Former Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Roja, is no stranger to fame, as she reigned as a leading actress in the Telugu Film Industry. But her daughter, Anshu Roja Selvamani, is indeed overshadowing her superstar mother with her outstanding achievements in both academic and societal arenas.
Now, Indiana University Bloomington has named Anshu Roja Selvamani the recipient of the 2026 Herman B Wells Distinguished Senior Award, the university’s most prestigious honor for graduating seniors.
Selected for her exceptional academic record and transformative campus and global leadership, Anshu Selvamani joins an elite lineage of scholars whose names will be permanently inscribed in the Indiana Memorial Union.
What is the Herman B Wells Distinguished Senior Award? How did Anshu win it?
The Herman B Wells Distinguished Senior Award, established in 1961 by the Indiana Memorial Union Board of Directors, celebrates one senior each year who embodies the visionary spirit of IU’s 11th president: outstanding scholarship paired with deep community impact. Past recipients have gone on to shape fields from medicine to public policy.
This year’s choice underscored IU’s commitment to recognizing students who turn knowledge into action on a global scale.
Ms. Anshu Selvamani, a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a minor in Cognitive Science at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, arrived at IU as a transfer student and quickly rose as a force for innovation and inclusion. (To put things in perspective, the Luddy School is at the very top in the world with its high standards and excellent tutelage)
She has maintained an outstanding academic profile while founding Binary Horizons, an initiative that has narrowed the digital divide across Namibia, Nigeria, India, and Zambia.
Through hands-on coding workshops, digital literacy programs, and mentorship, she has empowered hundreds of underserved learners, many with no prior tech experience, to design real-world solutions for local challenges. In 2024 alone, she launched Code Connect Namibia, where participants created tech-driven projects addressing community needs, and led coding camps for women in Zambia that combined web development training with personal branding and pitching skills to launch tech careers.
Her work mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs from resource-limited backgrounds has earned her multiple recognitions for advancing digital equity.
On campus, Ms. Anshu Selvamani’s leadership has shone brightly. She served as president of the Tau Sigma National Honor Society chapter at IU Bloomington, supporting fellow transfer students through mentorship and community-building. She produces and hosts episodes of the Women of IU podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with women leaders in AI, business, and technology.
A 2025 Grace Hopper Celebration scholar, she has spoken publicly on ‘Owning Your Voice,’ encouraging bold advocacy and self-advocacy in STEM. She has also received the Luddy School’s Academic Excellence and Excellence in Leadership awards, as well as the 2025-26 Maureen Biggers Leadership Award for Equity and Technology from IU’s Center of Excellence for Women & Technology.
Her academic passions – artificial intelligence, human-centered design, and assistive technologies drive her vision of building inclusive AI platforms that solve community problems rather than widen gaps. As the daughter of Roja Selvamani, Anshu has carried forward a legacy of public service, blending cultural roots with cutting-edge innovation.
‘Anshu exemplifies what it means to be a Wells Scholar in every sense -brilliant in the classroom, bold in the world, and generous with her gifts,’ said an IU senior awards committee member in a statement accompanying the announcement.
Her selection as the sole 2026 recipient highlights not only personal excellence but also IU’s role in nurturing the next generation of global leaders. As she prepares to graduate, Anshu Selvamani leaves behind strengthened programs, inspired peers, and a clear message – technology, when guided by empathy and equity, can transform lives across continents. Indiana University congratulated Anshu Roja Selvamani on this well-deserved honor.
Ms. Roja beamed with pride at Indiana University as the Herman B Wells Distinguished Senior Award was announced for her little girl, stating that the recipient is recognized not just for academic brilliance but for her leadership in the local community and her endeavors in several arenas globally.