Aman Sharma: From balcony birdwatcher to global eco-warrior
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(July 11, 2024) It was a pair of red vented bulbuls that changed Aman Sharma’s life, when they built their nest on his balcony. He happened to have a camera, and would take photos of the beautiful little birds. And the rest, as they say, is history. By this time, frequent family trips to national parks had already sparked a deep love for nature and the teenager was enchanted – he hadn’t really imagined that his bustling city was home to birds beyond crows and sparrows. Aman would wake up at 6 am to spend time observing birds before school. His terrace was his private observatory, and he even set up his own garden, with over 500 plants, to attract birds to his ‘urban jungle’.
“When I asked my school teacher and my family, they had no idea there were so many species in the city itself,” he says. So, he founded the ‘Cuckoo Club’, a series of nature walks and visits to nearby national parks, conducted by children for children. “Soon, we became India’s largest birding community for youth by youth.” He went on to become India’s youngest wildlife photographer, as well as a vocal advocate against climate change on international platforms. “In our curriculum we are not taught beyond education. We are not taught about the wildlife that exists beyond our backyards. How many people know that Delhi is the second-most bird-populous city in the world, with more than 500 species of birds. Almost 18 years of being in school and I was never taught this,” he says.
Achieving Global Recognition
Now twenty years old and a student at the University of Pennsylvania, the Global Indian is a three-time TEDx speaker and Nikon’s youngest ambassador. In 2019, his petition calling for a climate emergency gathered 1.2 million signatures across 70 different countries. That’s not all. The EU, Austria, UK and the state of New York actually declared climate emergencies, and Aman gained appreciation from Leonado Di Caprio and Greta Thunberg. That year, he also received an invitation to speak at the Climate and Peace Summit, Oslo Pax. Aman also the first Indian photographer to be featured in Times Square, New York.
Aman’s Instagram page Birds of India, has over half a million followers and he looks every bit the teen that he is as he goes on shoots with his mum by his side. His parents helped him find his love for nature at a young age. “They used to take us to national parks and forests as kid for our family holidays,” he said, in an interview. And he realised, that although we share our land with thousands of other species, there is still a big gap between human lives and nature. “I started taking school kids out to urban wildlife spaces, and national parks, by co-founding the Cuckoo Club,” Aman says. “I wanted to spread the idea that bird watching can be done by young children as well.”
As he entered his teens, Aman began sacrificing the “parties and weekend outings with friends” to travel instead. He would head to the hills of Uttarakahand and the deserts of Rajasthan, to document India’s immense variety of avian life. “I wanted to bring attention to India’s wildlife and national heritage. That is when this turned into a passion more than a hobby.”
In those early days, the young wildlife photographer wouldn’t always carry a high-end DSLR with all its trappings. He chose his Samsung phone instead, which was portable and allowed for more spontaneous shots. In fact, in 2020, during a Hampta Pass trek in Manali, he took a photo. He took it down later, thinking it wasn’t good enough. A couple of months later, during another road trip, he received an email from Samsung India, asking to feature his photograph. Although this was in the middle of the pandemic, offers began pouring in and Aman soon established himself as a wildlife photographer.
When he went to summer school at Ashoka Universities, a professor there told him about Environmental Studies. Aman immediately caught on to the idea, and was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania, after which he hopes to work in the climate and conservation space.
(June 10, 2022) As a 15-year-old visiting India from Saudi Arabia, Zain Samdani had no idea that this family vacation was set to change the course of his life. A meeting with his partially paralysed distant maternal uncle left him "shocked." In the era of technology, seeing his uncle dependent on others for every small thing was nothing short of a horror. That encounter nudged this robotics enthusiast and innovator to develop Neuro-ExoHeal, an exoskeletal hand rehabilitation device that utilises neuroplasticity and Azure technology to help patients with neurological damage recover faster at an affordable price. The innovation not only left Google CEO Sundar Pichai impressed but also made the 21-year-old win Microsoft 2022 Imagine Cup World Championship, which is considered as the 'Olympics of Technology' with more than 10,000 participants from 160 countries. "Having been interested in robotics from a very young age, I started working with prosthetic designs in 2013. But I realised that cosmetic prosthetic hand could cost between ₹1-₹2 lakh while a robotic prosthetic hand was available anywhere between ₹40-₹50 lakh. I knew that affordability was the key. But the meeting with my uncle only strengthened my passion to find an affordable solution," Zain tells Global Indian.
