Viraj Nigam

A pawn moves towards your king, and as the timer goes off, you wonder how you could have lost to a pawn. You look up and see Viraj Nigam staring back at you, and you suddenly understand. This chess master is a silent killer and holds more strength than you might think. This triple threat not only is a master at chess but also at wrestling and water polo. During junior year, Viraj took the initiative to become team goalie when nobody else wanted to tread into the net. He continued his leadership through wrestling, committing so fully that he even broke his arm. Even after his injury, Viraj continued to contribute to the program by mentoring younger wrestlers and always cleaning up equipment after practice. When Viraj is not slaying as an athletic beast, he enjoys hanging out with his friends and eating some of his favorite foods: Spam musubi and chicken Alfredo. His sneak attacks in chess might fool you, but Viraj never will, as his friends admire his dependability and compassion for others. As Viraj reflects on his journey at Webb, he wishes he stepped out of his comfort zone more often. When he moves south to study Biology at the University of California, San Diego, he hopes to explore the world more and he is excited to try new things and go on many more exciting adventures.