Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveRights of nature: Indian American teen Anjika Pai is working on saving the planet

Rights of nature: Indian American teen Anjika Pai is working on saving the planet

Written by: Team GI Youth

(October 8, 2022) The world watched in awe when Anjika Ganesh Pai, dressed in a beautiful saree, took over the stage during the graduation ceremony, at UC Berkeley on May 21, 2022. Addressing her fellow students, the environmental justice student lobbied for greater diversity in the scientific field and more young environmental volunteers, during her speech. “After countless lessons in my environmental science classes about the catastrophic, unavoidable effects of climate change, I would ask my professors, ‘Do you think we’ll be able to make it?’ Everyone responded that our generation will be the one to reverse the destruction we have witnessed thus far,” she said during her speech.

Anjika Pai

After she had to pause for the crowd to stop applauding, she added, “But this vote of confidence hasn’t been the only thing that has reoriented me towards hope, time and time again. It has been the cutting-edge research that has shown me the potential to create radical, positive change.”

A first-generation Indian American, with roots in India’s western coastal state of Goa, Anjika was named the 2022 University Medal winner, the highest honor for a graduating senior. Winning a cash prize of $2,500, the young Global Indian is also the co-founder of the award-winning website STEM Redefined, which works as part of the Clinton Global Initiative University programme for social impact startups. Her deep sense of equality and justice earned the young environmental activist several awards and recognitions over the years.

A born leader

Anjika and her elder sister, Anisha, were born to Indian immigrants Ganesh and Samhita Pai, who moved to the United States from India in the early 1990s. Settled in the sparsely-populated town of Jamison in Pennsylvania, Anjika often went to the nearby woods after school and sat there for hours. While the sisters had the full support of their teachers, they had to face casual racism at school.

Anjika with her parents

To constantly prove herself, Anjika worked on a social science project linking the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. to the sinking of the Titanic in 1921 in her third grade. The project was a huge success and earned her a school medal at a very early age. Proving her mettle again, the now 19-year-old convinced her school principal to let students take part in a Day of Silence, an annual April event observed internationally to spread awareness about how LGBTQ-plus students are bullied and silenced. While she couldn’t get all the students to participate in the event, more than 75 percent of the school observed the Day of Silence.

Fighting for nature

While most kids watch television to unwind, it was actually a show on Animal Planet that encouraged this youngster to take up environmental justice as her major at the University level. “Everyone I knew wanted to be a doctor and save lives, and I just kept wondering, ‘Where are we going to put all these saved lives? How long is this planet going to be here?’” she recalled during an interview with Daily California.

So when she started at Berkeley in 2018, she was clear that her focus should be not only to encourage her peers to join hands in saving this planet but also to work towards framing policies and study material around the subject. In her first year, the young environmental activist won the Cal Alumni Association Leadership scholarship and joined the California-China Climate Institute as a policy research intern.

Intrepid and entrepreneurial, Anjika, joined the Student Environmental Resource Center at the University and with the help of other fellow students co-founded a student club that produces the publication, Caravan Travel & Style Magazine. Her initiative led her to discover the relationship indigenous people in the US have with nature, which later became her field of research in the final year. She interviewed several hundreds of tribal members about how they work on preserving the natural resources in their area. The environmental activist’s thesis about the rights of nature doctrine as a tool for Indigenous sovereignty across the US received grants from the Charles H. Percy Grant for Public Affairs Research and the Center for Research on Native American Issues.

With a vision to continue her education and later work in the field, Anjika is now headed to Northeastern University in Boston to study environmental law on a full-tuition graduate scholarship.

