Nonspeaking Brookline teen with autism Viraj Dhanda will attend MIT
Brookline teen Viraj Dhanda is a non-speaking autistic student - and in the fall, he'll be heading to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.
Heading to MIT in 2026
Although Dhanda is unlike any other MIT applicant, his acceptance letter has proved those who doubted him wrong. Dhanda was diagnosed with autism at two years old. After a variety of therapies, adults believed he had low intellectual ability.
Then, when he was 10, it was suggested he use an alternative communication device. Now, at 19, he uses a Lenovo tablet with a regular keyboard to communicate. He types using only his right thumb and produces about eight to 10 words per minute.
Video obtained by WBZ-TV shows the moment Dhanda was notified of his acceptance.
"You got in!" his father yelled. "Oh my goodness! Give me a (fist) bump. I'm so proud of you. I'm so, so proud of you. I can't even begin to express it."
Dhanda uses his alternative communication device to say, "I love you so much."
"I love you more," his father responded.
Finding success with math
Dhanda's favorite subject is math, and he especially likes calculus. On the math American College Testing, a standardized test used for college admissions, he scored a 35 out of a possible 36 on the math section.
Dhanda plans to take a gap year before he begins taking classes at MIT in the fall of 2026. He and his father will move to Cambridge together.
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