Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveAnahat Singh: Squash sensation making India proud on global stage

Anahat Singh: Squash sensation making India proud on global stage

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(September 8, 2023) It was the sound of the ball hitting the wall that made Anahat Singh fall in love with squash. As a youngster, she accompanied her elder sister Amira, who was one of the country’s top-rated under-19 players, for her squash matches. At the age of eight, her passion for squash grew so much that like her sister, she picked up the squash racquet. At the age of 14, she became the youngest athlete to represent India at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and this August, she clinched a gold in the U-17 category of the Asian Junior Squash Individual Championships.

Anahat Singh

But squash wasn’t her first love. At six years of age, she first saw PV Sindhu play at the India Open in Delhi, and soon became fascinated with the sport. So much so that she started to pursue squash and even won a handful of youth-level tournaments in Delhi. With supportive parents, who themselves played hockey in their youth, Anahat and Amira were always encouraged to follow their passion. But soon she bartered her badminton racquet for a squash racquet. “Anahat loved badminton but as parents, we used to travel with Amira for tournaments and Anahat did not want to be left alone in the house. That played a big part in her switching to squash from badminton,” Anahat’s mother Tani Vadehra told PTI. Her sister soon started coaching Anahat, and later under the guidance of former national-level squash players Amjad Khan and Ashraf Hussein, Anahat was ready to take on the world of squash.

In no time, Anahat claimed the title of India’s top-ranked player in the under-11 category. Progressing to the under-13 category, she not only secured the No. 1 position in India but also ascended to the pinnacle in both the Asian and European rankings. In 2019, she rose to prominence by securing the gold medal in the under-11 girls’ category at the British Open squash tournament, marking a historic achievement for India. Later the same year, she clinched a bronze medal at the Asian junior championships.

Throughout 2020, Anahat Singh, a student at the British School in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri, collected silver medals at both the British and Malaysian Junior Open tournaments. However, the global outbreak of COVID-19 disrupted her progress. Anahat’s return to the squash court was triumphant as she claimed the junior (under-15) squash title at the 2021 US Open in Philadelphia, making her the inaugural Indian female champion across any age division at the US Open. The following year, 2022, proved to be even more remarkable. Adding to her impressive collection, Anahat secured titles at the German and Dutch Open tournaments. Additionally, she clinched the under-15 gold medal at the Asian junior squash championships held in Thailand in June. Currently training under French coach Stephane Galifi, 15-year-old Anahat won the gold medal in the U-17 category of the Asian Junior Squash Individual Championships.

✨ Let your day end on a wonderful note with this amazing update folks ✨

➡️ 15 yrs young Anahat Singh is U-17 Asian Squash Champion.
➡️ Anahat becomes 1st ever Indian female Squash player to win this title (U17 category).
➡️Last year, Anahat had won U-15 Asian title. pic.twitter.com/q5s4HzluVD

— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) August 20, 2023

Anahat Singh’s journey in the world of squash has been nothing short of extraordinary. With her unwavering determination, remarkable skills, and a trail of victories that have shattered records and crossed borders, she has truly left an indelible mark on the sport. From her historic wins on prestigious stages to her constant pursuit of excellence, Anahat has become a source of inspiration for aspiring athletes and a pride for her nation. As she continues to redefine the limits of achievement in squash, there is no doubt that her legacy will continue to shine brightly and motivate generations to come.

