Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveWonder Kid: Kiara Kaur’s journey through books, speeches and world records

Wonder Kid: Kiara Kaur’s journey through books, speeches and world records

Written by: Amrita Priya

(November 29, 2023) “Curiosity is a spark behind every great idea and I’m born with an extra scoop of that,” said five-year-old Kiara Kaur in the opening remark of her TEDx Talk on the theme, ‘Unboxing Curiosity’. In an age where digital technology has deeply integrated into the lives of children, Kiara, a voracious reader is defying the norms. She discovered her love for reading when she was merely two, and since then, has immersed herself in it. “I have read more than 2,000 books until now,” she said adding, “By listening to this you must have assumed that I am a gifted child with an extraordinary talent but let me tell you, I am just like any other kid born in this world.”

Owing to her fervent passion for reading, Kiara accomplished remarkable feats by gaining entry into the World Book of Records in London, and also the Asia Book of Records. This achievement involved her reading 36 children’s books consecutively within one hour and 45 minutes back in 2021, when she was just four years old.

Kiara Kaur

Kiara’s dedication has captured significant attention on social media. Her story serves as an inspiration, motivating parents to instil this valuable habit in their own children. Now at the age of six and based in Dubai, Kiara has turned author too and is a sought-after speaker who has earned a second entry into the World Book of Records in London for becoming the youngest keynote speaker to address the World Expo in Dubai.

The author and the speaker

In 2022 Kiara made history by becoming the youngest keynote speaker at the World Expo in Dubai, earning her a place in the World Book of Records in London. Her impactful speech was titled ‘Small Changes, Big Difference’.

Prior to this achievement, as a first-grader, she had delivered a speech during the International Women’s Week celebrations at the Mexico Pavilion. Her speech centered on the crucial theme of women’s empowerment. Kiara had sought guidance from her grandmother, Commander Dr Rita Bhatra, who served in the Border Security Force for 40 years, while preparing for her talk.

In a significant milestone last year, she became one of the youngest TEDx speaker worldwide by addressing a TEDx event held in Maharashtra on Children’s Day, November 14.

The little bundle of talents has also authored her first book, titled ‘Diary of a 5-Year-Old Genius Chatterbox Who Set World Records,’ which chronicles her extraordinary journey in her own words. Her mother, Dr Little Mahendra, a dean at a Dental College, mentioned in an NDTV interview that she simply typed as Kiara shared, and the process of book writing took seven months to complete.

Love for books and joy of conversations

Kiara loves the smell of the books and the ambiance of bookstores. Her fondness particularly gravitates towards storybooks adorned with big, colourful pictures and illustrations – they hold a special place in her heart. For her stepping into a bookstore feels like entering her natural habitat, as if she belongs there; she often refers to bookstores as ‘the books’ paradise.’

Kiara derives immense joy from sharing the knowledge she acquires with those around her. Engaging in lively conversations is another aspect she cherishes deeply. In her TEDx talk she mentioned being called various names such as chatterbox, gaby, or a talking machine. Despite occasionally feeling disheartened by these labels, she equates conversing with people to the joy a child experiences when given a popsicle — it’s a wonderful feeling she finds difficult to resist.

Change in people’s attitude

Even before being introduced to phonics, Kiara had displayed an extraordinary ability to read two or three-letter words, leaving her mother astonished. Intrigued by her daughter’s aptitude, Kiara’s mother decided to purchase a book for the toddler. “I began craving reading every moment,” Kiara recalled. “I read everywhere, in the car, in the doctor’s waiting room, even in the bathroom. Soon, books became an indispensable part of my life, and I realised the incredible power of knowledge.”

Kiara Kaur

As Kiara delved deeper into reading, her conversational skills blossomed, allowing her to engage effortlessly with individuals of all ages. Armed with the power of knowledge, she noticed a shift in people’s attitudes toward her. Previously, being labelled a chatterbox indicated that her constant talking might have led to boredom during interactions, but now, people found delight in conversing with her. Kiara’s depth of knowledge surpassed expectations for her age, surprising those around her.