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Published on 08, Oct 2022

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Tasting success: Meet the young chefs who are taking the Indian platter to the world

(February 16, 2023) As per a recent study by German food ordering company Lieferando, Indian food is the second most popular cuisine on social media and had the fastest growth rate of 41 percent. In the last two decades, several young chefs from the Indian diaspora are tapping into the potential of regional Indian food and stacking it with consciousness, innovation, and creativity. Interestingly, a young chef from Kolkata - Naureen Shaikh - recently won the bronze trophy at the International Young Chef Olympiad, defeating 50 participants from various other countries. And she is not the only one. The culinary world is witnessing a rise of many young Indian or Indian-origin chefs, who are carving a niche for themselves. Global Indian puts the spotlight on young chefs who are changing the international perception of Indian food from spice-laden meals to delicate cuisine. Naureen Shaikh Going against her mother, who wanted her to pursue a degree in social sciences and become an IAS officer, Naureen Shaikh took admission to a hotel management institute to follow her dream of becoming a chef. And making her mother very proud, the 20-year-old recently won the bronze cup at the International Young Chef Olympiad, held

a chef. And making her mother very proud, the 20-year-old recently won the bronze cup at the International Young Chef Olympiad, held in Goa. The chef, who prepared two portions of French omelette, four portions of a prawn entree, and dessert for the finale, shared in a press conference that her love for cooking started at quite a young age. " My interest in cooking started when I was in Class VIII and I would always look for feedback on what I had prepared because that would help me improve,” she said.

For about six months before the competition, she would spend almost 12 hours in the institute 'making the same dish over and over again'. “It was exhausting and at times frustrating. But hard work, consistency, and dedication matter. It was a Michelin-star restaurant. Working in the kitchen, I learnt that the customer gives us bread and butter and we have to give them value for money," shared the young chef, who wishes to open a restaurant in Kolkata in the next few years.

Arnav Kamulkar

While his classmates at J.P. Stevens High School in New Jersey were looking up which college to apply to, this 17-year-old chef was busy experimenting with new recipes and designing a menu for his restaurant - Clove 12. Redefining the genre of the typical Indian restaurant with innovation and uniqueness, Arnav Kamulkar began cooking at the age of 6 with traditional Indian dishes because that's what his mother made. When she became a "bit explorative" and tried other cuisines, Kamulkar, who was her sous chef, found his spark. "From there it just kind of snowballed. I started making my own stuff. Originally, I was just helping my mom cook vegetables and watching her cook and then slowly I wanted to make my own recipes, and do my own stuff. And that's how it kind of led to what I'm doing today," the chef told in an interview.

Drawing inspiration from across the globe, the young chef features fusion offerings at his restaurant, that according to him, "marry the best flavors from all cuisines to provide a one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience." Speaking about his plans for his restaurant going ahead, the teen chef said, "I'll explore gastronomy. I'll do molecular cooking. Like, sometimes I'll make plant-based caviar. And I'll also do fusion foods, like Indian tacos. Clove 12 is definitely a mix of all cuisines. Although I do like to keep a bit of a foundation of Indian food because that's how I first learned how to cook."

Madhumitha K P

Just 19, and already ruling the culinary world. Bengaluru's Madhumitha K P represented India at the 2019 Young Chef Olympiad and came back home with a shining trophy. Though none of her family members are into this profession, she was inspired by her mother and dreamt of becoming a famous chef. "Even as a young girl I would cook at home under my mom's supervision, and by the time I finished my schooling, I was sure that I wanted to do hotel management."

The young chef wants to work in a standalone restaurant in Europe in the coming years and hopes that it will give her the necessary experience in cooking. In the next five years, she aims to start her own food court chain across India. She also hopes to adopt orphanages and old age homes so that she can provide them with regular food.

Dev Mishra

Who can forget 13-year-old Dev Mishra - the young chef who bowled over top Australian chefs with his finger-licking lamb mughlai curry? The teen chef earned rave reviews from the judges on the show Junior MasterChef Australia, for his first-ever meal in the show, with chef Jock Zonfrillo saying, “I feel as if I’m eating at your table at home with your parents and your brothers.”

