Jonathan Szeto

“Even though a car as a whole can seem super complex, when you break one down into its individual parts, it becomes a lot simpler. Taking stuff apart and seeing how it all works together really helps me learn how things work, not just cars. I need to see something in action and work with it before I completely understand how to solve a problem,” Ashwin Kuppahally (12) said.

With the intense sun shining down and his hands stained with oil and grease, Ashwin Kuppahally (12) looks down at the intricate maze of pipes, bolts, gears and tubes that lay before him. For the past day, he focused on only one task: carefully taking apart each part under the hood of his beloved BMW. Reflecting on all the hard work reflected before his eyes, he can only imagine what more awaits him underneath. Though not his first time exploring the inner workings of his car, Ashwin anticipates the feeling of discovering new components and the satisfying moment when he finally understands how each one works.

Ashwin’s interest in repairing cars first sparked after he received his first car in December of his junior year. He started watching Youtube tutorials on working with automobiles and took on smaller, menial tasks such as changing air filters under the hood of his BMW.

As he gradually gained more experience, he also took apart and put back together more parts while gaining an understanding of the functionality of each component. Now, after disassembling an engine and making multiple performance improvements to different areas of his vehicle, he hopes to restore a run down car and sell it brand new before the end of senior year.

“I’m planning on getting an older, used car online, fixing it up and potentially reselling it for profit during the summer [after graduation] with my friends,” Ashwin said. “Even though I haven’t had any professional training, this is something I love doing, so I think we’ll be able to do what we’re aiming for in the end. I hope that we’ll learn something new and get to examine all the cool different parts together at the same time.” 

Although Youtube videos helped Ashwin first discover the field of car maintenance and modification, he cites his next-door neighbor as the first person to introduce him to working with automobiles. From a young age, Ashwin often visited the house next-door and the car shop in the garage, watching and learning from his seasoned neighbor. As he learned about cars from these experiences, Ashwin viewed his neighbor as a role model from a young age and a devoted veteran of the profession.

“My neighbor, who worked at Ford for forty years and converted his entire garage into a car shop, inspires me the most,” Ashwin said. “He has a collection of four or five vintage cars which he keeps running in his spare time, so I always try and help in any way I can. I found it inspiring how he took something that he’s passionate about and turned it into a lifelong hobby.”

Ashwin initially struggled to learn how to take apart the complex systems of his car, but he eventually grew to tackle each problem he encountered step by step. He cites his ability to break complex problems down into smaller parts as a main principle behind much of his success both in auto repair and in other areas of his academic career, such as when he built a treadmill-like machine at a summer internship to investigate the memories of mice.

“Even though a car as a whole can seem super complex, when you break one down into its individual parts, it becomes a lot simpler,” Ashwin said. “Taking stuff apart and seeing how it all works together really helps me learn how things work, not just cars. I need to see something in action and work with it before I completely understand how to solve a problem.”

Employing his knowledge about various topics ranging from robotics to neuroscience to cars, Ashwin often helps others in breaking down problems for them to understand. Close friend Vivek Nayyar (12), who met Ashwin in first grade, admires his willingness to lend a helping hand to his classmates and friends, regardless of the situation.

“[Ashwin]’s always there for whatever you need, whenever you need him,” Vivek said. “Whether you just want to have fun or have something serious you need to talk about with him, he’s always got your back and helps you in a really positive way.”

To his friends and classmates, Ashwin is well-known for not only being a focused student but also a lighthearted comedian. Spencer Mak (12), neighbor and friend of Ashwin since kindergarten, appreciates his humor and ability to lighten the mood for others around him, as well as his awareness for when he needs to be serious about the tasks at hand.

“When I first met him he was one of the funniest people I knew, and that’s just as true to this day,” Spencer said. “He was always cracking jokes all the time, and he would make everyone laugh. But at the same time he has a really good balance of being humorous and serious. He recognizes the times when he needs to be concentrated on something he needs to do, but he also knows when to just be the comedian and hilarious person that he is.”

While helping other students, Ashwin always steps up as a compassionate person, according to upper school mathematics teacher Caren Furtado. His kind and open demeanor draws others to him to ask for help, and he does so while making sure they feel comfortable and appreciated.

“Ashwin will always be the one to help somebody else,” Furtado said. “But when he helps people, he doesn’t put them down, so he’s really a great person to ask questions to. In that way, he makes the general atmosphere better and increases the level of learning for everyone around him.”

Ashwin values working with automobiles as much more than just a hobby in his spare time. Not only does he credit this passion with strengthening his relationship with his friends, Ashwin hopes that, in the future, his experiences working with them to restore used cars will serve as a lifelong memory, etched into his minds as a reminder of their high school friendship.

“After I leave Harker, I’ll probably never see a lot of my friends [from high school] ever again,” Ashwin said. “But they’ve always been next to me. So even though I might not remember what happened [here at Harker], I really hope that with these experiences [fixing up cars] with them, there’ll be something memorable for me to remember for the rest of my life, and in turn I can remember them too.”