“I started receiving more love by people from all the age groups, and today I’m blessed with many friends. We share books, stories, toys and many other things. So you see that’s the change knowledge can bring,” the Global Indian remarked.

Finding support in her mom

Kiara gives all the credits of the kind of person she has turned out to be to her mom, acknowledging her as the fundamental force behind her achievements. During her TEDx Talk, she emphasised, “The bond I share with my mom is what has propelled me to stand here before you.” She expressed gratitude for the time, energy, and guidance her mother provides, enabling her to spread her wings wide. The six-year-old affectionately refers to her mother as her ‘vitamin.’ “My curiosity would have remained locked in a box, if my mother would have not supported me and nurtured my curiosity with her patience,’ she said.

It was her mother who initially introduced her to the enchanting world of books, a gesture for which Kiara feels eternally grateful.

The power of mothers

Kiara firmly believes that a conducive environment is pivotal for children to thrive and succeed, emphasising that youngsters learn and emulate elders around them.

She highlighted the strength of mothers in shaping the life of their children. Kiara praised her lineage, pointing out how her great-grandmother’s guidance helped her grandmother to become a gynaecologist, and her grandmother’s influence then shaped her own mother, who now holds the position of dean at a dental college.

Cover image of Kiara Kau’s book

Encouraging parents, Kiara stressed the importance of investing time in children during their formative years. “As kids, we require more than just food to grow,” she said stressing on how every child needs the freedom to explore their curiosity, allowing it to flourish so that they spread the knowledge in the world through intelligence and wisdom.

“This can’t be done without the support and guidance of elders. Our young minds are like bird wings, the more we open, the higher we fly so please give us your time today and I am sure you will be proud of us tomorrow,” she remarked.

What’s your Global Indian story? Write to us at editor.gi@globalindian.com

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Suzy Said

February 2, 2024 11:12 am

U are a special gifted kid ! God bless all ur steps ♥️

Published on 29, Nov 2023

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Shanya Gill on TIME’s Kid of the Year Honoree List: It’s an honour

(August 31, 2024) "When I learned I was on TIME's Kid of The Year Honoree List, I was initially stunned. It took a moment for the news to sink in, and then I felt a mix of excitement and gratitude," says Shanya Gill, the 13-year-old innovator from San Jose in California, who has invented a rapid-fire detection device. She is among the five youngsters who made it to the list of honorees who are already considering how they can inspire and guide the next generation of exceptional young people. "This recognition is incredibly meaningful to me. It's an honour I hadn't anticipated, and it's certainly a memorable moment in my journey," she tells Global Indian. This year Fairfax-based Heman Bekele was named TIME's Kid of the Year for inventing a soap that could one day treat and even prevent multiple forms of skin cancer. On the other hand, five young guns made it to the Honoree list, including Dom Pecora, Madhvi Chittoor, Jordan Sucato, Keivonn Woodard, and Shanya Gill. "Saving lives with science is something that drives my passion for science every day and seeing more examples from my peers gives me more encouragement," adds the teen. Finding inspiration In

d seeing more examples from my peers gives me more encouragement," adds the teen.

Finding inspiration

In 2022, Shanya was deeply unsettled when a fire reduced the restaurant behind her home to ashes. Despite a smoke detector, the restaurant officials couldn't raise the alarm until significant damage had already occurred. The incident left a profound impact on Shanya who was inspired to develop a rapid-fire detection device that alerts users to potential fires before they even ignite.

This innovative invention earned her the prestigious Thermo Fisher Scientific ASCEND Award, and now a spot in the TIME's Kid of The Year Honoree List. "It's a testament to the effort and time I've invested in my projects, and it's encouraging to see that work resonate with others," says the Indian-American teen, adding, "More than personal validation, I see it as an opportunity to inspire other young people to pursue their ideas and make a difference."