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Published on 08, Sep 2023

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Changing the way we build: Architect Medha Priya is India’s young champion of sustainable infrastructure

(April 20, 2023) The importance of green and sustainable buildings cannot be overstated in the context of today's ever-growing climate crisis. As urbanisation continues to accelerate, the demand for new infrastructure increases, presenting a unique opportunity to shift towards sustainable construction practices that have a lasting positive impact on the environment. One person who is working hard towards this cause, is architect Medha Priya. Making waves in the fight against climate change by championing green and sustainable buildings, the young United Nations champion has dedicated her career to creating eco-friendly structures that not only benefit the environment but also help in reducing energy consumption. "Sustainable architecture can play a crucial role in combating climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting energy efficiency, and reducing the environmental footprint of buildings," the Global Indian said, while discussing the importance of sustainable building designs, adding, "Sustainable buildings prioritise the use of energy-efficient design strategies and thus reduce the energy demand of buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also incorporates design features such as green roofs, living walls, and rain gardens. These features can mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff, and improve air quality." Discovering a passion for sustainable

ce the energy demand of buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also incorporates design features such as green roofs, living walls, and rain gardens. These features can mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce stormwater runoff, and improve air quality."

Discovering a passion for sustainable architecture

The Bengaluru-based architect, who is currently a key member of the United Nation's ‘We The Change’ initiative, had just completed her X standard when an incident shocked her. In April 2013, an eight-story garment factory building called Rana Plaza collapsed in Dhaka, killing 1,132 and injuring more than 2,500 people. The collapse was attributed to poor construction, substandard building materials, and disregard for construction codes. Known as one of the world’s worst industrial accidents owing to irresponsible decision-making and neglect, the incident greatly inspired Medha's career choice.

"I had just completed my board examination when this incident took place. The incident was entirely preventable. At that age, I didn’t know anything about green spaces or sustainability, but all I knew was, someone has to make better spaces for people to live or work in and that was the beginning of my journey." the architect said.

Soon after finishing school, the youngster joined the renowned Birla Institute of Technology to pursue an undergraduate course in architecture. It was while she was working on a college project that the architect realised how much harm unsustainable constructions do to the planet. Explaining her research, she said, "About 37 per cent of greenhouse gases comes out of the construction activity. When I realised how polluting it is to the planet, I decided to work for the environment and help the country make greener infrastructures. I joined one of the sustainability consultancies in Delhi where I got the opportunity to look at the designs of the buildings, approve construction materials and convey strategies to maintain good working conditions for the workers."

Women power and the green movement

Currently pursuing her Masters in Design at the National Institute of Design, Bangalore, the young architect is running a global awareness programme about sustainable infrastructure. The architect is also a vocal champion of women's leadership in the field and has been doing her bit to educate young girls about the current climate crisis with ‘ABC of SDGs’ classes. "If women are represented more in climate action decision-making, it will help mobilise communities and drive social and environmental change, especially at the grassroots level," she said, during a press interaction, adding, "Women are more likely than men to experience the impacts of climate change, particularly in developing countries. They bring unique perspectives and solutions to the climate crisis, drawing on their experiences and knowledge of the communities they live in. By promoting women’s leadership in the climate movement, we can foster new ideas and approaches to addressing the climate crisis."

Spreading the word

The architect, who goes to different colleges and schools now and then only to talk about the climate crisis the world is facing, sustainable development goals, and the need to achieve them for a safe and better world, has a big plan ahead. After completing her masters, she wishes to move ahead and design something which not just benefits a few hundred people living in a building but can help as many people as possible. "As infrastructure is an important sector for the overall development of any country, it is important to regulate and assess upcoming projects for their impact on the environment. I wish to move towards designing solutions that will help people overall," said the champion.

Follow Medha Priya on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 mins

Young environmentalist Sanju Soman is working on building model villages

(May 15, 2022) Back in 2012, a 19-year-old student based in Thiruvananthapuram started an NGO named SARSAS (Save A Rupee Spread a Smile), which aimed at encouraging charity and social work in youngsters. Almost a decade later, environmentalist Sanju was selected as one of the young climate leaders from India by the United Nations as part of their campaign ‘We the Change’, for his exceptional work, in 2021. [caption id="attachment_16665" align="aligncenter" width="701"] Sanju Soman[/caption] Currently, Sanju is tirelessly working on several environmental issues through his NGO Sustera Foundation, which drives collective action through capacity building training, campaigns and policy dialogues to equip communities to adapt better to climate disasters and climate change. "Change should happen now and at a very fast rate," advocates Sanju, during an interview with Global Indian, adding, "During my college days, when I was working towards initiating SARSAS, I realised that there are a lot of youngsters who are ready to do social work but they are unable to do so, due to the lack of a proper platform." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sanju Soman (@sanju.changemaker) Some of the major programmes that Sanju initiated in the last ten years

