Aarav Khullar is a senior and 4-year DECA member at Naperville North High School. He is honored and excited to serve on the 2025-2026 Illinois DECA State Action Team!

After hearing about DECA in a summer class taught by his former chapter advisor, Ms. Betthauser, he decided to give it a shot and join. His journey since then has been a rollercoaster ride to say the least.

In his freshman year, after just a couple of months, Aarav quit DECA, unsure of how to navigate through the initial complexities. Sophomore year, he rejoined in the Automotive Services Marketing event. Alongside his two friends, Jacob and Allen, he studied tirelessly to qualify for ICDC in Anaheim, which paid off! Whether it was walking around Downtown Disney District, teaming up with hotel security guards to chase down a scammer, or playing football by the pool with new friends from Geneva, Anaheim 2024 was not only his favorite ICDC, but also showed him how unforgettable the DECA experience could be.

So, junior year, Aarav focused on helping other members create those same experiences. He served on the ILDECA Social Media Team, worked on past state officer Cullen Watanuki’s successful CRVP campaign, and co-created an AI-powered competition prep tool. He also competed in Financial Services TDM, VBC Fashion, and Career Development Plan, qualifying for ICDC again in Orlando. Aarav is also taking on his 7th different DECA event, this time in Sports Marketing TDM, VBC Entrepreneurship, and Career Development Plan with his friends Lakhi, Abby, Noah, and Ethan, hoping to run it back at ICDC 2026 in Atlanta.

Outside of DECA, Aarav runs a free youth entrepreneurship incubator for 1,100+ K-8 students and serves as a student representative on the Naperville City Board, helping lead a multi-million dollar renovation project. In his free time, Aarav enjoys playing pickup basketball and watching the NBA, NFL, and soccer. He loves listening to rap and R&B—especially Drake, Lil Yachty, Tyler, The Creator, and A$AP Rocky—traveling, and exploring new cafés or undercover study spots with friends.

Aarav hopes to leave a legacy through his tenure as a State Officer and aspires to help every Illinois DECA member #GoTheExtra this year!