The Hyderabad-born moved to Saudi Arabia at a very young age with his project manager father and homemaker mother. When he noticed that his mom was always busy with household chores and raising kids, the then five-year-old Zain promised to make her a robot that would ease her burden. "It was that early that my love for robotics began," laughs Zain who is currently in India after wrapping up his first-year exams at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany.
For the Ashoka Young Changemaker 2021, it all started with that one idea and later progressed into in-depth research on the subject. However, things started to move when he began programming at age 12 and within a year, was into prosthetic designs. "For me it's a two-step process. I visualise the product in my head first, and then make it with a cardboard. Back then 3D printing was booming but was also expensive. To cut the cost, I reached out to Make India, a 3D printing company in Saudi Arabia who sent the code free of cost after hearing about the purpose behind it," says the innovator whose biggest takeaway from the incident was "to never stop asking."
How passion turned into a mission
The passion turned into a mission after the chance encounter with his paralysed uncle which led him to create ExoHeal. "It was upsetting to see that despite technological advancement in the world, nothing was done to help him move around." This nudged Zain to build a device based on the concept of neuroplasticity. Divided into a sensory glove for the functional hand and an exoskeletal robotic hand for the paralysed hand, the first prototype came into existence post extensive research and innumerable meetings with neuroscientists and physiotherapists.
During his research, the Global Teen Leader 2019 found that "the patients were frustrated with the system and had given up hope." This made Zain even more determined to give them a "sense of independence" and do things on their own, and led to the creation of Neuro-ExoHeal which helps a paralysed hand replicate a movement made by the functional hand. "The mirroring allows the neuron to trick the brain into believing that the paralysed hand is working perfectly, thus forming new neural connections."
The earliest prototype made him one of the 16 global finalists at the Google Science Fair in 2016, and later the advanced version recreated the magic in 2019. "My uncle could feel the sensation on the very first day of using Neuro-ExoHeal. It’s something that otherwise takes weeks or months to achieve," Zain beams with pride as his creation is on its way to a proper clinical trial in the next few months. "Pandemic in 2020 pushed the plans but now we are back on track," says the innovator who is happy with the initial response from many patients. "Seeing it work, many have been enquiring as to when it will be launched in the market."
Looking for a silver lining, always
Zain, who began as innovator and later moved to entrepreneurship, calls the journey transformative. "It essentially enabled me to look outward – to see what was going around me and make the right connection," reveals Zain who wants to make a two-fold impact. "I want to enable paralysed patients to regain independence and also want to work in the space of mental health."
The entrepreneur feels that overachievers like him are often under pressure to outdo themselves, and this takes a toll on mental health. It hit him hard in 2018 when was diagnosed with intermittent exotropia, a rare medical condition that doubles your vision every two or three hours. "It happened right before my boards and my studies were affected. My brain would shut down every few minutes due to constant doubling of my vision." Not one to give up, amidst the chaos, Zain decided to find the silver lining. "It gave me time to think about myself and that's when my raw artistic expression came out. I have been a painter but this break gave me time to explore my passions beyond innovation," says the innovator who recovered completely within two years with the help of rehabilitation. A poet and a painter, Zain loves unwinding with board games. For him, life is about knowing yourself but most importantly, making a positive impact that can change people’s lives.
(November 30, 2023) Financial markets have often fascinated Kashvi Jindal. As a child, she would regularly hear her father, a hedge fund founder, talk about it. She would even ask him if the markets have gone down or up, without even understanding the concept of markets. Growing up, her interest in the financial world only expanded. But unlike many, she wanted to use the financial knowledge to give back to the society. It was this factor that led her to start Invest the Change and bring about a change in the society. "It's a project driven by the ambition to raise awareness and facilitate access to government schemes on a broad scale, ultimately benefiting as many individuals as possible,” informs budding entrepreneur and socialist Kashvi Jindal, in conversation with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_34363" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Kashvi Jindal[/caption] Invest the Change Launched in January 2022, Invest the Change was founded with the goal of promoting financial literacy among the lower income sections of society. "The initial plan was to help people understand the basics of saving and investing, so they could make better financial decisions and build a corpus for the long term,” says the 17-year-old. However, after conducting a few
the goal of promoting financial literacy among the lower income sections of society. "The initial plan was to help people understand the basics of saving and investing, so they could make better financial decisions and build a corpus for the long term,” says the 17-year-old.
