The room stung with tension as CVHS’s robotics team, 285C, was preparing for the upcoming competition, the final stop before moving on to Worlds. CVHS senior Dnyanesh Ramade, a robotics club member and enthusiast, stood at the center of the chaos. As he and his team worked frantically, a bot malfunction was not the desired outcome, but everyone saw it coming. It was inevitable that something wouldn’t go according to plan. After all, it was a robotics competition designed to test quick-thinking skills and problem-solving.
“Over the course of a competition, the robot takes quite a beating, and certain things can just slowly break,” Ramade explained, laughing at the irony. “So we’ve just got to fix them quickly.”
The team knew moments like these were part of the process, even with all the hard work, extra hours, and endless troubleshooting they’ve already done. But Ramade and his teammates weren’t unprepared.
They found solutions on the fly and hoped more than anything that their robot would hold together and performed its best just long enough to get through to the next round of challenges.
Ramade’s journey in robotics was similar in that his path and his robot’s path was anything but smooth or easy. Robotics didn’t come naturally to him, as it doesn’t for most. It’s a learning process that only works when one is unsure of what to expect. According to Ramade, he joined the team as a sophomore “because I knew I’d go into engineering but didn’t know what kind.”
What he didn’t expect, however, was the amount of time and dedication the team required. From all-nighters spent alone to frequent meetings after school, building the robot became more meaningful to Ramade as time passed.
“Robotics is a time commitment, but as a result, it also teaches you to manage your time better,” Ramade shared.
His teammate, junior Muraari Civunigunta, echoed that sentiment. For Civunigunta, the robotics team was a big draw from the start.
“It was one of the biggest, coolest clubs in the school,” he said, recalling his freshman year.
His brother had also been on the team, which made joining even more appealing. Now, as an upperclassman himself, Civunigunta found his role evolving. This year’s bot had become a personal challenge, pushing him to his limits as a builder and problem-solver.
“Despite all the challenges and times I’ve wanted to break it into pieces, it’s the one I feel I’ve put the most work into.”
Every member of 285C brought their own strengths to the table. Some focused on programming, others on design, and some, like Ramade, were jacks-of-all-trades.
“You can code on many different platforms, even block code when you’re first starting out,” Ramade said. But he preferred the versatility of C++, which allowed for more control and customization in the bot’s movements and functions.
Still, the challenges never stopped the team from pushing forward. At last year’s UIL state competition, they placed as tournament finalists, a victory that was as unexpected as it was sweet.
“We beat the odds and got a big trophy,” Ramade recalled. The end of the night was filled with excitement and joy as the team celebrated their achievement. “We weren’t even talking about robotics on the way back. We were just gossiping about everything else. It made me realize how close we’d all grown.”
As states approached, the pressure mounted. The team knew what was at stake: a chance at Worlds or an early end to the season. But for Ramade, robotics was about more than winning competitions. It had shaped his future, guiding him toward a path in engineering.
“I’ve learned how to program, how to lead, and how to convey ideas to others,” Ramade reflected. “It’s been a challenge, but it’s also been rewarding.”
Unfortunately, team 285C didn’t qualify for Worlds. However, the team and its members recognize that the competitions are more than just winning. Robotics is about wanting to learn, plan, create, and experiment.
With a smile, Civunigunta summed up the entire experience perfectly.
“Robotics is a lot of work, but when you see your ideas actually come to life, there’s no other feeling like it.”