As young as 12, she undertook the journey to come up with a solution that's more effective than a smoke alarm. What sets Shanya's fire detection device apart from traditional smoke alarms is that while smoke detectors activate only when smoke is already present, often signalling a fire at a more advanced and hazardous stage, her system uses code and a thermal camera to identify unattended fires much earlier in their development.

A STEM lover, Shanya's passion for science and technology deepened through her involvement in regional science fairs, where she merged her interests in coding and building. With her parents - a doctor and a computer scientist - the wind beneath her wings, she found encouragement to pursue her endeavours in the space of science. However, it was the fire at a nearby restaurant that pushed her to seek a real-world solution. Realising that smoke detectors weren't as dependable as she had believed, she turned to thermal cameras to find a better answer. Explaining the process behind the fire-detection device, she says, “The device uses temperature and motion(seeing how a part of an image changes temperature) to detect fires and humans, therefore allowing the device to know whether there is a human and a fire in a scene (attended fire) or just a fire in a scene(unattended fire).”

The future plan

Harbouring plans of putting the device on the marketplace for long, she has decided to make the intellectual property public so that "the whole world can build upon it." She has spent the past few months developing vision language models (LLMs) capable of analyzing infrared (IR) scenes and providing detailed analyses. "I'm currently using this technology in my home," she says, adding that she is excited to present this AI model at the International Association of Fire Chiefs Tech Summit and be recognised at the US Fire Administration Summit.

In this short span, she has created Early Fire Alert Inc., a non-profit to facilitate funding and development. This will allow me to receive funding from potential supporters I'll be meeting at these conferences. "The future looks very promising for this project, and I'm thrilled about its potential impact on fire safety," says the Boston-born teenager, who has been acknowledged by TIME magazine.

"Being recognised by TIME reinforces my commitment to using technology and innovation to address real-world challenges. It's a reminder that age isn't a barrier to making meaningful contributions," says the champion swimmer. The acknowledgment inspires her to keep pursuing new ideas, learn from both successes and challenges and work with others to develop solutions that can benefit society.

The eighth grader at Miller Middle School is keen to take her device to a wider audience as she envisions a bright future for it. "With further enhancements and advancements, I believe it has the potential to revolutionise fire detection systems. The goal is to make it more accessible and widely used to enhance safety measures globally," she signs off.

Follow Shanya Gill on LinkedIn

swiitchbeauty: How Rabia Ghoor built one of South Africa’s largest cosmetics brands

(July 28, 2024) She's a millionaire running her own fashion brand, is called the Kylie Jenner of South Africa and has even been cancelled by actor Halle Berry on Jimmy Kimmel Live! All this by the age of 23. Rabia Ghoor began her own 'swiitchbeauty' cosmetics brand when she was 14 years old. Less than a decade later, her community-centric, tech-enabled cosmetics company has grown to become one of South Africa's largest skincare brands. 'for lazy people, by even lazier people, since 2014', she writes, on the swiitchbeauty website - her products reflect this, they're meant for young people with hectic schedules, who are looking for a fuss-free, easy to use line of cosmetics, that fit somewhere between high-end products and pharmacy brands. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rabia Ghoor (@rabiaghoor) The entrepreneurship mindset If entrepreneurship is a mindset, then this intrepid young Global Indian embodies the idea. Growing up in Pretoria, the capital city of South Africa, Rabia's entrepreneurial forays began much before swiitchbeauty - she was finding ways to turn a profit by the time she was 10 years old. "I would go with my father to this bulk buy place and

The entrepreneurship mindset

If entrepreneurship is a mindset, then this intrepid young Global Indian embodies the idea. Growing up in Pretoria, the capital city of South Africa, Rabia's entrepreneurial forays began much before swiitchbeauty - she was finding ways to turn a profit by the time she was 10 years old. "I would go with my father to this bulk buy place and get stickers. Those were very cool at the time, so I would take my table outside and sell the stickers I bought," she said. When her classmates decided "they were too lazy to walk to the dustbin to throw their trash," Rabia bought a bunch of small buckets, which she sold to them. They could fill the buckets with trash and empty them in the bin later, saving them multiple trips up and down.

