Lafayette High School senior Rudra Karadkhelkar has been named a 2025 FIRST Championship Dean’s List Award winner, one of the most prestigious honors in the world of high school robotics. The award was announced at the FIRST World Championship in Houston, Texas, where more than 50,000 people and 1,000 teams from 66 countries gathered to celebrate innovation, teamwork, and STEM excellence.
Rudra, who also holds an ACT superscore of 36, is a four-year member of Robotics Team Phenomena 3616, a Lafayette-based community team open to students across the parish. He was one of a select group of students worldwide recognized for leadership, innovation, and dedication to STEM.
As part of his award, Rudra traveled this summer to New Hampshire for the FIRST Global Dean’s List Summit, where he toured MIT, met with global leaders in science and technology, and even had the opportunity to interview FIRST Robotics founder Dean Kamen about quantum computing.
Reflecting on the experience, Rudra said:
“Attending the summit was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that connected me with student leaders and innovators from across the world. I’m proud to represent my team, my community, and my state of Louisiana at the global level, and I hope to continue inspiring others to pursue STEM with the same passion as I do.”
The Dean’s List Award honors students who exemplify leadership, dedication to STEM, and lasting contributions to their teams and communities. Rudra’s recognition shines a global spotlight on Lafayette Parish and the growing opportunities for students in science, technology, engineering, and math.