I was born in Pune, India, and for the first 12 or so years of my life I knew that no matter how much I liked to draw, I would have to end up being an engineer like the past few generations of my family. After moving to the United States in middle school, however, I saw that STEM wasn't the only viable career option in the world. Thanks to my incredible art teachers in high school, I was not only introduced to the world of animation, but was also able to convince my parents to give art school a chance. My time in college has helped me become more sure of who I am as an artist and what my interests are, while also teaching me the importance of having a good community and support system. All of my various interests and identities culminated in me starting Digital Painting Club with my friends at my university, in order to address the lack of resources at my college for students interested in digital art and the entertainment design industry. Being located away from California and Los Angeles can make breaking into the industry challenging, but I firmly believe that the right resources, knowledge, and support can make that journey less daunting. Giving back to my community and those that have helped me is one of my biggest motivations, and I'm eager to represent my background and experiences one day as an artist in the industry!