the co-founder of both the USA Biology Olympiad and the Chemistry Club. He also showcased his athletic talent as a junior national volleyball participant. Academically, he earned recognition as an AP Scholar with Distinction and was a Beal Bank Science Fair Medalist. 

Asha Talim is graduating as a co-valedictorian from West Career and Technical Academy, where she specialized in the Biomedical Sciences program. Throughout her high school career, Asha has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and leadership. In her junior year, she was named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, which led to recruitment by several highly selective institutions, including Dartmouth College.

Asha’s accomplishments include prestigious academic honors such as the Harvard Book Prize, Yale Book Prize, 1st Place at the ISEF – Affiliate Beal Bank Science Fair, 1st Place at the 2025 HOSA State Leadership Conference, and the United Nations Ambassador Award for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

This fall, Asha will be attending Dartmouth College to pursue studies in biological sciences with a minor in public policy on the pre-medical track. Dartmouth has recognized her academic excellence with an institutional scholarship valued at approximately $65,000 for her first-year

Like her sister, Kiran Talim also graduated as a co-valedictorian from West Career and Technical Academy. A standout student and leader, Kiran was selected in her junior year to work with the Clark County Fire Department, where she responded to live emergency calls—including critical incidents such as drug overdoses. Her dedication and service were recognized by the Las Vegas Sun, which honored her with the prestigious “High School Heroes” award.

At West Tech, Kiran has earned numerous academic accolades, including 1st Place at the ISEF – Affiliate Beal Bank Science Fair, 1st Place in Pathophysiology at the 2024 HOSA State Leadership Conference, a top placement at the International Leadership Conference, and 4th Place in Pathophysiology at the 2025 HOSA State Leadership Conference. She also received the United Nations Ambassador Award for Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

A Coca-Cola Scholarship semifinalist, Kiran is joining Vanderbilt University. As a pre-med student, she will begin her freshman year this fall, continuing her commitment to academic excellence and service to others.

Both Kiran Talim and Asha Talim are passionate advocates for at-risk youth, equitable medical care, and community service. 

Kiran and Asha co-founded “Operation Drug-Free Me,” spearheading youth drug prevention initiatives and earning recognition from local, state, and federal representatives for their contributions to drug awareness and public health. The two most recently served as youth panelists at the 2025 Fentanyl Awareness Summit. 

Kiran and Asha serve as youth mentors with LVMPD’s DREAM program, mentoring at-risk youth to steer them away from the juvenile justice system. Both girls are volunteers with the Clark County Law Foundation’s Trial by Peers Program and assist in the restorative justice process by facilitating alternatives to conventional disciplinary policies for at-risk youth. 

The girls are co-founders of Women in STEM, aiming to empower young women to pursue careers in science and medicine. Through medical internships and community outreach, Kiran and Asha have demonstrated a commitment to expanding healthcare access and fostering resilience in underserved populations. 

Aaron Thomas is graduating from Faith Lutheran High School and will be pursuing his career by enrolling in the Culinary Arts program at the College of Southern Nevada. A dedicated student, Aaron has taken advanced academic courses since the 5th grade, demonstrating a strong commitment to excellence in education. Beyond the classroom, Aaron has shown a deep compassion for others. Since the age of 11, he has been actively involved in supporting homeless causes, contributing over 200 hours of community service. 

Other high school graduates – Rishi Kamojjala from Clark High, Valedictorian Robert Morris from Palo Verde, Del Sol High graduate Fateh Singh, Mehar Singh from Coral Academy, Prem Singh from Coral Academy, Sehaj Singh from Clark High, and A-Tech graduate Aaron Sebastian – also have exceptional academic achievements. However, their succinct bios were not received by the publication deadline.