Atharva was born in San Jose and grew up in Fremont, California. He lived with his wonderful parents Yashashree Joshi and Sachin Chinchwadkar, as well as his younger brother Ameya and dog Bruno.

Growing up, Atharva had an interest in robotics and video games, especially playing Super Smash Bros. with his younger brother.

Atharva studied at UC Santa Cruz with dreams of becoming a doctor. He was particularly interested in neurology as well as prosthetics.

Omelets and fried rice were Atharva’s specialty dishes, but he also made excellent Indian food, breakfast burritos, chicken dishes, burgers, and pasta.

Atharva was a true athlete at heart. He had a black belt in karate and played for the American High School Varsity Volleyball team. He had a special passion for running and completed multiple half-marathons. He casually went on 5-6 mile runs.

Atharva was uniquely courageous and always said Yes to new experiences. On a trip to Hawaii with his family, Atharva excitedly went para-sailing and snuba diving.

Atharva’s mom shared his love for volleyball and running, and through that they developed a special bond. Throughout high school, he made her masala chai tea every day.

Inspired by his father, an Industrial Automation Engineer, Atharva developed an interest in robotics at a young age. When he was in 7th grade, his father Sachin took Atharva to a Science Olympiad where Atharva qualified for a robot building competition. His interest blossomed and he went on to lead the AHS robotics club and compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge. Sachin is incredibly proud of his son’s passion and persistence.