initiating SARSAS, I realised that there are a lot of youngsters who are ready to do social work but they are unable to do so, due to the lack of a proper platform."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sanju Soman (@sanju.changemaker)

Some of the major programmes that Sanju initiated in the last ten years are rainwater harvesting project in Malayinkeezhu, a drought-prone region in Kerala and Trivandrum, an annual charity run to raise funds for financially needy patients suffering from critical diseases. The environmentalist also undertook a 10-day cycling expedition, covering the Western Ghats from Mumbai to Bengaluru in early 2015.

A green panther

A native of Adoor in Kerala, Sanju grew up in Saudi Arabia, where his father worked as a laboratory technician. Although he was attending an excellent school, Sanju would eagerly wait for vacation time, when he would get to come to India. "Saudi back in the day had many restrictions. I was the only child, and didn't have many friends. So, I felt lonely some times. However, back in India, I had several friends. My grandparents lived in a beautiful home, and I remember as a child I would visit paddy field with my grandfather, and loved exploring the village," shares the environmentalist.

[caption id="attachment_16666" align="aligncenter" width="438"] A childhood image of Sanju[/caption]

His love for Kerala made him shift his base soon after finishing his class X in Saudi. "My last two years of schooling were awesome. I made so many friends, and was even involved the co-curricular activities at school," says Sanju, who describes himself as an above average student. After finishing school, while other students were confused whether to pursue engineering or medicine, Sanju chose to study human psychology from SN College in Thiruvananthapuram.

[caption id="attachment_16667" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Sanju during a workshop[/caption]

However, it was during his graduation years that Sanju started getting involved in various voluntary organisations. "I started SARSAS in 2013, which turned out to be one of the largest youth-led NGOs in Trivandrum. The idea was to create a space for young people where they can share their thoughts and discuss about varied social issues, without any hesitations or fear of being judged," shares the nature activist. Through their efforts, SARSAS raised around Rs 70 lakh over five years to support cancer patients, who were from vulnerable communities. The team also launched several social projects, which involved about 300 to 500 volunteers.

Creating a "model wetland village"

During his post-graduation in Climate Change and Sustainability Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Studies (TISS), the environmentalist joined the Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDeG) as a Research Intern in 2015, where he worked for two months. After he came back from Ladakh, Sanju joined the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and led the Habitat learning project in 2016. There he trained teachers and students of government schools near the Vembanad Lake in Kerala for a period of two years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sanju Soman (@sanju.changemaker)

"Vembanad lake is the second largest Ramsar wetland site in India and also one of the most diverse and flood-prone regions in Kerala. Realising the importance of the lake, we engaged with the villagers in teaching the students and teachers about climate change and the importance of habitat conservation with a focus on wetlands, especially the one that they live by," Sanju explains. This work made him one of the 58 Global school ambassadors from across the world, chosen by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN-SDSN) to scale up SDG education in schools.

[caption id="attachment_16669" align="aligncenter" width="751"] Women of Muhamma village working at the social innovation lab[/caption]

It was around this time that Sanju started working on the concept of making a wetland village sustainable and self-sufficient. "Muhamma is a small village which is also part of the Vembanad-Kol Ramsar wetland site. While I was attending a panchayat meeting there, I learnt about the struggles of the fishing community people residing there, especially the women. They were talking about how the increasing plastic pollution was affecting their livelihoods. So, we developed a three-year plan to make the panchayat energy efficient, plastic-free, and also to improve the livelihood of people,” the environmentalist says.

