Meet Arhan Sengupta: the lead guitarist for the band Ghost Lights, a freshman enrolled in Advanced Calculus I, a member of the Poly robotics team and jazz ensemble, and now, the reigning Upper School Talent Show champion.

Watching a freshman step on stage to perform a three-minute rendition of Hotel California on guitar in front of an entire high school might spark questions such as, “What drives someone to do this? How does anyone muster the courage to perform at a high school talent show?” For freshman Arhan Sengupta, the answer is simple: “I just thought to myself, what’s the worst that could happen?”

With this mindset, the best actually ended up happening. Sengupta not only won the talent show but also received one of the greatest ovations the school chapel has ever witnessed. This performance marked his second consecutive year winning the talent show.

Sengupta’s guitar career began in 2020 when he decided to teach himself guitar. “I had a really old, bad-quality acoustic guitar lying around. I hadn’t picked it up, so I figured maybe I should just learn. I taught myself using YouTube videos,” he explained. His passion for music began even earlier, as he started playing piano at the age of five.

For the past three years, Sengupta has served as the lead guitarist for Ghost Lights, a band he joined through a program called “Rock Band for Kids.” “I was paired with four other kids at a similar level to me, and it’s been super fun,” Sengupta shared. The band holds regular rehearsals and frequently performs at block parties. “I’m currently working on producing our EP,” he added.

Whether in the classroom or on stage, Sengupta is truly a force to be reckoned with. As his academic and artistic growth rapidly grows, the Poly community is excited to see all he will accomplish.  Congratulations Arhan!