As she and her friends began experimenting with makeup for the first time, Rabia discovered the joys of YouTube. She sought out beauty influencers who shared makeup tutorials and product reviews to get tips. Rabia realised that most of these influencers lived abroad, and that there weren't many people in South Africa doing it. Also, the influencers had access to a much wider range of products. "American, European or Asian brands that are unavailable here in South Africa were constantly innovating and evolving - especially in the digital space - while South African brands lagged behind, or just straight up didn't exist," she writes. Her friends would pull out expensive little vanity cases and show off the branded make up they had brought abroad, which were simply impossible to find in South Africa.

Unlike most teenagers, who might have thought about the problem and moved on, Rabia wondered why she couldn't be the one to fill that gap. The project took shape from a "4 square meter area" in her bedroom. While selling stickers and buckets in the school playground is one thing, building a company was a whole other ballgame, as Rabia soon learned.

Making the ‘swiitch’

Rabia also took inspiration from her father, an intrepid businessman himself, who had dropped out of high school too, and seen a string of successes and failures as an entrepreneur. He even gave her a seed fund of R6000 and gave her resources for product sourcing, formulation, e-commerce, packaging, manufacturing and design. to create a beauty brand that was easy on the pocket and which made products that were actually suited to daily use. "Things that did what they said they were going to do," is how Rabia puts it.

Rabia had no high school diploma, let alone an MBA. She functioned from instinct, learning as much as she could from the internet - it meant learning from scratch, how are products made, packaged, distributed and sold? How is a brand created? She knew that her company would cater to the gap in the South African market, and provide goods and services that were world class but easy on the pocket at the same time. "I began by asking myself why I liked a particular product, and it usually came down to specific ingredients and manufacturing techniques," she said. "Doing research on these ingredients and techniques was very beneficial."

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Building her brand

In 2015, she made her first sale. "I didn't sleep at all during that first year," she has said, many times over. "I would be up till 3 am packaging orders, then wake up at 6 am to get to school. I was exhausted." Her exhaustion soon began to show and one morning, when she walked downstairs, her mother simply said, "Rabia, you're not going to school today, are you?" Rabia said no. "You're not going back ever, are you," her mum continued. And Rabia said no, again. That's how she quit high school at the age of 15, in 2016, to build a business as her classmates planned outfits for the end-of-year dance. "I just never went back," she laughs, as she recalls. Her parents had seen her running the business for over a year by that time, and had full faith in her. "My parents had seen what I could do with putting only half my attention into it," she says.

The realisation that she was in an unpleasant rut motivated her to get going. Her parents had just let her be to find her own way, which Rabia is grateful for always. She had to return to her bottom line, and why she had started swiitchbeauty in the first place. She listened to motivational podcasts and focussed on structuring her days and growing her business. Fortunately, order was restored quickly and Rabia hired four people to her staff.

What began an idea, with an Instagram page and two products, now has a long range of cosmetics and over 100k followers on Instagram. "I wanted a tech-enabled, affordable-priced and transparent beauty brand," she said. It was to be a homegrown product that her fellow South Africans, irrespective of race and gender, would be proud to use everyday. That's not the brand's only USP, though. swiitchbeauty stands apart from its competitors because Rabia and her team are constantly engaging with and interacting with her customers on Instagram. They get feedback and new ideas straight from her followers, along with educational tutorials made by real people who actually used swiitchbeauty products everyday. That's why she stresses on being a "tech-enabled" brand, dealing with a tech-savvy young market. "Social media has been a gift to our generation of businesses," she says. They tap into local social media influencers as well, which helped amplify the brand's customer base.