[caption id="attachment_16668" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Sanju, along with several other environmentalists. during an event[/caption]

The programme was affected due to the COVID situation in the country, and the tasks are still a work-in-progress. "There have been drastic changes like reduced plastic consumption, increase in tree cover in the area and recovery of canals,” he says. To empower the ladies in the area, Sanju also set up a social innovation lab, through which Sustera trained over 150 women from the fishing communities on cloth upcycling. He was also part of an initiative to make Muhamma the first synthetic sanitary napkin-free village.

The road ahead

Along with his friends, Sanju started a social enterprise named BHAVA in 2018 to support those women making upcycled goods to sell their products in the market. They succeeded in providing a minimum wage of Rs 5,000 per month to around 40 women through this as an additional income. The environmentalist also launched one of the largest upcycling efforts in Kerala and converted around 30,000 kg of cloth waste into usable products.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sanju Soman (@sanju.changemaker)

Simultaneously, Sanju founded Sustera Foundation, an NGO, to train youngsters in climate action, capacity building of local self-government institutions, and supporting climate entrepreneurs. The NGO has mentored over 70 entrepreneur teams over the past few years.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sanju Soman (@sanju.changemaker)

Currently residing in London with his wife Sonu, Sanju works with World Institute of Sustainable Energy. His research centers on understanding and facilitating multi-level climate governance in Kerala. “I met Sonu while we were working at the ATREE and our ideologies matched. We didn’t want an extravagant wedding. Instead, we used the money kept for the wedding to help people in need during the pandemic. We also used some money to develop a Miyawaki forest in a small piece of land,” says the environmentalist, who is also managing Sustera with its new initiatives in Kerala like creating an ecosystem for green enterprises and eco-restoration.

Follow Sanju Soman on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram

Reading Time: 7 mins

How Alina Alam’s “Mitti” gate empowers by employing 106 differently-abled in 17 cafes

(January 1, 2022) Alina Alam wears many hats. Entrepreneur, TedX speaker, Forbes 30 under 30, and Commonwealth Youth Award finalist. Winning awards is her zeitgeist — The NCPEDEP Mindtree Hellen Keller Award, the Microsoft Nipman Award, yes, the list is long and impressive. However, away from these accolades is a girl who cares and believes in the power of positive action. Bringing smiles to the differently-abled is what gives her immense joy, and if she can play matchmaker to some, then that’s all the better. Alam built Mitti Café to help people with disabilities join the workforce and compete with the best in business. Thanks to the café, there are people with visual and hearing impairments, Asperger’s and Down’s syndrome feeling the warmth of a life fulfilled. Today, Mitti Café has 17 outlets across India, and has served over 6 million meals. What’s more, the clientele of hip and happening youngsters love tucking into their favourites from the menu that is also in Braille. A café like no other, when workplace accommodation is a struggle for the differently-abled across India, the café and Alina Alam have blazed new trails by employing the disabled. The journey began at empowerment The girl

ull wp-image-9090 aligncenter" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2021/12/alina.jpg" alt="Global Indian youth alina alam" width="720" height="722" />

The journey began at empowerment

The girl from Kolkata was no doubt egged on by her HR executive father, and her mother who is a homemaker. Her siblings often help in her cafe activities. Her sense of compassion comes no doubt from being raised in a family where monetary aspirations were not important, a social purpose was.

When Alam, 29, started the cafe, her mission was to empower persons with disabilities by providing them opportunities to succeed. Looking back, Alam says that it’s been a many-splendored journey.

She was just 23 when she first thought of doing something different and socially relevant. Pursuing her master’s in development studies at the Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, a documentary film on Roman emperor Nero left her with no doubt on her path ahead. The film showed Nero treating prisoners of war with extreme brutality before large crowds as the guests watched in silence or enjoyed the spectacle. It disturbed Alam. “I felt that the problem was not Nero as I feel the world will always have people like him. The problem was with the individuals who treated others as inconsequential. What if I am one of the guests at Nero’s party? If something wrong is happening and you are not taking sides, that means you are on the side of the oppressor,” she tells Global Indian Youth.

