Khelan Desai achieved an average of 93.4% with eight distinctions (Afrikaans First Additional Language, English Home Language, Information Technology, Life Orientation, Life Sciences, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, as well as Further Studies Mathematics Extended).
He was featured on the IEB Outstanding Achievements list, achieving within the top 5% of candidates in six or more subjects, including Life Orientation and scored 99% in his mathematics examination.
He was also included in the top 1% of candidates per subject for English Home Language, Life Orientation, Mathematics and Physical Sciences.
Khelan describes 2022 as “... a good year to be in matric. The school began to recover a sense of normality after the years of COVID-19 restrictions. It was lovely to have a full sports season again.”
Khelan, who attended St John's from Grade 1, earned his Academic Honours in 2022. He played basketball and hockey for the school and squash with friends. He was also captain of the St John’s College Chess B-team.
Khelan is an avid and critical reader, an interest he picked up after enrolling in the Kid’s Lit Quiz – an annual international literature competition for children aged 10 to 13 – in Upper III (Grade 7). In 2016 St John’s teams made the world finals, and in 2017 a St John’s team captained by Khelan won the event outright.
In 2022 Khelan claimed the top prize in the South African English Olympiad. “We wrote the Olympiad in February, and the top twelve were announced in June. We were invited to the Grahamstown Festival, where the rank order would be revealed. The four-day trip to the Festival was magical. We watched plays and saw amazing art. It was absolutely one of the best experiences of my life. My cousin Ayush, also at St John’s, was another one of the top twelve [Ayush placed 11th overall], which added to the experience.”
Despite his proficiency in English, Khelan’s sights are firmly set on a career in the applied sciences. “I’m going to study electrical engineering. I love mathematics, but I feel as though pursuing a pure maths degree would be too impractical. I enjoy getting my hands dirty and working on projects that have applications in the real world. I'll look for a corporate job after I finish my degree and may study for an MBA at some stage."
After a full school career at St John's, Khelan has developed a deep appreciation for the ability of the institution to foster and accommodate a variety of experiences. "It seems to have a place for everyone", he says. "I never felt like an outcast. There was always an attitude of 'You do you, and we'll support that and make a space for you to grow and thrive.' It was really nice not to have to conform to an ideal to have to fit in. Everyone can do what they enjoy and not face the judgement of others."
Khelan's advice to those younger than him is to maintain a balance. "One of the wonderful things about school is that your friends make your experience what it is", he says. "Your times with friends are so often the memories that persist. Don't lock yourself out of a social life, focusing on any one thing to the exclusion of maintaining a solid friend group. More specifically, to those entering matric and involved in art, IT or other subjects requiring you to complete large projects: get them done early! You don't want them hanging over your head at crunch time."