Indian origin students studying in the United States have always managed to excel in academic performance over the years. But Indians are now making a name for themselves in arenas other than academia as well. Hyderabad based actress, Avantika Vandanapu was named as the South Asian Person Of The Year by the prestigious Harvard University.
Avantika is an Indian American actress who has worked in a number of plays and movies. She was honored with the award for her contribution in the field of art and society. The 19 year old actress played the role of Karen Shetty in the 2024 musical comedy Mean Girls.
Avantika came to fame after she got the second prize in dance reality show Dance India Dance L’il Masters. She soon entered the Telugu film industry and worked in movies like Brahmotsavam. She also played a lead role in Disney’s Spin which also featured Meera Syal, Abhay Deol and Aryan Simhadri.
This achievement is a rare feat for an Indian at such a young age. Avantika has trained herself in theaters and went to American Conservatory Theater for her drama lessons. She talked about the representation of India in the global media after receiving the award.
