Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveAnoushka Jolly: Youngest entrepreneur on Shark Tank India to win seed fund

Anoushka Jolly: Youngest entrepreneur on Shark Tank India to win seed fund

Written by: Amrita Priya

(July 31, 2022) The first season of Shark Tank India, a franchise of the American business reality show wrapped up in February this year. It received entries from 62,000 entrepreneurs from across the country, out of which 198 businesses were selected to pitch their ideas to the sharks – investors ready to chip in seed funding. Out of this, only 67 entrepreneurs got successful in raising funds. Delhi girl, Anoushka Jolly was one of them.

With a pre-revenue valuation of ₹50 lakh and five lakh funding for her anti-bullying app Kavach (‘shield’ in Hindi) the 13-year-old became the youngest entrepreneur to win funding for her idea on the business reality show.

Social Entrepreneur | Anoushka Jolly | Global Indian

Anoushka Jolly, founder of Anti Bullying Squad

“I have been able to educate and impact several thousand school kids and their parents through my anti-bullying initiatives. I have even managed tie ups with one of the largest NGO of India – Bhumi, as well as a Nigerian NGO to eradicate bullying from children’s lives,” says Anoushka in a conversation with Global Indian.

How a victim of bullying turned into a changemaker

“I was bullied for a year when I was in grade three,” says Anoushka elaborating on what led her to work on the cause of anti-bullying. “Two classmates were emotionally blackmailing me and making me feel that I wasn’t capable enough. It affected my self-esteem. I found myself doing things like apologising when it was not required. I used to be upset all the time and formed a habit of looking down upon myself until I gathered courage to talk about it,” she recalls. However, what she describes as the lowest phase in her life, was also “turning point,” one that helped her “identify the purpose of life – to stop bullying and help kids be happier.”

By the time Anoushka reached class six in 2018, she launched her startup, Anti Bullying Squad (ABS), and started conducting seminars and online sessions across the country to make people realise how severe the impact of bullying can get, starting from her own school. Educational institutions, social organisations and experts have all been with her in her endeavour realising there was huge gap in knowledge on this aspect. Her mental health startup has so far been able to reach several thousand students, parents and teachers from 50+ schools.

Kavach – the shield against bullying

The teen social entrepreneur soon realised that seminars and sessions would solve one aspect of the problem but wouldn’t tackle it in its entirety. A real impact, she found, could only be made when incidents are reported. “Bullying continues unabated because there is hardly any intervention in schools. Authorities tend to be largely unaware of the extent of the problem. Students don’t want to report because they don’t want to be known,” remarks Anoushka.

Putting on a smile and not disclosing bullying will not help

Kavach, therefore, is the answer to her idea of a mechanism which enables students and their parents to report bullying incidents anonymously. “Schools can now tactfully intervene and take action,” she believes.

She also runs a one-hour programme which is available on ABS website and YouTube comprising of 10 videos and MCQs to help children and their parents get sensitized about the issue.

Shark Tank India experience

Shark Tank experience is not the only winning moment that has come the youngster’s way. When she was nine, she was part of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA), a US franchise that teaches entrepreneurship skills to under-18s. Anoushka had managed third place in the investor panel for pitching ABS. “Most of the students were in their teens, I was only nine at that time and the youngest of all,” she remarks. “The winning amount was about twenty to thirty thousand but it boosted my confidence immensely.” Happy that she could raise funds on her own, without even having to ask her parents, Anoushka had invested the amount in setting up ABS. It brought her recognition among the ‘Top 21 for 2021’ Innovative Tech-Based Women-Led Startups by ITC & Shecapital.

Her share of limelight on television has not been limited to Shark Tank. The social entrepreneur was also recognised as a Network18 Young Genius in a reality TV show organised by Network 18. She had received an invitation from the Ministry of Culture on behalf of The Government of India to be a part of the song ‘Mauka Hai’ amongst the 40 youth icons like PV Sindhu, Hima Das and Mira Bai Chanu as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

Bullies are not villains

A lot of kids have reached out to her and shared their stories. “They just wanted a person to listen, and were waiting for someone to talk about it. By finding a listener, fifty percent of the problem vanishes,” she tells. Anoushka is happy about the fact that she has been that listener to so many kids. When people share their stories, it keeps me motivated to work even harder for millions of students who are suffering from the problem,” she says.

