Pallabi and Nivedita know each other from their UCLA Westwood days back in 2014. "She commented on my FB photo of a mud cake I attempted to make and she said nothing about it, but instead got excited about the 'chatai' in the background 😂 Instantly I knew I would love this lady. We have been close ever since."

"I met him because he was kind of just there while I was growing up. Then, as I’ve gone through my many awkward phases over the years, Ryan has been my constant. He’s the guy that shows up for me every time, no matter what, exemplifying what an older brother is meant to be. He’s the standard I’ve been aiming for my whole life. Ultimately, we’re brothers and we kind of like each other."

Nivedita knows Aish from her stint at ABB in Bangalore. "Honestly her friendship was one of the best things to come out of my industry days. Aish and I have many a memorable late night philosophical chats intertwined with hip hop sessions" Aishwarya is the one who made the Cowin map a reality. She is from Munich. She and her family can't wait to visit the US for the celebration!

"The kid that made me a middle child and forced me to mature (a little) as I learned to change diapers. Since then, I’ve watched him grow into a remarkable man that I’m proud to call my brother. Among other things, I can always turn to him to talk about life, personal struggles, or basketball. There are few people in this world who can claim the intelligence, empathy, and compassion that define Brandon."

Marisol and Nivedita met at ASU when both of them were pursuing their Doctoral degrees. "She was and still is my sunshine! ✨💜 it was our daily walks that kept me sane all of 2020 and 2021. She always has the right thing to say when I am low & lost both career-wise or life-wise." She is currently in Albuquerque but is soon heading over to Antarctica for the next 3 months ish - yes, an actual badass.

"As my youngest brother, Nate's the baby of the family and the constant target for relentless teasing (often justified as it's not our fault when he acts like an alien). But he's also the purest of heart. I might imagine that he looks up to me, but in actuality I strive to match the virtue, optimism, enthusiasm, and intelligence that is natural to Nate."

Dance was what brought Nivedita and Niveditha into each other's lives. "Eventually we shared a lot more moments together at ASU. We were each other's support for every important PhD milestone. 🤓. You need a buddy to get you through 6 years of grad school and She was mine" She works in the Bay doing amazing stuff at Apple.

"My niece became one of my favorite people in the world from the moment she entered my life, and not just because she confused me for a superhero. I’ve been blessed to witness the strong, creative, talented young woman she’s matured into. You might laugh when I say this 16 year old girl is a stronger person than me but I think you’ll understand when you meet her."

Nivedita and Vipin met at an ASU get-together for Indian PhDs. His straight face humor is what caught her attention. And then soon after she met his then BF and now husband, Ryan. And it didn't take too long to realize Ryan and Nivedita both are from Coimbatore, went to the same undergrad and had a lot of mutual friends. "For me going to their house was like going to my Nani's (in all the good ways) and I loved all those Sundays of comfort at theirs. With Vipin's lunches and Ryan's hosting skills, I always had a home to go to. I am sure Vipin's 'dekh lenge, why take tension?' is what going to get me through the wedding jitters 😅." Officially Vipin is the bridesman but Nivedita wanted Ryan too by her side for everything so he will be in the bridal party.

"As friends have come and gone, Aaron has been that consistent steady force since that moment I met him in high school. I stole his attention with my sarcasm and humor and he’s consistently been there for me with his humor, wit, strength, and constant support. The man who made me understand the phrase, 'brother from another mother'."

Juni was a postdoc at Caltech too. About a year and a half ago she and Nivedita met at a friend's BBQ. "We bonded over our mutual love for Paneer Tikka and Bollywood. She kept sane in the face of every curveball Caltech threw at me. She is that steadfast cheerleader any person would be lucky to have. Together we burned up a quite a few dance floors around town."

"They say you never forget your freshman roommate. Jorge has stomped at that sentiment with a nonverbal “I told you so” every moment throughout my life. Despite initially dismissing me as the guy who brought his mom to move-in day and (rightfully) insulted his favorite football team, Jorge and I became inseparable throughout our time at UTEP. I guess I have UTEP housing to thank for introducing me to another brother for life."

Martijn and Nivedita are housemates and work in the same research group at Caltech. "Martijn might be a big celebrity in our field (not kidding - he just discovered the largest known galaxy in the Universe) but for him his friends are his biggest achievements. As cheesy as it gets, I can confirm first hand that it is true". Martijn is hands-down one of Ocean's favorite humans.

"The ultimate wingman who always has something to add, whether it be a joke, sage wisdom, or random facts from Reddit or NPR. As one of the most sincere and fun people around, he's a person you want at all occasions, whether it's a chill day on the couch, trivia night, elaborate plans to celebrate Halloween, or one time, even buying a car."

Vandana is Nivedita's Paternal cousin. "Right from childhood we were very similar - broke a number of our family stereotypes with our stubbornness, worried our dads with our ambitions and annoyed our little brother like it was our favorite pass time. It is usually double-trouble when we are together."

"The man you wished you thought of when you picture a scientist. There isn’t a person around that shares the enthusiasm, inspiration, imagination, and knowledge of Jesse. We completed our education together but I’ll never stop striving to match him in our field. And yet he exceeds his scientific prowess with who he is as a friend."