However, after conducting a few sessions with people at the Skill Development Center in New Delhi, it became apparent to her that the concept of saving and investment was not as relevant to lower income groups who often have limited resources and struggle to make ends meet. "Instead, their financial distress usually stemmed from medical emergencies, accidents, or a death in the family. This realisation hit me more when a house keeping staff of my housing society passed away after an accident,” says Kashvi, who participated in the Wharton Global Youth Program and did a course in communication skills from Trinity College, London.
The incident spurred her to research and explore government schemes that could provide much-needed relief for such situations. "Consequently, the focus of the project shifted from financial literacy to creating awareness about government schemes that could offer a safety net during times of financial distress," informs the teenager.
Challenges
But building trust within the group proved to be the most daunting obstacle. "Many individuals were hesitant to share their personal details due to fears of potential deception," says the class 12 student at Heritage Xperientialschool, Gurgaon.
The underlying concern was that linking government schemes to bank accounts might expose them to fraudulent activities. For Kashvi, overcoming this hurdle involved persistent efforts to demonstrate that her intentions are sincere and focused solely on providing access to government-backed schemes that can genuinely benefit them. "Emphasising that these initiatives are designed to channel benefits directly to the participants has been crucial in assuaging their apprehensions," she says.
Kashvi believes controlling one's finances can actually bring a significant change in their standard of living. "There are a variety of financial instruments that are available for the help of the poverty stricken families but they are unaware of these government schemes. So I wanted to be the one to bridge the gap and guide them to those government aids." Over the next 2-3 years, the goal is to expand the project's footprint nationwide, ensuring its imprint is felt across the country. “While the current focus centers on select government insurance schemes, the long-term objective is to encompass a wider array of government initiatives, enabling individuals to avail the benefits rightfully due to them but often overlooked due to lack of awareness.”
She aims to achieve this with a mid-term goal, which involves building a network of dedicated volunteers who can effectively disseminate information and extend the project's reach within their respective communities.
Additionally, an app has been developed that provides detailed scheme information and eligibility checks, allowing the project to engage with economically disadvantaged populations on a larger scale, informs the teenager, who envisions working at a more strategic level, establishing robust systems and processes that can accommodate the project's growth.
Delhi girl
Born in Delhi, Kashvi lived in Mumbai for the first three years where her father Gaurav Jindal was working. The family moved to Gurgaon in 2009 and have been here since.
Kashvi’s interest in financial markets prompted her to take up Economics, Maths, Accountancy and Business Studies as her major subjects in Class 11 and 12. “The interest in financial concepts pushed me to take AP course on Micro and macro economics in my grade 10 and I scored perfect 5 on both,” smiles the teenager, who worked on a research paper on adoption of cryptocurrency in India, which got published in journal of student research.
She has always been academically inclined and been in top 5 percent of her class. “I have always tried to enrich myself outside of my academic activities by focusing on extra curriculars and sports,” informs the budding entrepreneur, who was also an avid swimmer but had to leave it because of certain medical issues.
Youth Platform
Invest the Change is not her only initiative. In the summer of 2020, she launched the Youth Platform, an initiative to inculcate communication skills, through self curated courses, in students who do not have access to opportunities to excel at the same.
During the pandemic, she noticed that the marginalized communities were facing significant difficulties in accessing education.“I saw my house help, who has two children and was struggling to support their education. I was deeply moved. I began tutoring them.”
During one of the study sessions, the children expressed interest in Kashvi’s preparation for a Model United Nations conference, which sparked the idea for a simple debating program. The program had a significant impact on the children's confidence and sparked their interest in learning more. “As they shared their experiences with friends, more children expressed an interest in participating. Their enthusiasm motivated me to create a more structured program, which eventually evolved into Youth Platform,” says Kashvi of how her journey in helping the underprivileged took off.
She feels the youth of today need to have a platform to be able to express their thoughts and opinions confidently and effectively to the audience, which will help in independent thinking and global citizenship. “Through workshops, I have been able to help many children gain confidence to express their emotions and thoughts. The Youth Platform has taught kids to articulate their ideas in a formal debate format, rather than arguing or fighting.”
