22-year-old Beatboxes his way into spectators’ hearts
Jai Khanna
The first ever Indian to speak at the winter commencement of the University of Wisconsin-Madison is 22-year-old Jai Khanna. The University of Wisconsin–Madison was ranked first among public universities and fourth overall by Washington Monthly. Jai’s commencement message was to ‘Live life in the moment’ and the proud Badger practised what he preached by stunning the audience with his remarkable skill in beatboxing.
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“The University of Wisconsin-Madison prides itself on being a global university with students from more than 120 countries. We are fortunate when talented students just like Jai Khanna choose to spend their time at our institution. Jai has proven himself to be a talented leader and impressive student. I was fortunate to be able to spend a little over a year working with Jai on the campus Student Covid Advisory Board. This group provided suggestions and feedback on the campus approach to the COVID pandemic. Jai’s connections to many different students’ groups allowed him to bring a unique perspective to our discussions. As demonstrated in his role as our winter 2021 Commencement Student Speaker Jai is compelling and is living his life with passion and purpose. That is exactly the type of students we are seeking to put out into the world. I am proud that Jai will be representing the University of Wisconsin-Madison now as a Badger alumnus!”, says Argyle Wade, PhD, Chief of Staff, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.
Jai Khanna, born and raised in Mumbai, India, was forced to learn this much applauded and relevant message during the pandemic. Back in March 2020, amidst the first wave of COVID-19, Jai stayed back to complete some projects instead of rushing back home. Soon, borders had closed and he was stuck. Difficult times often teach you the most valuable lessons and Jai proved this as this time helped him achieve more at UW–Madison, including serving on the COVID-19 Student Advisory Board, where his experiences provided invaluable insights to campus leaders as they charted a path forward for the campus.
According to Christina Olstad, Dean of Students, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Jai Khanna served as an integral member of the Dean of Students Advisory Committee, a group of faculty, staff and students providing guidance, feedback and insight to the Dean of Students. Jai is passionate about advocating for the needs of international students and creating a welcoming and inclusive campus community.”
It was indeed an honour when Jai was selected by the senior class officers to speak on behalf of the entire class of 2021 at the winter commencement ceremony, making him the first Indian to do so. Jai also made it to the Chancellor’s list of UW–Madison’s exceptional graduates of winter 2021.
“Jai has been very active at the UW–Madison over the years and I can only applaud his sheer determination, passion and commitment towards achieving his goals. The journey has not been easy for Jai as he had to overcome numerous hurdles during the last few years. It was indeed a proud moment to watch our son, the first Indian to speak on behalf of his entire batch at the graduation”, says Jai’s father, Mr Sanjay Khanna, Advisor at The Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
Through all four years on campus, Jai served on the Student Advisory Committee for the Dean of Students Office with which Jai was able to bring long-established leadership skills and an international viewpoint to his time at UW Madison — a blend that enriched the campus and led to several accomplishments. In the 4 years at UW–Madison, Jai completed 5 internships in 3 countries — India, the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates. Jai also involved himself in multicultural student organizations, including the Wisconsin School of Bhangra, one of the premier dance groups on campus and Aa Dekhen Zara, an annual South Asian Dance competition hosted by UW–Madison students.
In his school years, Jai was an active member of the Relay for Life fundraising effort at Oberoi International School, Mumbai, and helped raise 1 million rupees to support cancer education, prevention, and research. He also served as a key member of the school’s student council and trained as a kickboxer, a sport he still enjoys. Jai even led a remarkable effort to clean the beach in Mumbai from the school. Jai has currently accepted a position as a mechanical design engineer in the area of battery packs for a leading U.S. manufacturing firm.
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