Like many chefs across the world, Dev's love for cooking was inspired by his mother. "I started learning to cook for as long as I can remember. My mum always wanted my brother and me to be independent and she encouraged us to learn cooking. My first memory of cooking is when my mum would give me some dough to knead and roll to make roti or mix and prepare ingredients," the youngster had informed during an interview. Currently running successful YouTube and Instagram food channels, the young chef plans on opening his chain of restaurants. "My restaurant will serve food from across the world. I cook different cuisines, and I try to recreate authentic flavours with my twist to them. That’s what I want to showcase at my restaurant," he shared.

Power of Linguistics: Prasiddha Sudhakar’s path to the Critical Language Scholarship

(May 19, 2024) United States-born Prasiddha Sudhakar has grown up in six different countries. “I have an international background, and this really shaped my worldview. I think that learning languages was always a big part of it,” said the 23-year-old. Prasiddha, a master's student at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at the Carnegie Mellon University, has been chosen for the 2024 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). Through this immersive program, she will have the opportunity to delve into intensive Hindi language studies in India. The CLS is a highly competitive scholarship programme, with an acceptance rate of approximately 10 percent. It offers U.S. students a chance to deeply engage with languages and cultures vital to U.S. security and economic well-being. [caption id="attachment_37865" align="aligncenter" width="718"] Prasiddha Sudhakar | Photo Credit: CMU[/caption] Prasiddha realised that learning Hindi would be crucial for understanding the cultural dynamics shaping the online Indian communities she studies as part of her research. She applied for the CLS and was thrilled to be selected. At home, the Indian-origin youngster speaks Tamil and sees the scholarship as a great opportunity. “Being able to reconnect with my heritage in some way, like learning Hindi, is something I've

S and was thrilled to be selected.

At home, the Indian-origin youngster speaks Tamil and sees the scholarship as a great opportunity. “Being able to reconnect with my heritage in some way, like learning Hindi, is something I've wanted to do since I was a child. I’m really excited and thankful for the opportunity,” she said. She can also converse in French, Dutch, Spanish, German, and Persian.

Combining passion and work

In addition to being a master's student, Prasiddha works as a civic technologist at the Network Contagion Research Institute in the US. Her passion for languages extends into her work, where she focuses on countering hate speech and misinformation. She monitors emerging social issues on the internet, performs cyber forensics, and uses datasets to uncover inauthentic or harmful online activities.

The Pittsburgh based youngster has published papers examining anti-Hindu and anti-Muslim movements, and her contributions have been featured on platforms like the Washington Post. Prasiddha embraced multilingual education from a young age. “It was always an integral part of my life. You would be in a country where you don't know the language, so you'd have to pick it up rapidly,” the Global Indian remarked.

[caption id="attachment_37849" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Prasiddha Sudhakar[/caption]

In 2022, Prasiddha graduated from Rutgers University with a double major in computer science and economics, alongside a minor in critical intelligence studies. During her undergraduate years, she earned a prestigious public policy and international affairs fellowship at Heinz College of the Carnegie Mellon University. Throughout her academic and professional journey, she has consistently advocated for adopting a global outlook when addressing pivotal societal matters. She served as the president of the Rutgers Hindu Students Council.

Love for India and its culture

Although Prasiddha was born and brought up in the West, she is deeply connected to her native country. “In my childhood, there was not a single summer that I didn’t go to India,” she recalled. “As a youngster brought up in the West, I turned to religion instead of moving away from it,” she added. In her native place, Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, Prasiddha loved walking barefoot, absorbing the spiritual energies of the place.

In the U.S., she would go to temples and observe rituals there as well as at home, questioning their significance. “However, I realised the deeper meanings only later. I think that’s a natural progression for young Hindus,” she explains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFeIOhD2sO0

“I wear a bindi and other symbols that openly show me as a Hindu, but this often leads to not just light questioning but hostility. I have been asked, ‘Why is your head bleeding?’ and have been called ‘dot head’ in classrooms and other academic settings. This is not just ignorance but hostility towards who I am,” she said in a BBC podcast. Prasiddha speaks vociferously on Hinduism and its impact and is frequently invited to discussions at prestigious forums.

