They say when you lose a loved one, you start questioning your very own existence. You start making small changes in an attempt to transform your life. This makes you pay attention to what you are truly passionate about. When you are reminded that your time on this earth is limited, you begin to make adjustments to your life to make it better. The loss of a loved one triggers a change in mindset and forces us to be more proactive in chasing a more rewarding goal.

"The biggest loss in my life was losing my older brother, Sumedh, to suicide," Karan said. "August 2, 2019, still haunts me to this day."

In 2019, Karan tragically lost his older brother to suicide, who battled with mental health issues without telling anyone. The loss had a significant impact on Karan and his mother's life. This was the start of Karan's downfall. 

Karan claims that, "The loss of my brother hurt me tremendously to the point where I did not want to get out of bed or leave my house for many months. I felt as if I had failed Sumedh as a brother and it was all my fault that I couldn't reach him in time. He was my best friend, older brother, and mentor all in one. We were so close as siblings that people would poke jokes at us and say we are twins."

Going into college, Karan thought he would ultimately end up at a university for Division 1 basketball, but things didn't go as planned after the passing of his brother. 

"I thought I would end up playing basketball at UOP in Stockton, but after Sumedh passed, I didn't even want to step foot out of the house or let alone go to college. I stopped all my basketball training and weightlifting. I was so depressed, I couldn't accept that my only sibling was gone forever," Karan stated. 

Things only got worse for Karan's mental health as time went by. Karan's mother would push him every day in hopes of getting him out of this dark hole, but nothing would bring happiness to him. His mother helped him apply to junior colleges in hopes that he would start applying himself again. One day, an old friend of Sumedh's suggested that Karan try another sport and come join the track team at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton. 

"I remember, at first, I was very hesitant to go out to the track and talk to the coach to see where I could fit in and if I could even be good enough to run track. I knew that if I was going to completely switch sports into a sport I had never played or ran before, that I would need to give it my all and turn things around," Karan claimed. 

Karan started training with the Stockton JuCo track team in late January and already had a meet coming up in February of 2020. Never running track before in his life, Karan had high hopes for this newly found love for the sport of track & field. 

"I remember I started training with the team in January and we already had a meet called the Black and Gold Meet. I knew that if I wanted to keep my spot on the team and make a splash, I would have to work like a madman to progress into a better mid-distance runner," Karan stated.

After the first meet, Karan took third in the 1,500m running a time of 3:58 and 4th in the 800m running a time of 2:02. Even though these times weren't the best times, they were a starting mark for Karan to progress on. 

"I recall finishing both races and one of my JuCo coaches asking me who I was and where I had been all this time. This made me feel good as I knew I was making the impact I wanted to make on this team. I felt like this was my true sport and it made me happy as I felt like I belonged here," Karan explained. 

Even though things were starting to fall into place on the track, off the track life was still tough for Karan. Each day was like a roller coaster, with the majority of them being mentally draining. Accepting the death of his brother was and still is the hardest thing for Karan to do. Bottling up his emotions and trying to tough it through these hard times only made Karan's mental health worse. However, the guidance and support of his JuCo coach shaped Karan as an up-and-coming threat in the 800m in the California JuCo scene. 

"Coach Anthony is a father figure to me. I can't thank that man enough for all the guidance and countless hours he spent on me to make me the workhorse I am today. I remember I told him my goal of going to a Division 1 college for track & field and he set a plan in motion for me to reach my aspirations and the rest was history. It was very difficult juggling school, track, and my mental health. I had training days where I would be complete garbage due to the lack of sleep or stress that brought me down," Karan explained. 

Karan fell in love with the 800m and trained like a madman. He would workout twice a day to improve his time and pacing. The interests and offers from universities started rolling in once Karan was able to run sub-1:54 in the 800m. 

"As I got faster and faster in the 800m, I knew that it would only be a matter of time before I was able to pick which university I wanted to continue my track career at," Karan stated. 

Deciding between several division 1 and 2 colleges, Karan ultimately chose the University of California, Davis, to continue his track career. Coach Anthony had helped Karan achieve his goal and got him back to the NCAA Division 1 level. All of this would not be possible without hard work and dedication. Karan put his all into this sport and the results showed. 

"I chose UC Davis over my other options because of the family culture and great coaches who can produce. I was so happy and dedicated all my hard work to my brother watching above me. Ever since Sumedh left, I just wanted to make him proud," Karan said. 

Life is still a struggle for Karan, but he tries to make the best out of it for his brother and mother. He knows that he has to not only take care of himself but his mom as well. 

"Each day is a different struggle, but I still try my hardest to push forward. It's hard to speak up for help and get that support you need," Karan expressed. 

Karan is now a Division 1 track & field athlete at UC Davis, pursuing his bachelor's in Managerial Economics while also being a mental health advocate. Karan's story exemplifies the possibility of using our own pains as fuel for greatness.