She then skipped campus placements and volunteered for organisations in the disability inclusion space. “I was passionate about doing something for the disabled,” she says. While working with Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled in Bengaluru, she saw what the differently-abled are capable of. “I understood that they have enormous potential but lack opportunities. They just need someone to guide and upskill them. What better way to reach out and connect them to the world than through food?” smiles Alam. Mitti Café was born, and the differently-abled got a new lease of life.

From dust to dust

The name of the cafe is unique. “Mitti” n Hindi means soil. “The concept is that everyone belongs to the soil and, we all will return to the soil one day. So, everyone is equal,” she adds.

It has been a rollercoaster ride since 2017, but a very fulfilling one. “Entrepreneurship is challenging. I had zero experience and no capital,” she remembers. So, she put on a brave face, and went door-to-door in Hubli, Karnataka, with pamphlets written in bold, calling the disabled to join her with no bar on age, education or experience. Only one person joined her. “She almost crawled in,” Alam smiles. “I got positive strength, and the journey started with one staff who was wheel-chair bound,” she adds.

A café office in Hubli in a dilapidated tin hut infested with rats, slowly things started falling in place, and Alam opened the first branch at the BVB College of Engineering and Technology campus in Hubli in August 2017.

In four years, she has opened 17 cafés in Bengaluru and Kolkata. Not content, Alam also provides experiential training and employment to adults with physical and intellectual disabilities so that they can get gainful employment. The organisation also creates awareness about inclusion and disability rights.

With 106 adults with special needs managing Mitti Cafés, the chain has served over 6 million meals in just four years. “We have 16 cafés within institutions such as Wipro, Infosys, Accenture, Wells Fargo Cytecare Hospital,” adds Alam.

The café has self-explanatory menu cards printed in Braille, are disabled-friendly, with no compromise on ambience. Then, there is the warm smile of the staffers to put one at ease. One of the critical features of the café is the extensive training programme, so the cafés are able to compete with the best in the business. “Our training includes hygiene, culinary skills, sessions about prevention of sexual harassment, etc,” explains Alam, who schooled at Modern High School for Girls and did psychology at Sophia College for Women.

The girl who makes lives better

During the pandemic too, Alam has been on point. The MITTI Karuna Meals gave migrants and others sustenance, serving over 7.2 lakh meals with plans to expand to thousands more. Alam, also recently got married to a Mumbai-based entrepreneur. She recalls the many rejections early on for her venture so when she got a call from Deshpande Foundation under condition that she move to Hubli, she moved lock, stock and barrel.

On her first foray in Hubli, she says, “I learnt the best lessons of resilience through the struggles. I also got to meet Narayan Murthy, who visited our cafe. That is how the Infosys cafe happened a year later,” she says. The Kolkata born Alam loves crooning, and is a newspaper junkie, which helps her stay abreast.

Today, her exuberance is double - she would like to start the café in every major city, with plans afoot for an outlet in Hyderabad in 2022, and wants to follow it up with Chennai and Mumbai. “Then I want to take Mitti Cafe international,” avers the girl whose belief and conviction have created a legacy to a section of society that has finally got its own girl saviour.