“I’ve been asked so many times, ‘Don’t you have 33 million gods? What’s the point?’ There isn’t a model Hindu education system in the West, leading to such ignorance. This is something the Hindu community should address by creating more educational opportunities in the West,” Prasiddha Sudhakar stated in an interview with the BBC last year.

Follow Prasiddha Sudhakar on LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 5 min

A ‘pharm’idable idea: Changemaker Arjun Deshpande is disrupting medicine affordability with Ratan Tata’s aid

(March 28, 2022) One balmy afternoon at a medical shop in Thane, the then 16-year-old Arjun Deshpande witnessed an unpleasant scene. An old man, deep in debt, profusely pleaded with a shopkeeper to pay a hefty medicine bill later. The shopkeeper refused. “His wife had cancer and his son, who was an auto driver, was the sole breadwinner. They had spent a lot on treatment, and were finding it hard to manage money for medicines daily. He was helpless, and felt guilty. I saw how a common man was burdened with paying bills for necessities like medicines. This made me determined to bring about a new era in the world of pharma,” says Arjun who started Generic Aadhaar in 2019 to help provide medicines to the aam junta at low cost. In three years, Generic Aadhaar has a presence in all states, and has opened over 1,500 stores across India. Such has been the vision and mission of the startup that even Ratan Tata invested in it. “We share the same mission and want to serve people. When he saw the same vision and determination to work for the people, he spontaneously supported Generic Aadhaar,” Arjun says in an interview

tion to work for the people, he spontaneously supported Generic Aadhaar,” Arjun says in an interview with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_13569" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Arjun Deshpande is the founder of Generic Aadhaar[/caption]

How a young boy got an idea

Born in 2002 in Thane to a mother who works in pharma, and a businessman father, Arjun learnt about the pharmaceutical industry at a young age as he often accompanied his mother on official trips. The 19-year-old understood that multinationals selling medicines were burning a hole in the pockets of the common man by adding “marketing and promotional cost.” “About 60 percent Indians cannot afford to buy daily medicines because of high prices. Since there is no alternative for medicines, MNCs have been selling medicines at a very high rate for decades,” says Arjun who is on a mission to eliminate middle-chain costs and provide medicines from manufacturer to end customers directly through a pharmacy-aggregator business model.

That appalling incident at a medical store made Arjun ideate. “At 16, I saw a burning problem. It made me realise that even though our country is a hub of manufacturers and suppliers of medicines, our people have to spend a lot of money on essential medicines. I believe medicines are not a luxury but a basic necessity. I didn’t let age come in the way of my innovative idea,” says the young changemaker-entrepreneur who initially didn’t begin with an ”intention of starting a business” instead wanted to “make an impactful change in society.”

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With the sole purpose to free people from the clutches of giant companies selling expensive medicines, Arjun opened the first franchise of Generic Aadhaar in Thane that provides medicines at up to 80 percent off. “The vision is to provide affordable medicines to 130 crore people in India at a price they deserve,” he adds, “by bringing all mom-and-pop medical stores under one roof to give stiff competition to big retail medical malls and online pharmacies.”

However, creating a place amid big pharma companies was a challenge for this teenager, who wanted to curb “illicit trade” in life-saving drugs and provide low-cost drugs. “Another challenge was to make them aware that there is no difference between generic medicines and branded medicines, for which we started ground-level campaigns and free health camps,” reveals Arjun. Soon Generic Aadhaar started to create a lot of buzz on social media and in the pharma sector. So much so that Ratan Tata decided to invest in Generic Aadhaar in 2020.

“Mr Tata was impressed with the venture, and saw how I was bringing change in the pharma sector. When I met him, he said, ‘Arjun, if this venture is successful, it can change the entire healthcare ecosystem for the betterment of India,’” explains Arjun who has found a mentor in Ratan Tata. “I feel fortunate to have such a business legend’s guidance and inspiration for my venture’s journey through which we both are changing the lives of millions,” adds the DAV Public School alumnus whose work is finding recognition in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and UAE. “They are approaching us to open Generic Aadhaar franchises now,” beams Arjun with pride.

