Non-academic interests

Sports

I love the fast-paced and strategic nature of racket sports, particularly table tennis, tennis and pickleball! I have played table tennis competitively for over two decades, representing my school, college, and district in India, and also University of Michigan in the US. Some of my biggest achievements to date are winning bronze medals in the West Bengal State Championships representing my district, winning the Divisionals and Regional tournaments as part of the University of Michigan A team (pictures below), and also placing third in the Regionals singles tournament of 2022, which qualified me for the Nationals tournament. These days, I am more active in playing pickleball and tennis and hope to be able to play those two sports competitively as well!

Music

Music helps me focus and unwind. I listen to a wide variety of music, primarily rock, metal, instrumental, classical, and fusion of eastern and western music. I play guitar although I wish I had more time for it these days.

Board games

I am an avid board game collector with a 'too-many-games, not-enough-time' problem, constantly hunting for more! My current favorites are Azul, Power Grid, Heat, and Viticulture.

Travel

For me, travel is about connecting with people, immersing myself in different cultures, and appreciating the beauty of our planet, often through its food and landscapes. I have been to nine countries in three continents so far and hope to add MANY more to the list! I have been fortunate enough to travel to more than half the states in the US, including Hawaii (pictures below) which was one of the most memorable trips during my PhD!