Follow Alina Alam on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 8 mins

‘Dhing Express’ Hima Das: The sprinter who is compared with a super-fast train

(October 5, 2022) Sprinter Hima Das created history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at a track event at the  IAAF World U20 Championships in 2018 in Finland. Owing to her fantastic sports performances back-to-back, the Assam-born athlete was appointed as the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) under Assam’s state integrated sport policy in 2021. Proud to wear this uniform and fortunate enough to serve my state and my country on two fields. Hima posted on social media, donning her police uniform with pride. The Bannerghatta Biological Park named a tigress cub 'Hima' to honour the sprinter. The youngster also holds the national record for clocking 400 meters in 50.79 seconds at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. She is only the second athlete to have done her state proud by bringing home a gold at an international sporting event, after 1940-born Bhogeswar Baruah, who had won gold at the 1966 Asian Games. “I don't show tension and nervousness but I know how fast my heart beats before a race,” Hima had admitted in an interview with Olympics.com. [caption id="attachment_22672" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Hima Das with Sachin Tendulkar[/caption] Journey of the Dhing Express Born in 2000, Hima is nicknamed Dhing Express, after

aruah, who had won gold at the 1966 Asian Games.

“I don't show tension and nervousness but I know how fast my heart beats before a race,” Hima had admitted in an interview with Olympics.com.

[caption id="attachment_22672" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Hima Das with Sachin Tendulkar[/caption]

Journey of the Dhing Express

Born in 2000, Hima is nicknamed Dhing Express, after the town near which she was born in Assam. As a child, she aspired to become a football player and loved playing the sport with the boys of her school in the village. However, the physical education teacher of the school identified her talent as a sprinter and motivated her to take it further. Although Hima’s only experience was of running through her village’s muddy rice fields, she followed his advice and as they say, the rest is history!

Born in Kandhulimari village near Dhing, to a farmer couple named Ronjit and Jonali Das, Hima is the youngest of five siblings. She attended Dhing Public High School and later, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya. After passing her senior secondary exam in 2019, Hima went on to pursue bachelor of arts in Cotton University, Assam.

[caption id="attachment_22670" align="aligncenter" width="751"] Sprinter on track[/caption]

Eventful achievements in the 18th year of life

2018 was an eventful year for the Global Indian. She won the 400 m final at the IAAF World U-20 Championships held at Tampere, Finland, clocking 51.46 seconds.

Indian track-and-field legend and former Olympian, PT Usha, gave the young athlete a rave review on social media:

Hima was inundated with congratulations from well-wishers across the country, including the president, Prime Minister, sport ministers and Bollywood personalities.

At the 2018 Asian Games, she qualified for the 400 m final, after clocking 51.00 in heat 1. She set a new Indian national record, even though it was the silver that came her way. The same year, the sprinter went on to improve the national record to 50.79 seconds in the 400 m final. 

[caption id="attachment_22696" align="alignnone" width="883"] Hima Das with Sourav Ganguly and Abhishek Bachchan[/caption]

Later, in August 2018, along with M. R. Poovamma, Sarita Gayakwad and V. K. Vismaya, the Dhing Express won women's 4 × 400 metres mix relay clocking 3:28.72 which was held for the first time at the Asian Games. This was the year of Hima’s international debut and not many sport lovers were aware of her. They soon learned, when multiple medals, with some historic ones, made her a household name. Hima was given the Arjuna Award by the President of India that year.

Roaring success with five golds in second year of her debut

Hima continued her superb performances the following year too. In July 2019, she won the 200m gold in Poznan Grand Prix in Poland at 23.65 seconds. She went on to win 200m gold at the Kutno Athletics Meet in Poland with a time of 23.97 seconds just after five days of the first win. Within a week of her second win, she bagged her third gold at the Kladno Athletics meet in Czech Republic, clocking 23.43 seconds. That same month, she added a fourth to her kitty, this time at the Tabor Athletics Meet in Czech Republic with 23.25 seconds. A fifth gold followed at the 400-metre event in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic with 52.09 seconds. In an astonishing 18-day period, between July 2 and July 20 2019, Hima won five golds and became a queen in the hearts of India's athletics fans.

So enormous was her success that the entire world took notice of the sprinting glory. “At this age, she has exhibited great courage and confidence. I didn’t see any sign of nervousness during the events,” remarked the ace sprinter, PT Usha on social media.

