Northwest Christian graduates Ani, Adi Purohith have strong study ethic

Adi and Ani Purohith are grateful for many things.

The twin brothers are grateful for each other and consider themselves best friends. They are grateful for their parents, who sacrificed a lot to move the family from India to the United States when the twins were 2 so they could have a better education. They are grateful for their high school, where they have been able to grow in their faith and academics and form bonds with other students and teachers. And, they are grateful for God, who, as Ani Purohith said, is a main reason for everything they do.

Their positive attitudes are appreciated by their teachers at Northwest Christian Schools in Colbert, including technology director Kathy DeLaMatter, who describes them as kind and compassionate.

“They just have great hearts,” she said. “In all the years that I’ve known them, I have never seen either one of them in a bad mood – ever – or be negative.”

DeLaMatter also admires that they are goal-oriented and strive to do well academically and outside of school.

Their biggest accomplishment has been memorizing 19 books of the Bible, word for word and by reference. The brothers have participated for 10 years in the Assemblies of God Bible Quiz, which puts on high-intensity competitions complete with buzzers and a quiz master. They are on the team of four that’s favored to take the national championship this July, after winning their regional competition undefeated in April.

“The competition and championships are cool,” Adi Purohith said, “but we really believe the foundation of our lives is God, and we want to honor him by studying his word.”

Ani Purohith said he has loved his quizzing experience and it has been influential in his and his brother’s lives.

“The word of God is there,” Ani Purohith said. “Whenever I need help, I’m in trouble, I can always remember all the scriptures that I’ve memorized and I can go to those scriptures and find God.”

Adi Purohith calls the memorization “a lot of mental gymnastics.” They practice at least a half-hour daily, and those study habits have crossed over into their schoolwork.

They have also had success in sports. The twins played soccer their first three years of high school, helping the school win the state championship in 2012. This past school year they joined the cross country team, which also won the championship.

The brothers have a strong desire to help people and volunteered this past year at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center, where their mother is a physician, and the Union Gospel Mission Crisis Shelter for Women and Children. They said they felt honored to serve veterans and listen to their stories and blessed to be role models to children at the shelter.

“If you have that love bestowed upon you, if you’re loved from your family and friends and teachers, then you can’t help but share that love with other people,” Adi Purohith said.

Ani and Adi Purohith are going to Whitworth University. They would like to become doctors so they can continue to help people.