Imagine running on the green expanse of Davis Field, your eyes tracking a bright orange frisbee soaring through the air. It’s a sunny day with a slight breeze. “Here, over here!” It’s Rohan Rashingkar (12), who manages to catch the frisbee before it falls to the ground.

Rohan and his friends had played frisbee almost every lunch in the first semester of sophomore year. What began as a casual game to pass time ultimately culminated in a classwide Ultimate Frisbee tournament that Rohan co-hosted, after more and more people joined throughout the weeks. The frisbee tournament brought together both students and faculty, forming a fond memory before the pandemic.

When remote learning started, Rohan carried his love for sports into a digital realm: podcasting. “The Bench Warmers” began as a hobby, where Rohan and his friends would react to basketball and football players getting traded or predicting games. They didn’t recognize the platform they were building until a National Basketball Association (NBA) team, the Memphis Grizzlies, commented on one of their videos.

“[That] validated what we were doing,” Rohan said. “It was a hobby, and we were doing it for fun. But we’re sharing ideas, news … the podcast was a platform for us to express our creativity. It was a real thing.”

Whether it be reacting excitedly to sports games or speaking articulately in front of an audience, Rohan expresses his ideas, primarily with debate as he presents his thoughts in an effective manner. Through debate, he nurtured his problem-solving and communication skills.

“Every event, you get to argue your ideas,” Rohan said. “I really like the combination of persuasion, not just having good ideas. Sometimes you don’t expect things that your opponent says, and then you have to think on your feet and come up with things on the spot. It can be a little intimidating, but it’s also exhilarating.”

Rohan started debate in sixth grade after his parents signed him up, and he originally struggled as he felt discouraged and confused on what to do. After dabbling in various events, Rohan decided to stick with public forum debate because it was specifically catered to a public audience. With round after round, Rohan eventually became attuned to debate, gradually getting better and better.

Rohan’s ultimate goal for debate since middle school was qualifying for the Tournament of Champions, a common ambition among student debaters. Rohan finally achieved his dream in junior year after consistently performing well in his regular tournaments. After constant practice and struggles, Rohan expresses the gratification he felt after triumphing over challenges.

“A lot of the learning [behind debate] comes from going through things yourself,” Rohan said. “It’s up to you on whether or not you want to do it. When I was first going to tournaments, it was intimidating because I was losing rounds [and] I didn’t know what to do. I had to struggle and learn along my journey about doing debate to go [to the Tournament of Champions]. After all those trials and tribulations, it is very gratifying to finally see the fruits of my labor.”

Rohan expressed how he enjoyed the creative freedom of debate and the amount of critical thinking that comes with considering an opponent’s side. Such abilities translate into Rohan’s central ethos that he carries with him daily.

“Sometimes arguments can seem far-fetched and other people may snark at it, [but] what your opponents are going to think of you doesn’t really matter,” Rohan said. “People shouldn’t be afraid to express their ideas just because they think other people will perceive them badly … As long as you actually believe in the idea, you can do whatever you want with it.”

Through debate, Rohan researched situations outside of Silicon Valley and widened his knowledge of current issues and affairs. His podcast provided a platform for varying viewpoints as well, as his team and content creators from across the country commented on each other’s videos. Rohan and his friends communicated with fellow YouTubers, such as Colorado-born Denver Nuggets fan Rahul TalksSports, who have vastly different ideas and opinions. Despite the seemingly trivial nature of such connections, as a lifer at Harker who has grown up around some of the same people since kindergarten, Rohan now regularly interacts with new people.

“I’ve become more aware of the world around me, because we’re confined in Silicon Valley, and we only know of our situation,” Rohan said about his collective experiences with debate and his podcast. “You have a broader perspective, and you become more open to new ideas in your daily conversations.”

Rohan’s openness to communicate with others transfers to the team initiative and leadership he shows in classroom settings. Upper school chemistry teacher Robbie Korin, who taught Rohan in his sophomore year in Honors Chemistry, highlighted his consistency and initiative.

“He was the leadership position,” Korin said. “No matter what group I put him in, he [would] … not take control in a bad way, but make sure things get done.”

Rohan’s self-assuredness can also be seen by his fellow classmates, who are responsive to Rohan’s eagerness to contribute his viewpoint.

“He’s really eager to express his own opinions,” close friend Anirudh Kotamraju (12) said. “In English class, for example, if we’re reading a book, and the class may all agree on one interpretation of what’s going on, he’s not afraid to propose an alternative, and try to support his point.”
Rohan’s conviction in his beliefs couples with his open mindedness to new and other perspectives. He finds worth in the dual sides of expressing and receiving different views and thoughts.

“It’s very valuable to be confident in your own ideas,” Rohan said. “But at the same time, I think people should recognize their limitations. Especially when working with other people, it’s very valuable to get ideas from many perspectives.”

Rohan’s receptiveness underscores his commitment to other people. He exudes a positive attitude, and is always willing to help someone out when they need it, whether that be providing his insights or simply listening to them talk.

“My first impression of him was that he’s really kind and friendly,” close friend Daniel Fields (12) said. “He’s willing to help others both in the academic and non-academic setting, and he has a lot of empathy for others.”

Anirudh agreed, recalling one of his favorite memories with Rohan when they biked a local peak early in the morning.

“One of [Rohan’s] strengths is knowing how to balance both work but also fun,” Anirudh said. “A lot of people in Harker are really focused on studies and extracurriculars, but he also knows that being able to relax and value other things in life is important, like taking walks or going biking.”

Rohan plans to continue carrying his openness and empathy beyond high school, hoping that moving forward, he will set out into a larger world filled with opportunity and complexity.

Rohan essentially anticipates playing a bigger game of Ultimate Frisbee, bringing people together with a common value in mind: compassion.