[caption id="attachment_13572" align="aligncenter" width="721"] Arjun Deshpande with Ratan Tata[/caption]

Medicines for the common man

The idea of providing medicines at a low cost, has now grown leaps and bounds. It hasn’t only provided direct and indirect employment to over 10,000 people but has also created 1,500 micro-entrepreneurs. “I believe that real India starts 50 km away from the cities. So, it is important to focus on the remotest villages for the development of India. We are expanding from Jammu to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Arunachal Pradesh,” says Arjun who has served 20 lakh people through Generic Aadhaar.

The young change-maker and entrepreneur now plans to mark Generic Aadhaar’s presence in over 300 cities by 2022-end. “On Gudi Padwa, Generic Aadhaar is set to break its previous record of opening 25 franchises in a single day,” divulges Arjun who calls his parents his biggest strength. “When you are doing something good that can bring a change in society, parents always supports you,” adds Arjun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVy6zz_m8lg

Making the right moves

When he’s not neck-deep in work, Arjun loves a game of chess as it helps “boost creativity and analytical thinking skills.” He also loves reading books and playing football in his free time.

Arjun is popularly known as the robin hood of the pharma world. His advice to entrepreneurs, “identify a burning problem and then look for its solution and implement it on time.” He adds, “Innovation is complex but you need to have a winning idea. Successful entrepreneurs have unique ideas that make them stand out. What you need is to do things differently from what already exists,” Arjun, the changemaker and entrepreneur signs off.

Follow Arjun Deshpande on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 6 min

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

Laya Mathikshara: Meet the teen digital artist who made $1 million through NFTs

(February 13, 2024) Who would have imagined that art could be sold as NFTs (non-fungible tokens), creating new opportunities for artists, particularly digital ones, to earn money and transforming the art world like never before? One example is Laya Mathikshara, a teenager from Chennai, who ventured into this realm, using NFTs to showcase her passion for art. In just three years, the 16-year-old has achieved a remarkable feat, earning $1 million through the sale of over 100 NFTs, a significant milestone in the digital art scene. "It opened up a range of new possibilities that people were unaware of. It began as a hobby but soon I saw my art getting collected rapidly, and realised the power of NFTs and blockchain," Laya tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_35771" align="aligncenter" width="656"] Laya Mathikshara[/caption] Fascination for digital art Growing up in Chennai, Laya loved engaging in artistic activities from a young age - mixing colours, experimenting with chalk, and doodling in her notebooks. However, it wasn't until the pandemic offered her ample time that she decided to delve deeper into digital art, especially being fascinated by the animation film The Lion King. "That's when I began learning 3D art and blending creative concepts,

ours, experimenting with chalk, and doodling in her notebooks. However, it wasn't until the pandemic offered her ample time that she decided to delve deeper into digital art, especially being fascinated by the animation film The Lion King. "That's when I began learning 3D art and blending creative concepts, recalls Laya, who devoted a significant time to online resources like YouTube and Blender Guru.

As a youngster fascinated by coding and robotics, she discovered digital art at the crossroads of technology and art - a concept that sparked her curiosity. "The idea of blending the two seemed interesting and somewhat unconventional." Unlike the traditional forms of art, she found the realm of digital media particularly exciting. "Physical mediums didn't interest me as much as the digital ones did."

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NFTs - a new world

While honing her craft as a digital artist, she parallelly began following digital artists on social media and observed a trend where they were showcasing their work as NFTs. A term that she had earlier stumbled upon in Clubhouse - a social audio app - opened up new possibilities for monetising her artwork. "I expanded my understanding of blockchain by actively listening to different individuals and gaining insights from various viewpoints, not only from an artistic perspective but also from the perspective of a day trader, a techie, or a business person. That's how I got to learn things a little quicker than usual as otherwise I would have only one dimension of knowledge," says Laya.