Since 2021, she has guided 500 students across 10 NGOs. “At Youth Platform, we recognise that building a strong foundation is the key to empowering the communicators of tomorrow,” she feels.
Raising awareness
Of late, Kashvi has been conducting sessions focused on two main themes: raising awareness about various government schemes and assisting individuals in accessing them, and promoting financial literacy to help people understand the fundamental concepts of investing and saving.
“To date, we have reached approximately 3,000 individuals and facilitated benefits totaling ₹20 crore. By introducing these schemes to our audience, we have witnessed increased confidence among people, knowing that they won't fall into a debt trap during emergencies,” informs Kashvi.
For instance, there was a driver who had postponed a recommended surgery for two years due to financial constraints. However, after enrolling in the PMJAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna), he was able to undergo the surgery and significantly improve his quality of life. “Additionally, we have witnessed cases where families, who lost their primary breadwinner, were able to receive insurance money to alleviate some of their financial distress.”
For both Invest the Change and Youth Platform, there are teams comprising passionate volunteers. “We find a volunteer whom we train and who can take things forward. The idea is to multiply the impact by creating self-sustaining groups,” she says.
Diverse interests
Kashvi is passionate about debating, MUN (Model United Nation) conferences, fitness, travel and photography. A versatile trader, she enjoys everything from The Palace of Illusions to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and People We Meet on Vacation.
“Music is my constant companion complimenting my diverse interests,” says Kashvi, who plays guitar and likes to watch Shark Tank, Gilmore Girls, Scam 1992 and Friends.
(December 13, 2024) At just 17 years old, Ishan Parmar is changing lives and breaking barriers. Recently, he was honoured with the Diana Award 2024 for his efforts to tackle caste-based discrimination and support Dalit children in India and Nepal through education and advocacy. “I’ve always believed that education can change lives. Growing up hearing stories about caste discrimination inspired me to take action,” said Ishan, the founder of the Global Dalit Development Organisation (GDDO), a youth-led initiative making a real difference across South Asia. The Start of a Mission It all began at the age of 13 during a visit to a rural village school in India. "The lack of basic educational facilities and resources struck me profoundly. I saw classrooms without proper infrastructure, scarce supplies, and an overworked teacher managing all subjects," he recalled. This stark contrast to his own educational experience in the United States sparked a deep sense of responsibility in him. "It motivated me to dedicate a significant portion of my time to improving the lives of marginalised communities," the Global Indian said. [caption id="attachment_40942" align="aligncenter" width="559"] Ishan Parmar[/caption] Ishan's inspiration came from his family’s experiences and his own life. Growing up in a Gujarati
Ishan's inspiration came from his family’s experiences and his own life. Growing up in a Gujarati Dalit family in New Jersey, he remained closely connected to the struggles faced by Dalits. “I remember a babysitter refusing to eat from our utensils because of our caste. That moment stayed with me and pushed me to learn more about inequality," he shared. Inspired by the writings of Dr. BR Ambedkar, Ishan decided to focus his energy on creating systemic change.
Trips to rural schools in India and Nepal had a big impact on him. “I met children who wanted to learn but didn’t have access to basic resources. It felt wrong not to do something to help,” he said. These experiences led him to start GDDO, combining education, advocacy, and art to fight discrimination.
Creating Change on the Ground
By combining education with art and advocacy, Ishan has developed initiatives that have impacted lives on both sides of the Atlantic. Through GDDO, Ishan has supported over 500 Dalit children, providing them with resources for education, housing, and healthcare. These efforts have empowered many to break free from cycles of poverty and pursue opportunities previously out of reach. “I am most proud of witnessing the positive changes in individuals’ lives due to my efforts. For instance, helping a tribal student become the first graduate in his family was incredibly fulfilling,” said Ishan. Another success story involved a young girl who, with the organization’s help, chose education over following her mother into prostitution.
In the United States, GDDO has also hosted workshops for over 200 children, using painting, math tutoring, and other activities to inspire youth to think about social justice.
