Hometown: Rochester, New York

Like many teenagers, 16-year-old Sanjana “Sunny” Chandrasekar juggles a very full schedule, taking Advanced Placement classes at her high school, and participating in extra-curricular activities like singing and playing varsity tennis.  Born in Chennai, India, Sunny moved to Rochester, N.Y., at age two before moving to Melbourne, Australia, at age six, where she spent most of her childhood.  At age 13, her family returned to Rochester, where she is now in 11th grade.  An only child, Sunny says that most of her weight gain occurred during her early teenage years as she coped with the challenge of moving and starting over again at a new school.   A longtime fan of “The Biggest Loser,” Sunny says that being overweight takes away from her self-confidence and affects every part of her life.  “When I play tennis, my endurance level is not as high,” she says. “When I have to sing or perform on stage, I feel as if people are judging me for my weight instead of my talent, and I often do not get the role that I want in school plays.”  Shopping poses a challenge as well, as she sits on the sidelines watching her friends try on cute clothes off the rack, knowing that she won’t be able to fit into any of them.  Ready for the changes ahead, Sunny says, “I think this show will transform my life and allow me to connect with other teens out there that are facing the same problems that I am.”  She looks forward to becoming more confident, buying fashionable clothes straight off the rack and going to her junior prom.  She’d like to be a doctor, and says, “I want to leave for college having become the successful and confident person that I know I can be so that I can make a positive impact in the world.”