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A post shared by swiitchbeauty® (@swiitchbeauty)

"I am focussing on dominating the market of South African beauty enthusiasts before branching out into the more competitive international field," she says. "I also feel that for now the rest of the world is well-taken care of in terms of make-up." Her 'vocal for local' approach has helped her grow the company tremendously, into one of the country's biggest beauty brands. The "money has been great too," she said in an interview, "but at present turnover is not my core focus. My main purpose is to provide my customers with the best product at the best price and build a sustainable business that will bear fruit in the future."

Follow swiitchbeauty on Instagram.

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Saathvik Kannan: Indian-American teen wins Regeneron Young Scientist Award for mpox research

(June 16, 2023) In the realm of scientific discovery, there are individuals whose exceptional talent and dedication propel them to new heights of innovation. Such is the case with Indian-American teen Saathvik Kannan, a prodigious young scientist who recently made headlines for winning the prestigious Regeneron Young Scientist Award, accompanied by a remarkable $50,000 prize. Saathvik's groundbreaking research in biocomputational methods shed light on the heightened infectivity of the mpox (monkeypox) virus, which resurfaced in the world in 2022, presenting a significant public health challenge. Research on mpox The re-emergence of the mpox virus in 2022 sent shockwaves throughout the scientific community and global population alike. This highly infectious disease had previously been considered largely eradicated, with only sporadic cases reported in remote regions. However, its resurgence demanded immediate attention and investigation to understand the causes behind its heightened infectivity. It was during this critical juncture that Saathvik, armed with his extraordinary scientific acumen, embarked on a mission to unlock the mysteries surrounding mpox. [caption id="attachment_31118" align="aligncenter" width="586"] Saathvik Kannan[/caption] Kanan's pioneering research was centered on the utilisation of biocomputational methods, which he used to unearth and understand the factors causing such infectious diseases as monkeypox that resurged in 2022

athvik Kannan[/caption]

Kanan's pioneering research was centered on the utilisation of biocomputational methods, which he used to unearth and understand the factors causing such infectious diseases as monkeypox that resurged in 2022 when the COVID-19 pandemic began to recede in most parts of the world. Bioplex, the approach he used, uses machine learning and three-dimensional protein modeling to decode structures enabling the virus to replicate. Showing his gratitude for his mentor, the Global Indian wrote, "I was overjoyed and incredibly excited. I felt that it reflected our work with Dr Singh's mentorship and guidance over the last few years culminating in my project this year."

How it began

The Missouri-born and raised Indian American was in eighth standard when he became interested in programming, and soon began learning python and other programming languages. However, it was at the age of 14 that he was propelled into the world of computational biology, after meeting a University of Missouri researcher. It began in the summer of in 2020, during the pandemic, when Saathvik's father came across a paper published by Kamlendra Singh detailing the use of RNA polymerase inhibitors while creating an initial vaccine. The paper gained attention in the scientific community nationally and internationally.

Saathvik soon reached out to Kamlendra to set up a meeting on Zoom to understand how his abilities could be used in a lab setting. To which Kamlendra replied, "If I could have a computer programmer, I could do better research." This was Saathvik's cue and soon they both joined hands, which was the beginning of a new partnership. With Covid-19 at its peak, Saathvik built a program to help analyse mutations in many viral organisms, thus leading to a paper about the D614G mutation within Covid-19.

Research for the future

Alongside the Covid-19 research, he also wrote a paper on the mpox virus after its resurgence in the 2022, which highlights the way new mutations affect the virus. "The research provides a basis for understanding several new outbreaks," Kannan said, adding, "As we have realized with Covid-19 and even mpox, any virus can go from dormancy to a full resurgence in a very short period. So, there is potential for another outbreak of mpox, where this research could be used." His research can help better understand viruses like mpox.

