Utkarsh’s Pathway: Engineering Ideas

By the time Utkarsh reached Year 13, he had built far more than just a strong academic résumé—he had built confidence, independence and a vision for using engineering to make a real-world impact.

As a Bangkok Patana student since Year 6, Utkarsh remembers the early days fondly. “It was just one year in Primary, but even then I felt welcomed. Some of the friends I made that first week are still my closest now.” The transition to Secondary School, he recalls, was exciting. “Every step: moving into IGCSE, then IB, came with more challenge but also more privileges. I’ve always enjoyed that balance.”

Utkarsh’s subject choices reflected a long-standing fascination with STEM. “I’ve always loved building whether it was Lego as a kid or writing code later on. I wasn’t entirely sure where that would take me, but I knew I wanted to create.” His (I)GCSE selections included DT, Computer Science and Economics. That foundation evolved into a formidable IB programme: Higher Level Maths AA, Physics and Computer Science, along with Standard Level Economics, English and Spanish. And for the sheer love of the subject, he also pursued A-Level Further Maths alongside his IB. He credits the school’s enrichment offerings with pushing his mathematical thinking beyond the textbook. “UKMT math challenges helped me understand the beauty of problem-solving. It’s not about complex formulas, it’s about thinking differently, approaching a simple concept from unusual angles.”

That same curiosity led him to try the Model United Nations early on, despite the fact that international relations wasn’t his intended field. “MUN taught me to speak up, articulate ideas clearly and listen better. Even in engineering, those skills are essential. When you’re working in teams, especially under time pressure, clarity in communication is everything.”

“The real turning point came in Year 10 and 11 when I joined the Robotics team. For the first time, I was building solutions from scratch with a team, learning how to design, iterate and think like an engineer. That experience made me realise how much I loved bringing ideas to life.” That point was driven home during his summer at the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Management and Technology Summer Institute. Selected for the highly competitive programme, Utkarsh recalls the experience as cathartic, intense, eye-opening and a turning point in understanding how technological solutions can be scaled for real-world impact. “We learned how technology and business collide, even visited Morgan Stanley to learn how Google’s IPO worked, and it culminated in creating PosturePet, an AI-powered plushie that helps students sit straighter. Our team won an award for Best Product Concept, but more importantly, I saw what could happen when creativity was combined with technology to solve human problems.” Utkarsh adds on, “That’s what draws me to electrical engineering. It’s an opportunity to expand my toolkit to designing, building and solving real problems, and maybe one day I might just develop something superhero-worthy.”

When one of his teammates had to leave the programme unexpectedly, Utkarsh stepped in to lead software development, teaching himself app design in less than three weeks. He also created the team’s pitch video, drawing on skills he first learned in Year 10 during the Junior Achievement entrepreneurship program, where his team sold fidget jewelry and won accolades for creative marketing.

“Each experience built on the last,” he says, “Whether it was MUN, Junior Achievement, World Scholar’s Cup, or cross country, I was constantly learning how to adapt, lead and collaborate.” World Scholar’s Cup, in particular, was a pivotal experience. Traveling to Yale University to compete in the global round, Utkarsh found himself immersed in a diverse and intellectually charged environment. “It helped me step out of my shell. I’d always been a bit shy, but being surrounded by passionate students from all over the world changed me. It gave me confidence to speak, to connect, and to think bigger.”

Outside of academics, one of his most meaningful pursuits has been Cross Country. “I’m not athletic by nature,” he laughs, “I was clumsy, uncoordinated; PE was never my thing. But in Year 9, during COVID, I joined morning run club. Something about it stuck. I liked pushing myself, even when I wasn’t good at it.” That persistence led to running when on a school trip to Singapore and, later, sunrise runs across the Golden Gate Bridge. “It became part of my identity. I started doing it for fun, not just fitness.”

Now, as he prepares to graduate, Utkarsh is weighing offers from institutions like Georgia Tech, Purdue, and HKUST while awaiting final results from NUS. “Whatever I choose, I know I’m ready. This school helped me grow up in the best way possible. Not just as a student, but as a person.”

Asked what he’ll miss most, his answer is simple: “The people. The teachers who believed in me, the friends who challenged me, and the comfort of always having a place to belong. That’s something I’ll carry forward, wherever I go.”