What began as a fun activity to turn her artwork into NFTs soon evolved into a scalable venture, with her artworks getting collected rapidly. "Scaling up wasn't intentional, but as my previous works gained traction and were collected by others, I found myself regularly creating new pieces. It became almost like a domino effect — each creation leading to the next. I always had something lined up for the following week, and before I knew it, it had turned into a long and fulfilling journey," smiles the teenager, whose work has been exhibited across the globe.

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A post shared by Laya Mathikshara (@layamathikshara)

Three months after listing her first artwork as an NFT, she woke up to an Instagram story announcing that it had been collected. "I remember darting around my home, exclaiming, "Oh my god, it's real!" It didn't fully sink in until I logged into my MetaMask account and saw funds deposited there," says Laya, adding, "That moment made me realise that this wasn't just some magic internet money, it's serious. Initially, I brushed off my first sale as a mere coincidence. But as I continued to upload more of my artwork, witnessing them being collected back-to-back, I realised it's not just luck," says Laya.

In the last three years, she has created a portfolio that boasts of over 100 collected artworks for a whopping $1 million. Ask her about her strategy, and she quips, "Creating art consistently. Moreover, I was active on every social media platform, including Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Clubhouse, where I engaged with others," says the teenager who also hosted an art exhibition in the Metaverse to foster connections with other digital artists. "I curated the exhibition, featuring works from around 50 artists, hence providing exposure to their art as well. This initiative allowed me to engage with visitors, understand their artistic journeys, styles, and perspectives on NFTs." In addition, she welcomed constructive feedback, which played a crucial role in refining her artwork.

Championing causes through her art

However, for Laya, being a digital artist is more than just monetising her work through NFTs. She is using her art for causes close to her as she recognises it as a powerful tool to connect with a broader audience. In 2021, she made a short film Gratitude, appreciating the efforts of frontline workers during the pandemic, which earned her a nomination at the Busan International Kids and Youth Film Festival and All American High School Film Festival. Moreover, it was screened at AMC Theatre in Times Square. The same year, she collaborated with Space X for Falcon 9 launch as one of the 50 NFT artists whose art was auctioned. The proceeds went to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital for cancer research. "Collaborating with a renowned brand while supporting a noble cause was truly rewarding," says the digital artist whose AR artwork was showcased at COP28.

Laya was only 13 when she began experimenting with digital art and kept trying new styles as she loved creating art. "I realised as a young person I could

create so much impact, something I had never thought about in my weirdest dreams. This gave me a lot of self-confidence. She says her biggest learning in the process has been to never hesitate to try something new. "You never know where it will take you."

Web3 community - the easy access

In the last few years, the NFT marketplace has expanded, and digital artists like Laya have found a platform to showcase their art, irrespective of their age, gender, nationality, or identity. "Unlike traditional avenues, which require formal education or credentials to showcase their art, the digital art operates on inclusivity and openness, allowing anyone to participate without rigid rules," says the artist who is happy that digital art has now evolved as a viable career option. "It has given hope to many people that they can create impact and be a part of something this big." Moreover, the emergence of the Web3 community has expanded opportunities through encouragement and experimentation. "The space focuses more on collective growth than individual success."

She has exhibited her artworks across the globe but feels a lot of people look for utility even in art, and this mindset needs to change. "What's the purpose of it is a question that they are trying to constantly find an answer to. It is more of a philosophical problem than mediums of art."

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A self-taught artist, Laya has plans to pursue a degree in art after she completes her schooling. Currently, a student of The International School Bangalore, she calls AR art and microscopic art the future. "We will probably move towards art forms that we can't see through naked eyes and feel a different dimension altogether. Recently microscopic art is gaining momentum. Artists are using microorganisms and arranging them to create visually appealing pieces. They grow these microorganisms in interesting patterns to make them look artistic," Laya signs off.

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