Beyond the scientific realm, Saathvik's achievement serves as a beacon of inspiration for young aspiring scientists worldwide. His unwavering dedication, tireless efforts, and groundbreaking research stand as a testament to the power of passion and perseverance in the pursuit of knowledge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIj6b4GQ0Uk

The Regeneron Young Scientist Award, which recognizes exceptional scientific inquiry and innovation in high school students, is a testament to the impact young minds can have on the world. By honoring Saathvik Kanan's research on the mpox virus, this award amplifies the urgency of addressing emerging infectious diseases and encourages further exploration into the mechanisms that drive their resurgence.

The senior at Hickman High School Columbia, who likes to strike a good balance between his research and social life, is excited to continue his research even during his college life because learning is his priority.

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UK’s Youngest Chess Grandmaster: How Shreyas Royal is changing the game

(November 16, 2024) In the hushed halls of the Bavarian Open in 2022, fourteen-year-old Shreyas Royal was about to make history. Across nine games, he played with the skill of a seasoned grandmaster, carefully outsmarting his opponents and securing seven points. This wasn’t just any win—he became the youngest player in the United Kingdom to reach a grandmaster-level performance. For Britain, a country with a deep chess tradition and competitive scene, seeing such young talent was rare. By the end of the tournament, Shreyas Royal’s name wasn’t just another entry; it was the headline, marking the arrival of a fresh new talent. [caption id="attachment_40404" align="aligncenter" width="657"] Shreyas Royal[/caption] Bengaluru to London: A Journey Begins Yet Shreyas' journey to the chessboard was far from ordinary. Born in Bengaluru in 2009, he moved to the United Kingdom with his family at the age of three when his father, Jitendra Singh, accepted a job as an IT project manager. They settled in South-East London, in the lively, multicultural neighbourhood of Woolwich. Shreyas was still a toddler, curious about the world around him, and showed an impressive memory. It was here, thousands of miles from India - the birthplace of chess- that his father

y, multicultural neighbourhood of Woolwich. Shreyas was still a toddler, curious about the world around him, and showed an impressive memory.

It was here, thousands of miles from India - the birthplace of chess- that his father introduced him to the game as a way to channel his young son's sharp mind. "It took me some time, but I was curious," Shreyas recalls, describing those first tentative steps. It wasn't until he started winning matches against other children at school that something inside him clicked. "And that got me hooked."

[caption id="attachment_40405" align="aligncenter" width="428"] A young Shreyas[/caption]

Discovering Chess

By six, his parents had signed him up at a local chess club in East Ham, where he trained under the guidance of a private coach. From then, chess became more than a hobby — it was the beginning of his journey into competitive arenas across Europe. His first taste of international success came in Greece, where he clinched silver at the European Schools Chess Championship. His skill and tenacity set him apart early on, winning him multiple awards, and soon, the young player from Woolwich was recognised as one of the country’s brightest prospects. Chris Ward, a British chess grandmaster, went as far as to say Shreyas was "the best prospect the country has ever seen."

The Biggest Challenge

But for all his success, life in the UK presented its own set of challenges. In 2018, the family faced the prospect of returning to India as his father's work visa neared expiration. The requirement? An income of £120,000 a year — far beyond his father’s reach. For a brief period, it seemed that Shreyas's chess journey might be cut short. However, the English Chess Federation, along with supporters in the political community, appealed to then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid, citing Shreyas's potential as an exceptional talent. Javid himself acknowledged, "The UK is a country that fosters world-class talent, and Shreyas is one of the most gifted chess players in his generation."

This was a turning point. The visa extension not only allowed Shreyas Royal to continue his journey but freed his family from an uncertain future, giving him the stability he needed to continue on his chess journey.