Anoushka shared one of her supporter, Nysha’s art work on her social media handle that emphasised on ABS perspective

However, Anoushka does not believe that bullies are always villains. “No one is born a bully, they are usually led into it in one way or another. We need to be open to hear their side of the story, be empathetic and forgiving because sometimes peer pressure also leads them to bully. However, the good thing is that we can always lead them back to being good,” she mentions.

Journey ahead…

The daughter of an entrepreneur father, and chartered accountant mother, Anoushka is currently working in the metaverse/gamification space with a focus on mental health. “As a society we do not acknowledge mental health issues of teenagers and since youngsters love immersive experiences, I am combining technology with mental health for a cause,” informs the teenager who loves psychology, biology and Spanish.

She feels she has found her purpose in life and would like to continue the work she is doing but scale up in time. “I want to be very well educated and be a life-long learner.”

Follow Anoushka Jolly on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Follow Anti Bullying squad on its website

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Published on 31, Jul 2022

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The last straw: Aditya Mukarji’s global fight against plastics

(December 21, 2023) Aditya Mukarji is a familiar face in the growing crop of young global climate warriors, who are boldly taking their fight to the doorsteps of the powers that be. Mukarji's cause is the battle against single-use plastics, one of the most pressing environmental hazards of the day. We use trillions of single use plastics per year and since the majority of these aren't recycled, they make their way to landfills and oceans. Birds and marine animals mistake them for food and fish consume thousands of tonnes per year. This plastic makes its way up the food chain and goes full circle back to human beings, who reportedly consume the equivalent of half a credit card each week. Now a Sophomore President's Scholar at the University of Toronto, the Global Indian has been part of the climate strike in New York led by Greta Thunberg and served as a Youth Ambassador for the Earth Day Network in 2020. He is also the Co-Founder and Environment Head of The Alternatives, an online page with a global following that spreads awareness about the harms of plastic pollution. In 2021, he represented India at the Youth4Climate Driving Ambition in Milan, at

of plastic pollution. In 2021, he represented India at the Youth4Climate Driving Ambition in Milan, at COP26 and in 2019, was an India representative at the UN Youth Climate Summit.

How it began

In 2018, Aditya Mukarji came across a video of a doctor trying to pull a plastic straw out of a turtle's nose. The imagery was stark, and left Mukarji, who was only 14 at the time, feeling quite disturbed. "The crying and bleeding of the turtle really impacted me, and made me feel guilty for human actions, which we take without thinking of the consequences for other living forms," Mukarji remarked in an interview later. He hadn't imagined that the plastic we use everyday had such a catastrophic effect on the environment. He began reading up about the consequences, and learned that oceans and landmasses are inundated with single-use plastics that don't biodegrade.

Mukarji turned to his mentor, Ms Bharti Chatturvedi, of Chintan, who told him about the problems of waste management and waste pickers. The solution, he felt, lay in tackling the problem at its source - and eradicating the use of single-use plastics in the hospitality industry. Mukarji, then a class 11 student at Shri Ram School, Gurugram, embarked on a door to-door campaign in and around Delhi-NCR, where he lived at the time, to spread awareness about the problem and to promote eco-friendly solutions. "I feel like straws are hte most useless invention for the common man,' he said. "They have the least utility and maximum environmental impact."

Two years after he began his campaign, Mukarji was able to avert the use of over 26 million plastic objects, and had persuaded some 200 establishments to become environmentally friendly. It took persistence, he says. "I called them countless times." Eventually, they understood his passion for the campaign, as well as the wisdom of his message, and he says, "many complied." The Lalit Group of hotels, Claridges, The Delhi Golf Club, the Gymkhana Club, PVR and INOX, JW Marriot Aerocity and JSW Steel all went plastic free at the behest of this determined teenager.

Not wanting to stop there, Mukarji also works on waste management and segregation at source. In India, he conducted went door to door, and to housing societies, asking them to change their waste segregation methods. During this time, he was interning with the United Nations Development Programme's plastic waste management programme. He was able to get letters of intent to segregate 35 tonnes of waste monthly.

