![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Sophomore Tanishk Konduri stands on the verge of victory at the Easter Bowl National Championship, four hours into the match and just points away from seizing the win. The rally intensifies, both players exchanging fierce shots, but the momentum of the match shifts as Tanishk’s arm cramps, his grip on the racket slipping. A stabbing sensation shoots through his leg. For a moment, his mind flashes back to three years earlier on the same court. He had been just as close to winning, but missteps cost him the victory. Not this time.
“The quality was there, the drama was there, and the pressure was there,” Tanishk said. “I played more aggressively, and it ended up paying off. I won the match, and in the moment, that’s all that mattered to me. Being able to come back from those setbacks — that’s something that I’m really proud of that I try to emulate in the rest of my matches.”
At three years old, Tanishk found his affinity for tennis by hitting tennis balls in the garage, and under the mentorship of his father, he began to pursue tennis more seriously a few years later. Tanishk dedicates practices to intense drilling and constantly strives to correct his mistakes in previous matches.
This tenacity culminated in notable achievements, like holding the number one place in the national tennis player ranking in the 14 & Under category for five months. Today, he continues to excel, ranking second statewide in the Class of 2027 and holding the National High School Tennis All-American Foundation’s 2024 title.
Tanishk’s goal of creating a lasting legacy keeps his mindset grounded. During practices, he approaches each session with an attitude to improve, but in games, he competes with confidence.
“My goal is to be the greatest tennis player to ever walk the face of the earth, whether feasible or not,” Tanishk said. “I need discipline because motivation comes and goes. I’m not going to let my emotions in a certain period of time overcome that because my goals mean a lot more than how I feel on a random Saturday.”
With his high achievement comes countless significant adversities. After suffering multiple injuries during games, including the Easter Bowl, Tanishk learned to navigate through physical pain regardless of its severity.
Tanishk came down with a 102-degree fever before the National Clay Court Championships this July. While he initially planned on withdrawing from the tournament, he persevered and eventually won the tournament in both singles and doubles.
“Being sick was not in my control, but what was in my control was that I wasn’t going to let it affect me,” Tanishk said. “In any sport, you need to be able to get ready for things that may not be in your control. As long as I know that I’m putting in the hours and effort on the court, I trust my ability to do what I’ve been doing over and over again.”
When faced with these challenges, he believes mental strength exceeds that of physical endurance. Contending with heavy rain or 103-degree weather, clay or concrete courts, he does not let his focus waver.
“The hardest part is overcoming the mental aspect of it — pushing to the next point and focusing for that period of time, being able to execute the same thing over and over again, without any lapses of concentration,” Tanishk said.
His dedication also inspires his teammates to continue battling against opponents. Varsity boys tennis head coach JP Fruterro recalls a moment during the team’s match against Menlo-Atherton last season.
“Everyone was watching, and he just kept fighting all the way to the end,” Fruterro said. “That set the precedent for the rest of the team to just believe. Before the season started out, I told the team that this is a unique opportunity and the team was special. It wasn’t until that moment that was the turning point and the team believed, too.”
Given his influential presence and experience, Tanishk naturally takes on a leadership role. He offers tactical and mental advice to his teammates and delivers post-game talks. Team captain Vyom Vidyarthi (12) commends his willingness to mentor others.
“Tanishk has always been a great leader, even as a freshman,” Vyom said. “I definitely foresee him being a captain because he knows what he’s doing and always shares his wisdom with the team.”
Tanishk aims to outcompete his competitors, despite being at a disadvantage to many homeschooled opponents who have more time allotted for tennis: he turns what many would consider a drawback to his propulsion.
“My biggest fear is that someone out there is completely outworking me, and I don’t want to leave that on the table,” Tanishk said. “I don’t care if people are more talented than me or if they have better training. The only thing that I know for certain is that nobody’s going to outwork me in anything that I do. That has completely changed the entire course of my life and made me who I am today.”
