Bending the Rules Kunal Gupta

While I anxiously grasped the head of the gear shift, waiting for the colossal machine to come to life, curiosity overcame my sense of reality. The feeling of bending the rules triumphed over what was right and wrong. I erratically slid the gear into “R” for "Race," and heard the millions of Australian fans frantically cheering my name. The seat beneath lay buried under my large, 4-year-old self-esteem, as I hurtled down our house’s driveway in reverse hitting the mailbox. That day will forever be of significance because it sparked my fascination for engineering and applied sciences.

The love for machines is the one constant in my life, staying with me wherever I go. While living in Dubai, I would spend countless hours racing against go-karting teams from around the nation in my own engineered kart. The workshop where the air is tainted with unnatural fumes of steel, petrol and electric tape is where I found most of my time toiling in the heat trying to come up with the fastest and most efficient racing machine. Designing, computing, and solving problems were all parts of my engineering feat. Racing my kart allowed me to test my efforts and enjoy what I love most. This emotional connectivity drives my commitment and desire to...