Ishan’s initiatives are not limited to awareness. He has raised significant funds through innovative campaigns. For instance, he revitalized an overlooked “Support a Child” program that allows donors to sponsor a child’s education for just nine dollars a month. Despite initial skepticism from volunteers, he demonstrated the program’s potential through successful trial presentations, achieving an 80% donation rate and significantly increasing support for his cause.
Spreading Awareness Globally
Ishan’s work goes beyond helping individual communities. He launched Global Caste Awareness Day, an initiative to shine a light on discrimination faced by marginalised groups all over the world. His efforts include not just Dalits in South Asia, but also the Rome in Europe and other underserved communities.
“Discrimination isn’t limited to one place. It’s a global issue, and we need to work together to address it,” he explained.
Inspiring Youth Leadership
Ishan Parmar believes in empowering other young people to lead. He mentors dozens of students through GDDO, teaching them how to run their own projects. “Volunteering isn’t just about helping others—it changes you too. I’ve seen people grow into leaders because of it,” he shared.
In one project, Ishan encouraged 27 of his peers to get involved in community service. “Every small action adds up. That’s how we create lasting change,” he said.
Big Dreams for the Future
Ishan was recently invited to a United Nations event as a youth community leader, where he met others working on similar goals. “It was inspiring to share ideas and see how connected our work is,” he revealed.
A high school senior, Ishan plans to study public policy and dreams of becoming a politician to bring about lasting change. “I want to work on creating policies that make life better for everyone, especially those who are left out,” he says.
When he’s not working on GDDO projects, Ishan enjoys reading, movies, and spending time with family. His favorite subject is English, which allows him to express his ideas and write about the causes he cares about.
A Bright Future
As Ishan looks ahead, he hopes to expand GDDO’s reach. “There’s so much more we can do. I want to work with other organisations to make an even bigger impact,” he said.
Through his unwavering commitment to social justice, Ishan Parmar is changing lives for the better. By addressing systemic issues like caste-based discrimination and lack of access to education, he is building a brighter future for marginalized children. Winning the Diana Award 2024 is one of many milestones in a journey that continues to inspire and drive meaningful change across the globe.
(September 27, 2023) "1 in 8 people do not have access to clean water, it's a crying issue that needs to be addressed," said Portland resident Chaitanya Karamchedu. Living in the part of the US where the Willamette River and Columbia River converge, the Indian-American teenager saw that despite the presence of two large water bodies, people still had problems accessing clean water. This nudged the Jesuit High School student to come up with an innovative idea to convert seawater into drinking water, an invention that won him $10,000 at Intel’s International Science Fair. It all began when Chaitanya found that millions of lives are endangered due to a lack of clean and drinkable water, especially in developing countries like India. As per stats, 163 million Indians lack access to safe drinking water. "The best access for water is the sea, so 70 percent of the planet is covered in water and almost all of that is the ocean, but the problem is that's salt water," he said in an interview. For years, the idea of isolating drinking water from saline water has baffled scientists. Moreover, he discovered that desalination was inaccessible in many remote coastal areas due to its
tal areas due to its high implementation costs. This made him more determined to create an economical solution for seawater salination.
The idea struck him in his high school lab. "The real genesis of the idea was realising that seawater is not fully saturated with salt," he revealed. This led him to work with an absorbent polymer to filter out pure water from the water bonded with salt. Unlike traditional thinking that considered seawater as fully saturated with salt, he found that only 10 percent of seawater was actually saline, while the remaining 90 percent remained untapped and not bonded to salt particles. Staying away from conventional desalination efforts, Chaitanya focused on this abundant 90 percent of seawater that was not directly saturated with salt. His goal was to develop a cost-effective method to extract drinkable water from this portion. This novel approach has the potential to revolutionize access to clean and safe drinking water for millions of people worldwide who currently struggle with inadequate water resources.
The widely practiced method of desalination not only faces challenges related to cost but also raises environmental concerns. High energy consumption is one of the primary drawbacks of conventional desalination techniques, which has raised environmental concerns due to its carbon footprint and potential ecological impacts. Chaitanya's innovative approach to desalination, however, offers a promising alternative by being a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution.
If his method proves to be scalable and sustainable, it could not only provide a more environmentally friendly way to produce freshwater but also significantly reduce the economic burden associated with desalination projects. This kind of innovation is essential for ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water while minimising the negative impacts on the environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1v7Fkcrhmk
Chaitanya, who was also named among the Regeneron Science Talent Research semifinalists, has made a groundbreaking discovery that stands as an example of the power of innovation and dedication in addressing one of humanity's most pressing challenges — access to clean and safe drinking water. His unwavering commitment to finding a solution has the potential to transform the lives of countless individuals around the world.