The UN's eco warrior

He soon received recognition for his work. At 16, he was named a 2020 International Young Eco-Hero by Action for Nature, one of 17 activists from around the world to receive that recognition. "It's a very major responsibility and we have been tasked with the promotion of action in India as well as motivating other youth to take up climate action too. "No social movement or climate action movement can be truly successful unless the change is not started at the grassroots level," Mukarji remarks. "And this is where I want to change the use and throw mentality of people, make them environmentally friendly and reconnect them with their roots and heritage by taking small and simple steps," he said in an interview with NDTV.

In 2020, Mukarji collaborated with universities and organisations around the world in a global afforestation initiative called Forest of Hope. As the name implies, the aim is to increase the planet's dwindling green cover. Forest of Hope had numerous partners, including Neotia University, St Stephens College, 1 Billion Trees Africa and the Kelowna City Council in India, among others.

That year, he also interned with the United Nations Development Programme, an achievement made even more remarkable by the fact that the UN, which doesn't accept interns below the age of 18, made an exception for him. After that, he was invited to speak at the UN headquarters in India about his work and his efforts to promote a plastic-free society. "IN September 2019, I was asked to be a part of the UN Youth Climate Action Summit in New York," he told Social Story. "Here I got a chance to not only interact with UN Secretary-General Antionio Gutteres, but also join Greta Thunberg in the march."

Looking ahead

After that, Mukarji became one of the 17 Young Climate Leaders for the UN India Campaign, 'We the Change', in 2022. Now a student at the University of Toronto, Mukarji will graduate from Trinity College in 2026. He is also a part of Invest India, an initiative by the Ministry of Commer, GoI, is a Diana Awardee from 2021 and has been named an Aatma Nirbhar Champion. He also continues to practice a sustainable lifestyle on his own, through what he describes as small measures, like using a bamboo toothbrush, carrying his own jute bag to the grocery store, even if they offer eco-friendly bags, using ceramic cups at Starbucks or carrying his own cup if he wants a takeaway, living up to his own credence, ‘RefuseIfYouCannotReuse’.

Follow Aditya Mukarji on LinkedIn.

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Srijanita: UP teen collaborates with youth across the world to spread awareness on animal welfare

(September 7, 2022) 17-year-old Srijanita Maurya belongs to Mau, a town in Uttar Pradesh which is also known as Maunath Bhanjan, one of the oldest places in the region. The city has a rich legacy in the sari industry but somehow it takes time for outsiders to fathom where it is. Whenever Srijanita introduces her town to others, she quickly adds ‘near Varanasi’ to give an idea of exactly where she stays. The Covid-induced first phase of lockdown saw Srijanita deeply worried as "humans were sheltered inside their homes but the poor stray animals were left to fend for themselves. Since I was nine, I have been rescuing stray animals with my mother,” she tells Global Indian. “My mother is not a known animal activist but has been doing her bit in her small way and has laid the foundation to make a difference; in me as well,” says the youngster who has received recognition in the form of President George W Bush's foundation’s 2022 Points of Light Inspirational Honor Roll. Using the internet for good Inspired by Delhi-based Palakh Khanna, the emerging youth icon who is working with youngsters from across the globe to raise awareness about taboo topics,

” says the youngster who has received recognition in the form of President George W Bush's foundation’s 2022 Points of Light Inspirational Honor Roll.

Using the internet for good

Inspired by Delhi-based Palakh Khanna, the emerging youth icon who is working with youngsters from across the globe to raise awareness about taboo topics, Srijanita decided to do something similar. For about a year she has been spreading awareness about animal welfare through the Internet. “Awareness at community levels is important to protect animals who cannot voice their feelings,” she believes. Her deep concern has taken shape in the form of her online platform – The Animal Patronage.

On the path of going global

Working on her idea for a couple of months on her own she was soon able to reach and attract the attention of the school and college students from countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and India, who are now part of her 20-member team.

Youngsters voluntarily work on welfare awareness campaigns handling different departments like content creation for awareness programmes, promotional activities, managing events, and coordinating with guest speakers for the Animal Patronage podcasts. Srijanita, who has been a TEDx speaker, hosts the podcast inviting young environmentalists and animal welfare activists as guests.

