Fa-M.U.N-ly.

It is the word that can’t seem to escape the minds of New Tech Model United Nations delegates ever since New Tech Model U.N. president and Texas YMCA vice president Tejas Bhatia came up with it as a pun to refer to them, his found family.

Bhatia said everyone groans when they hear him say it, but this word made its way into every conversation I had with Model U.N. delegates over the past week. It is clear that four years into the program, Bhatia has had a bigger impression on his peers than he realizes. 

Bhatia’s journey into the world of policy started in the tumultuous year of 2020, right before the presidential election. 

“I kept thinking about the presidential election and making predictions because I really wanted to know what was going on in the world,” Bhatia said. “I wanted to focus on Biden’s and other liberal policies while also looking at conservative ones. I got very much into the world of politics.” 

Bhatia’s interest was noticed by his sister, Coppell High School 2016 graduate Dia Bhatia. A member of Model U.N. at Barnard College herself, she encouraged him to join Model U.N. as a platform to combine politics and global affairs.

“It was very overwhelming at first,” Bhatia said. “There were so many procedures I had to memorize, policy position papers to write, speeches and public speaking.”

Bhatia’s initial struggles didn’t stop there. He grew up with a speech impediment and stutter, putting him at a disadvantage in a competition like Model U.N. where public speaking is a prerequisite. 

“It was extra difficult for me to be confident with public speaking,” Bhatia said. “To make up for this, the night before my first competition, I made flashcards of my speech to practice. Somehow, within that first speech, I was surprisingly confident and didn’t stumble at all.”

Finding his footing, Bhatia traversed through more competitions and immersed himself into the complexities of the program. At every step he took, he looked up to leaders in the program like 2021 New Tech Model U.N. vice president Mahum Rana.

“She was not only an amazing delegate and leader but an amazing person who I could talk to about anything,” Bhatia said. “She always encouraged me to be calm and take in every second of the conferences, learning from and enjoying the experience. She also taught me to listen to other people and their perspectives and incorporate them into your own.”

Bhatia was not the only one inspired by his peers in the program. Rana herself was floored by his initiative and true passion for Model U.N.

“He was really passionate about getting to know the world and wanting to find the details people would miss about countries,” Rana said. “He wanted to know everything not to be a know-it-all but just to know everything. He was that curious about the world. On top of that, he always wanted to make sure that the people around him were doing just as good if not better than him.”

It is no surprise that Bhatia became proficient at competing and voicing himself after all the hours he put into preparing and improving his skills. Spending so much time looking up at the different stars in his life, he became a star for others. 

“Tejas crushes almost every Model U.N. competition, so he has a lot of skill sets that he knows how to pass onto others and teach them to do as well,” junior New Tech Model U.N. conference officer Khushee Vora said. “Because he’s so passionate about the subject, it’s so easy for him to interact and help others. He shows us that we are better than we think we are.”

Previously serving as parliamentarian and vice president, Bhatia was awarded the position of Model U.N. president as a senior. It seems this was the inevitable next step for the delegate in his journey after all of his previous efforts.

“I could tell when he was a freshman that this is where he would end up as a senior,” Model U.N. advisor Danae Boyd said. “You can see that drive in a person, that it’s not just something to do for extra time, but truly a passion of his.”

Bhatia takes his role seriously, always seeing how he can aid delegates better so they can find their stride like he did a few years ago. 

“If anyone needs assistance, he works with them hand-in-hand to make sure he’s leading by example and not just being a figurehead,” Boyd said. “It’s one thing to have on your resume that you were president of Model U.N. It’s another thing to be a good and effective president.” 

Though growth in skills is crucial, Bhatia knows the importance of connecting with his club members and makes sure to cultivate a family atmosphere similar to the one he was enveloped in when he first entered the club.

“He has two sides when it comes to being a leader,” junior New Tech Model U.N. vice president Sanya Pillai said. “One side is very firm in what he needs from students, while the other is focused on interpersonal relations and checking up on others. I’ve seen leaders fall on one side or another, but Tejas finds a way to balance the two and I think that’s amazing.”

Learning from his leadership roles, Bhatia qualified for the Model U.N. International Conference last May at Vancouver, where he took on the role of Democratic Party Leader Chuck Schumer in the U.S. Senate. 

The only problem? 

This was his first time competing in a domestic body committee. 

“Being at internationals and a first-timer of the conference type was immensely stressful and scary,” Bhatia said. “I was competing with people from all over the continent and globe who had experience competing as part of the U.S. Senate. On top of that, being a party leader meant I had more responsibilities, which added to a great deal of stress when combined with everything else.”

Even in the wake of a new situation, Bhatia spent time researching and reflecting on how he could better his performance as soon as he got back to his hotel room. And just like always, the hard work he put into improving showed in his results, earning himself an honorable mention as third place in a room of over 30 delegates. 

“Once I became more confident and started to understand what was going on, I started to get into the groove,” Bhatia said. “In Model U.N., you will be pushed into situations you are not familiar with that cause you to reflect. It was really formative in my development as a delegate and a leader.”

Bhatia, with all his accolades and experience, decided to try his hand at being a state officer for the Texas YMCA Model U.N. secretariat. After screenings and interviews, Bhatia found himself as the vice president of the state’s program. 

“For me, it meant a lot to me to represent my school, considering that we often don’t get the recognition we deserve as a school,” Bhatia said. “It was also a testament to all the hours upon hours of work and effort I put into each competition. It feels great to be recognized for something that you love so much and put in a lot of work for.” 

Model U.N. has done more for Bhatia than just being a platform to compete in conferences. It’s opened up doors to a new future and career possibilities in the form of human rights law. 

“Through all my experiences thus far, I’ve realized human rights is a topic that is not discussed enough,” Bhatia said. “I want to utilize my experience in Model UN to continue to learn about issues that are happening and become an advocate and upstander against injustice.”

The world of Model U.N. is complicated. Delegates have to represent their country’s stance while also appeasing others and finding resolutions. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of points each delegate needs to hit in the few hours they are competing during. 

But, somehow, Bhatia reigns in all the components to find power in a world of words.

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