The athlete was being slotted for the World Championships to be held at Doha in October 2019 but unfortunately her participation had to be ruled out due to a back injury which kept her out of action for months.

Confidence and hope unaffected by injury

Though she has returned from the injury lay-off, she is returning one step at a time. She has been running 100m and 200m. “I have not cut (off) from running 400 meters. It (recuperating after injury) is a long process,” she said in an interview.

The right side of her back still gives quite a trouble. She has won 100m gold in the National Inter-State Championships with her personal best time of 10.43s.” "My L4 and L5 (two lowest vertebrae in the lumbar spine) were broken and was in a different position. Whenever I run it affects me. I did my physiotherapy and ran 30m, 40m, 50m, 100m and then 200m gradually. Till 300m, I am fine,” she told her eager fans.

The challenge...

The last 100 m of a 400-meter race is the most crucial as the sprinters have to pick a lot of speed, then. This is where Hima has been facing problems. Talking about the condition at a training stint in Poland, she said, “when I did that once I had to be taken to the hospital.” The committed athlete faced the same problem at National Inter-State Championships in Patiala in 2021 and got forced to pull out of the 100 m and 4 X 100 due to the pain. She even had to skip the Tokyo Olympics.

The sprinter was eagerly looking forward to come back with a bang at Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 but coming to the previous form required some more recuperation. She failed to qualify for the finals of the women's 200m in August 2022.

National Games 2022

The 36th National Games of India is being held in Gujarat from September 29 to October 12, 2022. India’s prestigious multi-event sporting competition has returned after a gap of seven years in Gujarat. It was last held in 2015 in Kerala. The nation wanted the ‘Dhing Express’ to come roaring back to action. However, she could not clinch the gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=970H49AxWfo

She hasn’t lost hope and is looking forward to future events. Hima, is among an elite team of sports stars who have put India on the world map for athletics. She enjoys such a reputation that she will always be India’s ‘star sprinter’.

- Follow Hima Das on Facebook and Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

21-year-old college dropouts build a $250 million AI startup to simplify recruitment

(December 11, 2024) When Surya Midha, Adarsh Hiremath and Brendan Foody walked away from prestigious universities to chase a shared vision, they weren’t just defying the norms—they were making a pioneering move to transform the recruitment industry with AI. Surya, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from New Delhi, was pursuing a bachelor’s in Foreign Studies at Georgetown University. Indian-origin Adarsh was enrolled in a concurrent bachelor’s and master’s program in computer science at Harvard University, while Brendan was studying economics at Georgetown. Their bold decision to drop out of college in their second year wasn’t an easy one. However, the trio at the helm of Mercor, an AI-powered recruitment platform valued at $250 million, are proving that sometimes, the road less travelled leads to remarkable destinations. They have been named in Forbes 30 Under 30 in AI list. An overjoyed Brendan, reflecting upon their journey, remarked, “Beyond grateful for Adarsh H. and Surya Midha. It’s crazy to think we would have been graduating in the spring.” [caption id="attachment_40891" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Adarsh, Brendan and Surya (left to right)[/caption] Brendan Foody serves as the CEO, Adarsh Hiremath as the CTO, and Surya Midha as the COO of Mercor, together leading the

tachment_40891" align="aligncenter" width="595"] Adarsh, Brendan and Surya (left to right)[/caption]

Brendan Foody serves as the CEO, Adarsh Hiremath as the CTO, and Surya Midha as the COO of Mercor, together leading the AI-powered recruitment platform to disrupt the $750 billion staffing industry.

Leading the charge to automate hiring

The 21-year-old visionaries have turned the recruitment industry on its head. Founded in 2023, their startup, Mercor, has already achieved milestones that most entrepreneurs can only dream of—$32 million in funding, a $250 million valuation, and profitability within its first year.