(August 22, 2024) Meet Eshna Agrawal, who has an extraordinary academic powerhouse with a deep-rooted passion for STEM and an illustrious track record, is the brain behind the climate change documentary Salary which debuted at the COP28 held in UAE. She has not only earned several international medals in prestigious Olympiads but also possesses a versatile musical talent, holding a Senior Diploma in Hindustani classical vocal music and displaying expertise in Western classical piano. Her martial arts prowess is evident in her red belt in Taekwondo, while her exceptional aptitude in Abacus has crowned her as a Grandmaster in the field. Eshna is a dedicated social activist committed to environmental causes and is a TEDx Countdown speaker. A budding entrepreneur with a fervent enthusiasm for finance, she is all of 17. [caption id="attachment_38908" align="aligncenter" width="494"] Eshna Agrawal[/caption] Early Start Growing up in the embrace of an extended family that encompassed four generations living together under one roof provided Agrawal with a wealth of experiences and a mosaic of perspectives. “From my earliest years, my parents embedded in me the fundamental values of tradition, culture, respect, and hard work, laying the bedrock of my character. Encouraged from a young age to
al with a wealth of experiences and a mosaic of perspectives. “From my earliest years, my parents embedded in me the fundamental values of tradition, culture, respect, and hard work, laying the bedrock of my character. Encouraged from a young age to dream big, their unwavering support has been pivotal. Witnessing my great-grandfather's philanthropy left an enduring impact, shaping my commitment to generosity, social responsibility, humility, and equality. Growing up as an elder sister instilled in me a sense of responsibility,” she tells Global Indian. Her early years in school played a pivotal role in fostering a deep love for learning. Surrounded by an environment that encouraged academic curiosity, she found herself being a naturally inquisitive child. This curiosity led her to explore a diverse range of activities and interests, allowing her to develop into a well-rounded individual.
Wearing Many Hats
Currently studying AS level physics, chemistry, and math at The Sanskaar Valley School, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, she is equally interested in mathematical economics research and robotics. So much so that she has qualified for World Robot Olympiad nationals. Her musical journey began at the tender age of three, culminating in a senior diploma in Hindustani classical vocal music and western classical piano trinity exams. A Taekwondo red belt, she has competed nationally and is an Abacus Grandmaster having cleared all 13 levels, over the last 11 years, and has won various international, national, and regional competitions. She is involved in several projects involving education inequality, gender inequality, carbon credits, and social entrepreneurship.
With several internships in various sectors- banking, finance, management, sustainability, she is also a TEDx Speaker.
She is the Director, Producer, Voiceover artist/ Narrator, Writer, Interviewer, Director of Photography, Researcher, Marketer and distributor of Salary, a documentary about climate change’s effect on the salt industry and an indigenous tribe Agariya that had a World Premiere at UN COP 28 in December 2023. “Salary explores the profound impact of climate change on India's traditional salt industry and the Agariyas, the indigenous salt harvesters. It highlights the crucial role these communities play in maintaining a vital resource for diverse applications, from daily needs to advanced technology,” she says, adding, “The documentary vividly illustrates how escalating climate change, manifesting in altered weather patterns and rising temperatures, threatens this delicate industry. As salt production dwindles, global repercussions loom. The film combines striking visuals and personal narratives to demonstrate the intricate link between climate sustainability and the increasingly vulnerable practice of traditional salt harvesting.”
Balancing Act
She attributes achieving success in both academics and extracurriculars to a robust support system that comes from unwavering faith and guidance from her teachers and the senior management team at school. “They have not only provided invaluable guidance but have also created an environment that fosters growth and exploration. Additionally, my parents play a crucial role in helping me maintain balance and coordination between academics and extracurricular pursuits, ensuring a holistic and well-rounded approach to my education,” says Agrawal.
