Jhanvi Desai, a 2026 graduate of Nashua High School South, was recently named as one of the six New Hampshire semifinalists in the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholarship program. Courtesy photo/Falguni Vashi

NASHUA – Jhanvi Desai, a 2026 graduate of Nashua High School South, was recently named as one of the six New Hampshire semifinalists in the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholarship program.

She joins fellow Nashua South graduate Pratham Mukewar.

“This recognition reflects years of dedication to her academics, leadership and service to her community,” said Desai’s mother, Falguni Vashi. “Throughout high school, she has challenged herself in the classroom while also taking on leadership roles and community initiatives. It is rewarding to see those efforts recognized at the national level.”

Vashi said that in February, her daughter was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of 6,500 scholarship candidates. In May, the nationwide total was reduced to 627. Desai was included in the initial list based on her academic performance as well as her scores on the ACT and SAT.

“I am incredibly honored to be named a semifinalist for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Being selected from hundreds of outstanding students was truly surprising and rewarding and I am so grateful for this consideration,” said Desai. “Throughout high school, I’ve been fortunate to pursue opportunities that allowed me to learn, grow and give back to my community. I’m grateful to my family, teachers, mentors and friends who supported me along the way and I’m excited to continue building on those experiences in college.”

Vashi said that while in high school, Desai enjoyed critical thinking classes such as Advanced Placement courses in statistics and calculus.

“She enjoys solving challenging problems and exploring how innovative ideas can be used to address issues in communities and organizations,” said Vashi.

In addition to her achievements in the classroom, Desai served as the state officer of New Hampshire DECA on two occasions and was president of Nashua South’s DECA Chapter. This was in addition to being vice president of the Student Senate and president of the Business Honor Society. Desai also founded the financial literacy initiative Finance for Life.

Most recently, Desai was vice president of the South Asian Student Association, a member of the National Honor Society as well as a volunteer for Shishu Bharati and the Indian Association of New Hampshire. As a result of her volunteer service, Desai received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award on two occasions.

Looking ahead, Desai will be attending the University of Michigan this fall to study finance and data science.