The Mind of a Chess Prodigy: Strategy and Preparation

From that point, Shreyas intensified his focus, opting for homeschooling to accommodate his training and tournament schedules. His strategy preparation became more methodical, studying opponents' strengths, weaknesses, and past games. "I check to see what openings he has struggled against in the past and also look at some of his statistics, how well he has fared against weaker opponents,” Shreyas explained. "Aiming for any type of an advantage with white and equality with black out of the opening are also very vital goals." The discipline, patience, and hours of practice were part of the foundation that helped him succeed at the Bavarian Open and beyond.

Shreyas's story is closely tied to the Indian community in the UK—a group that has maintained its cultural roots while contributing to many areas of British society. This community has played an important role in enriching the UK’s cultural and professional landscape. Shreyas represents this blend of Indian heritage and British identity, bringing pride to both. As the child of Indian immigrants, he comes from a tradition that values hard work, education, and resilience—qualities that clearly influence his approach to chess and life.

A Love for the Game Beyond Titles

Shreyas is now focused on achieving new goals. He dreams of becoming one of the world’s top 10 players and hopes to win the world championship by the time he's 21. However, his passion for chess isn’t just about the titles. "For me, it's not so much about the money," he said. "It's about having fun playing chess. I just enjoy it," said the Global Indian. This genuine love for the game keeps him coming back to the chessboard every single day.

Looking ahead, Shreyas understands there’s still a lot to learn. “It is a very fascinating game in which I feel I have a lot more to learn,” he says, reflecting his humility despite his achievements. For now, the young grandmaster-in-the-making stays focused on training and competing, fueled by the same curiosity that first drew him to the game.

Follow Shreyas Royal on Instagram

Aisha Nazia: The only Indian woman to be selected for FIFA Master course

One of Aisha Nazia's fondest memories is of her standing in a crowd and watching a football match with bated breath. As her favorite team scored the perfect goal, the Kozhikode-born football fan was euphoric. Her hometown is a mecca for football and it wasn't long before love for the game rubbed off on Nazia, who has now been selected for the prestigious FIFA Master program. She is the only Indian woman out of the 32 people that were selected from across the world for the program. Chosen out of 700 applicants, Nazia has become an inspiration for dreamers as well as go-getters. A postgraduate sports executive program, organized in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchatel (Switzerland), the FIFA Master course is nothing short of an Ivy league program. The 26-year-old Indian has made the cut this year, but not without her share of struggles and challenges. As she quit a lucrative job to pursue her dreams, Nazia didn't find many supporters, but she was determined to follow through on her plan. How a childhood dream found wings Born in Kozhikode to Malayalam Muslim parents, Nazia found herself

im parents, Nazia found herself attracted to the game even as a child. After her parents' divorce when she was five, Nazia moved to Chennai with her mother who was then a teacher. But summer vacations took her back to her hometown each year where she fell in love with football. "I loved the way football brought the entire town together and it was the best show of secularism. It was at this tender age that my affinity towards football began to grow," she tells Global Indian in an exclusive interview from London where she has kick started the first leg of her course.

[caption id="attachment_10971" align="aligncenter" width="392"] Aisha Nazia at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester[/caption]

While the soccer field made Nazia quite happy, she was equally ecstatic nestled between her pile of books. After securing the eighth rank in mechanical engineering at University of Kerala, she found herself working with the Indian Oil-Adani Group Pvt Ltd in Kochi in 2017. Two years before she entered the corporate world though, Nazia had volunteered as a football facilitator for the 2015 National Games that were held in Kerala. Then a third year student at TKM College of Engineering, she heard about the games being held in her city and couldn't let the opportunity slip by. "It gave me the perfect exposure to the sporting industry and the workings of it," she adds.