“It's been a journey building Mercor with such an amazing team,” remarked Adarsh in one of his posts. What makes their success even more extraordinary is their unconventional journey. The three co-founders were schoolmates at Bellarmine College Preparatory, an all-boys secondary school in San Jose, California. After graduating, they pursued higher education at different prestigious institutions before dropping out to pursue their bold vision. With boundless ambition, they launched Mercor to revolutionize recruitment through seamless, AI-driven processes.

Forbes 30 Under 30 isn’t their only accolade; all three are also 2024 Thiel Fellows. Established in 2011, the Thiel Fellowship awards $100,000 to young entrepreneurs, along with access to an influential network of tech founders, investors, scientists, and former fellows. In return, fellows commit to focusing entirely on their ventures, free from the constraints of traditional academia—a commitment that has clearly paid off for Mercor’s founders.

Bridging the gap with AI

Mercor leverages advanced large language models (LLMs) to replicate the role of human recruiters, seamlessly analyzing resumes, conducting comprehensive AI-driven interviews, and matching candidates to suitable roles.

Unlike traditional methods, Mercor’s technology generates in-depth assessments that surpass human capabilities, simplifying and enhancing the hiring process for both employers and job seekers.

“The current hiring process selects candidates based on traditional resume signals, and not human ability. AI can do better,” remarked Brendan. “We believe that every applicant deserves the opportunity to be interviewed when applying for jobs.”

[caption id="attachment_40892" align="aligncenter" width="680"] The Mercor co-founders in their first Mercor office, from where they shifted to another location[/caption]

The numbers speak

Mercor’s early success is evident in its remarkable achievements. The platform’s AI interviewer has already processed over 300,000 job applicants, delivering a scalable and efficient solution to one of the most resource-intensive aspects of recruitment. The company has experienced exponential traction with a “50 percent month-over-month growth rate and has already generated tens of millions in revenue, achieving profitability within its first year,” according to the founders.

This performance has drawn attention from some of the world’s most prominent investors. “In September 2024, we announced our $30m Series A at a $250m valuation led by Benchmark, with participation from General Catalyst, Peter Thiel, Jack Dorsey, Adam D'Angelo, and Larry Summers,” shared Surya on his website. Benchmark is the same venture capital firm that backed Uber. With backing from industry giants Mercor is on its way to become a major disruptor in recruitment technology.

How does Mercor’s AI tools work?

Applicants begin by uploading their resumes and completing a 20-minute video interview conducted by Mercor’s AI. During the interview, roughly half the time focuses on assessing the candidate's skills, followed by a case study designed to evaluate their problem-solving abilities and subject knowledge.

After the interview, the candidate’s application is matched with all relevant job openings within Mercor’s marketplace. For highly specialized positions, a second, customized AI interview may be conducted to refine the matching process further.

For employers, Mercor offers a streamlined solution, connecting them with qualified candidates quickly and efficiently. The platform supports flexible hiring arrangements, including hourly, part-time, and full-time commitments, allowing businesses to scale their teams as needed. While India serves as Mercor’s largest talent pool, the U.S. closely follows in terms of workforce representation.

For job seekers, Mercor’s AI offers a level playing field, using data-driven insights to identify the best opportunities. By eliminating human bias, the platform ensures a fairer and more accurate recruitment process.

Mercor is also enabling businesses to onboard talent with just a few clicks. This end-to-end solution simplifies what has traditionally been a cumbersome process, ensuring companies can scale efficiently without getting bogged down in administrative tasks.

[caption id="attachment_40893" align="aligncenter" width="632"] Adarsh, Brendan and Surya (left to right)[/caption]

The road ahead

With a team of 15 employees, Mercor is lean but mighty, operating with the agility needed to innovate in a competitive market. The founders are committed to expanding their platform’s capabilities, exploring ways to further enhance the recruitment process through AI advancements.

As the global job market continues to evolve, Mercor’s potential is limitless. By addressing inefficiencies in traditional hiring practices and harnessing the power of AI, the startup is positioned to shape the future of work for years to come.

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