Eighteen collaborations

The Animal Patronage team has managed to garner 18 collaborations with other youth-led organisations from countries like South Korea, Africa, the UK, Australia, and the US to support the reach of their initiatives and in return increase Animal Patronage’s reach in their localities. “The most prominent collaboration is with Crimson Youth Entrepreneurship Society, a youth-led organisation by Harvard students,” tells Srijanita.

“People shy away from offering just one chapati to a stray dog. In such a scenario, looking into the well-being of large animals like elephants who need more food and care is unimaginable. But they need care too.” Animal Patronage’s goal is to make people more mindful of animals and their needs and do their bit in whatever way they can, beginning with stray animals nearby.

Turning heads

“I am the first girl in my district to work on something like this,” says the 12th grader from Kids Kingdom Senior Secondary School. Many juniors in her school approach her for guidance on similar initiatives that can help them create an impact in the society.

“It’s kind of a bold statement from a 17-year-old but I truly mean to motivate every single youth regardless of gender, economic condition, or geographical location so that they can contribute to society in some way or the other,” remarks the teen who has been recognised as Harvard Innovation Fellow by Harvard University students’ body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIc1VmyNEQM

Srijanita plans to study forensics science and become a medical examiner in the future, and has been managing her social initiatives along with studies by beginning her day at three in the morning.

Doing the extra bit

She has also started a movement called Petrichor (which means the first sun ray of the season in Latin) to help youngsters with well-researched information about different internship options available and significant tips on resume building.

Never failing to take out some time every day to devote to her initiatives, she is dedicated to increasing the team size as well as its reach. Since the Animal Patronage team is a multinational student body, meetings are scheduled during the weekends, taking into consideration time zones and study schedules of volunteering students. Srijanita is excited about the Global Kids Achievers Award that she would be receiving in November in Delhi.

Follow Srijanita Maurya on LinkedIn and Instagram

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How young changemaker Mahira Jain imparts desi culture

(April 5, 2022) She dares to be different. At a time when the spotlight is on stem-based subjects, Mahira Jain prefers to turn the focus on non-stem subjects. Specifically on Indian art, culture, and history. The freshman pursuing bachelor of arts at Duke University launched FunWagon, a social project, in 2019 to promote the significance of non-stem subjects. The young changemaker has been using the platform to introduce youngsters to India’s history, culture, and architecture, which she feels are oft ignored. The 18-year-old received the 2021 Diana Award for her initiatives to promote desi culture. [caption id="attachment_13990" align="aligncenter" width="442"] Mahira Jain, founder, FunWagon[/caption] Making history fun “FunWagon is a social enterprise that caters to children between the age of six to 16. Our mission is to organise exciting and interactive cultural activities, which promote experiential learning through excursions and experiences,” says the young changemaker, who launched FunWagon while still a student at DPS, RK Puram in Delhi. “We also discuss the importance of non-stem subjects by providing students a platform to emphasise and engage with different forms of humanities – culture, history, sociology,” adds Mahira in a conversation with Global Indian. View this post on Instagram A post

ce of non-stem subjects by providing students a platform to emphasise and engage with different forms of humanities – culture, history, sociology,” adds Mahira in a conversation with Global Indian.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FunWagon By Mahira Jain (@fun.wagon)

While these sessions are conducted both online and offline, the group has conducted various excursions to places like the National Museum, India Gate, and other monuments that celebrate India's rich history. “We've partnered with 11 NGOs. Since the pandemic started, we moved FunWagon’s activities online which helped us to give exposure to many more people,” says the teenager, who wishes to study innovation in entrepreneurship, visual arts, and media studies.

Thinking out of the box

The young changemaker, who was always inclined towards history, sociology, visual arts, piano, photography, and classical music, feels strongly about the lack of importance given to non-stem subjects. “We usually hear people say you should pursue stem and become a doctor, engineer, or scientist. There is hardly any importance given to the prospect of becoming a historian or sociologist. I’ve seen a lot of my friends being pressured into pursuing subjects they didn’t want to,” says Mahira, whose parents encouraged her to follow her interests and, pursued humanities instead. “I think that's how every parent should be. I realised it is very important to emphasise on non-stem education and its benefits,” she adds.