The turning point

Though her job at Indian Oil kept her happy, she would often find herself drawn to the varied sporting events taking place in the country. So when the FIFA Under 17 World Cup was set to make its debut on Indian soil, Nazia found herself looking for volunteer opportunities on their website. Despite the fact that she didn't have a sports management degree, Nazia rolled the dice of fate and applied for the role of a workforce manager. Luck was on her side, and the 26-year-old found herself at one of the biggest sporting spectacles. Those months with FIFA turned out to be a game changer for this young woman as she learnt the tricks of the trade and found her true calling in sports management. In 2018, she quit her job to chase her dream and moved to Bengaluru.

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Since sporting events in India happen only once every few months, Nazia took up jobs as a consultant with startups to keep her stable financially. In between, she worked on two seasons of the Indian Super League.

When NBA found itself playing in India for the first time ever in 2019, the organizers got in touch with Nazia after reading a feature on her on FIFA. The conversation soon translated into an operations role in logistics.

A chance meeting

After working with the best for a few years and gaining valuable insights into the world of sports management, Nazia knew she was ready to take it a notch higher with the FIFA Master course, something she had heard about six years ago. "While volunteering at the National Games in 2015, a referee from Tamil Nadu who had trained under the Premiere League saw potential in me and encouraged me to take up the FIFA Master course," adds Nazia. But she wanted to give herself four years after her graduation before taking a plunge into any Masters program.

[caption id="attachment_10974" align="aligncenter" width="395"] Aisha Nazia at NBA matches in India.[/caption]

So when the entire world came to a standstill in 2020 and sporting events became a rarity, Nazia knew it was the right time to pursue her FIFA Master dream. "The selection process for this course is like it would be for an Ivy league school. This year 32 students were selected from a pool of 700 applicants across 29+ countries," adds the Kozhikode native. The one year course will have Nazia travel to three countries (England, Italy and Switzerland) to complete her Masters in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport.

Crowdfunding, not charity

If securing a seat among 700 students wasn't a rigorous process, Nazia found herself raising 22,000 CHF (approximately ₹28 lakh) for the course. She is one among the three students to have secured a merit scholarship which has halved her course fee, but the amount is still heavy on her pocket. "In a country like India, you can apply for an education loan against mortgage of property or gold, and I had nothing as security. Crowdfunding seemed like a wise decision to raise money for my education," says Nazia.

It was her mentor Gautham Chattopadhaya, who works with NASA, who advised her to opt for crowdfund. "Abroad, it's a very common concept to raise money for education, but in India, it's still at its nascent stage. I weighed my options for a long time and even posted on LinkedIn to get some feedback. Many encouraged me to go for it as they couldn't pursue their dreams owing to financial constraints. The stories of people on the post made me take it up as a social cause to empower people to follow their dreams. Education is a basic necessity and I decided to go forward with it to raise money and also inspire others to follow their dreams," adds Nazia.

[caption id="attachment_10977" align="aligncenter" width="423"] Aisha Nazia at Indian Super League 2019-2020[/caption]

With GoFundMe inaccessible to Indians, Nazia opted for Ketto to raise money for her education. "In India, crowdfunding is mostly restricted to medical emergencies, so my plea to raise money for education falls a little short in comparison to their issues."

However, this reality check has inspired Nazia to launch an education crowdfunding platform for Indian students soon. "I want to start a platform for people who dream of studying in India or abroad but are unable to do so due to financial constraints. My priority would be to get meritorious students their due through this crowdfunding platform," she explains.

[caption id="attachment_10979" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Aisha Nazia at a sporting event.[/caption]

The future

Nazia, who is currently at De Montfort University in Leicester, is excited for the program. "It will be an enriching experience with lots of learning and field trips. After completing three months in the UK, we will move to Italy for the next quarter. And the last six months will be in Switzerland, which is also the headquarters of FIFA. Getting to work with their management will be exciting. Also, at the end of course, FIFA selects three people for employment," reveals Nazia.

Being an advocate of sustainability, Nazia plans to work for the development of the Indian sports ecosystem after the completion of her course. "I want to focus on inclusion, youth development and come up with solutions to reduce carbon footprint during a sports event," signs off Nazia.

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