[caption id="attachment_38910" align="aligncenter" width="682"] A still from Salary[/caption]
Eco Warrior
In her capacity as a 17-year-old environmental activist, she has spearheaded various projects aimed at achieving net-zero goals, promoting environmental consciousness through corporate social responsibility, and advocating for the adoption of renewable energy. “A pivotal aspect of my activism involves creating awareness, and my documentary, centred on climate change's impact on the salt industry and an indigenous tribe, serves as a powerful tool for this purpose. Additionally, I recently delivered a TEDx talk, further amplifying the message,” says Agrawal. Contrary to perceiving her age as a hindrance, she views it as her greatest asset in this advocacy.
“Our generation bears the responsibility of dealing with the consequences of environmental issues, compelling us to take decisive action. I believe our youthfulness not only empowers us to make a substantial impact but also enhances our ability to convey a sense of urgency and sincerity, making our voices resonate more effectively in the realm of environmental activism. Rather than viewing climate change solely as a threat, we, as hopeful young advocates, perceive it as an opportunity. It's a chance for individuals, companies, and nations to unite, fostering innovation, economic growth, and a sense of interconnectedness that transcends discrimination, emphasizing our shared humanity. This optimistic approach shapes our commitment to environmental causes, viewing them not only as responsibilities but as avenues for positive transformation and a more sustainable future,” she adds.
Entrepreneurial Role
In her pursuit as a budding entrepreneur, she has engaged in diverse experiences to cultivate a well-rounded skill set. Her roles have extended to encompass accounting and fund management, and she has assumed responsibilities as a workshop supervisor intern. “Growing up in a business-oriented family, our dinner table conversations have naturally revolved around business dynamics, sparking, and nurturing my innate interest in entrepreneurship. My goal is to establish and lead my own company, leveraging the invaluable insights gained from these experiences,” she says. Recognising the critical challenge of climate change, she views it not only as a problem but also as a substantial opportunity for innovation, business, and employment. “In my entrepreneurial journey, I aspire to integrate sustainability by adopting a PPP approach: prioritising People, Planet, and Prosperity. By aligning business endeavours with these principles, I aim to contribute to positive change while building a successful and socially responsible enterprise,” she says.
Learning Blocks
Overcoming challenges has been a dynamic process, rooted in resilience and a problem-solving mindset. Whether navigating the complexities of academic pursuits or tackling obstacles in extracurricular endeavours, she approaches challenges as opportunities for growth. Leveraging a robust support system, including mentors, teachers, and family, has provided invaluable guidance during challenging times. “Additionally, cultivating adaptability and maintaining a positive outlook have been instrumental. Each challenge becomes a chance to learn, adapt, and emerge stronger, reinforcing my belief that setbacks are stepping stones to success,” she says. Several valuable lessons have shaped her journey thus far. “Firstly, perseverance is key; facing challenges with resilience has consistently led to growth. Secondly, the importance of a support system cannot be overstated; mentors, teachers, and family play pivotal roles. Thirdly, a proactive and adaptable mindset is crucial in navigating the dynamic landscape of both academics and personal pursuits. Furthermore, the significance of continuous learning and curiosity has been underscored, fuelling my diverse interests. Lastly, the understanding that setbacks are integral to the journey, providing opportunities for reflection and improvement, has been a guiding principle,” says Agrawal.
Looking Ahead
In her free time, she likes to be informed about global news across various sectors, fostering a broader perspective. As a passionate foodie, she indulges in trying diverse foods and cuisines, savouring the cultural richness each dish offers. “Like any typical teenager, I relish spending quality time with my family, going out with friends, and creating memorable moments while blasting music on drives,” she smiles. Her next plans include pursuing a degree in engineering, channelling her passion for STEM subjects into academic and professional endeavours.
“I aim to delve into innovative projects, contribute to technological advancements, and ultimately carve a path that allows me to make a meaningful impact to my community. I am driven by a passion for entrepreneurship. I aspire to channel my technical knowledge into creating a business venture that not only embraces innovation but also prioritizes social impact. With a focus on environmental sustainability and addressing societal challenges, I aim to establish a business that contributes positively to both the technological landscape and the community. My vision encompasses leveraging my engineering skills to not only drive technological advancements but also to establish a business with a strong commitment to making a meaningful and lasting social impact,” she says. She is working towards launching a school for Agariya children, in collaboration with NGOs.
Zain Samdani[/caption]
Ishan Parmar[/caption]
A still from Salary[/caption]
So good and informative.