This is part of our coverage of Northeastern’s 2023 commencement exercises. For more information, visit our dedicated commencement page.
They were best friends who grew up across the street from each other in Indore, the largest city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
Hardik Upadhyay was already headed to Northeastern to pursue a master’s degree in data analytics engineering. He was trying to persuade his lifelong friend, Pulkit Khandelwal, to accompany him to Boston. But Pulkit was resistant.
So Hardik filled out—on behalf of his friend—a large portion of the Northeastern application to study for a quantitative finance master’s degree. He collaborated with Pulkit’s mother to eventually persuade him to embark on a one-year adventure to America.
“We have to go,” Hardik recalls telling his friend. “It’s a great place. You go for one…