FunWagon has so far created a successful network of cultural educators who inform youngsters on the full range of humanities learning options available in India. “Apart from excursions, we have been popularising non-stem subjects through panel discussions and expert talks. Our biggest event was an offline conference that I organised in 2019 with speakers from different backgrounds and a live audience of 80,” explains Mahira.

It all started when…

Mahira’s interest in humanities was kindled when she attended a six-month Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) programme in 2017 by businesswoman Namita Thapar. YEA is aimed at transforming middle and high school students into confident entrepreneurs. “I was told to come up with something that I was passionate about. That is how FunWagon was born,” she adds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBPl6FQ9g6Y

“I realised that students too often shied away from humanities since they think it involves rote learning. There has been a lack of enriching recreational activities that make humanities interesting. That’s when I decided to organise events that are specially curated for students to provide them experiential learning outside the confines of the classroom,” adds Mahira whose venture has so far catered to 1,550 children.

Inspirations in the family

Incidentally, Mahira draws her inspiration from her parents, both established entrepreneurs. Her father, Nitesh Jain, the MD of Best Group, has expertise in the areas of manufacturing, EV, education, and high tech. Her mother Swati, on the other hand, is committed to empowering women to get back to the workforce with The Banyan, her chain of childcare centres. Her older sister works with a PR agency in Delhi and her younger brother is in the ninth grade.

[caption id="attachment_13992" align="aligncenter" width="661"] Mahira with her family[/caption]

“While both my parents are my inspiration, I’m also inspired by MS Dhoni. I admire him for his humility and how he carries himself more like an individual than a sports star,” says the youngster, who hopes to become an entrepreneur.

It was not a cakewalk

While FunWagon has managed to find its moment in the sun, the journey from inception was an uphill task. Getting parents to involve their kids in humanities outside the classroom was no mean feat. Building logistics and trust for the excursions too took a great deal of effort. Her father supported her financially and logistics wise, while her mother’s belief kept her going.

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A post shared by FunWagon By Mahira Jain (@fun.wagon)

The high point came when Mahira was able to convince 11 NGOs to partner with her cause. She also went on to publish a paper “Why the arts matter: an aesthetic exploration of India’s cultural diversity” in the International Journal of Social Science and Economic Research.

All set for future

“I hadn’t been very actively organising FunWagon activities since I moved to the US last August for my studies at Duke University. But I will soon begin working towards it from here,” says the youngster, who is currently enjoying her new innings as she explores new avenues and experiences.

Follow Mahira Jain on LinkedIn and Instagram

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The science of immune engineering: Rishi Goel is at the frontier of healthcare tech

(May 24, 2022) The ongoing global pandemic COVID-19 brought the world's attention to the importance of a good immune system. No remedy was too far-fetched, people around the globe tried everything they could get their hands on, from Ayurvedic herbs to home-made concoctions. Meanwhile, medical student Rishi Goel was hard at work learning more about immune engineering, trying to apply the principles of engineering to design and workings of the immune system. "I am working to understand immune responses to viral pathogens," the young Indian-American youngster tells Global Indian, adding, "My work has contributed to a better understanding of immune memory in the context of COVID-19 and mRNA vaccines. I also helped start the Immune Health Project at Penn, which aims to lead the transformation of routine human immune profiling for impact across medical disciplines.” [caption id="attachment_17065" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Rishi Goel, with immunologist Dr E. John Wherry, after receiving the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship[/caption] The young doctor, whose family hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is currently a research fellow in E. John Wherry’s laboratory, at the University of Pennsylvania, and aims to become a physician-scientist working on immunology research to enhance the patient experience. Rishi recently received a Paul &

The young doctor, whose family hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is currently a research fellow in E. John Wherry’s laboratory, at the University of Pennsylvania, and aims to become a physician-scientist working on immunology research to enhance the patient experience. Rishi recently received a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship which provides funding up to $90,000 over two years for postgraduate study. The fellowship is open to immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States.

An Indie kid

Rishi's grandfather, a civil engineer, came to USA about four decades ago along with his son, who was just six or seven years old at the time. "My father," Rishi shares, "is a businessman. My mother, on the other hand, grew up in Lucknow and moved to the US after she got married." Growing up, Rishi was deeply inspired by his grandfather who, he recalls, "brought scientific curiosity and wonder to everyday household tasks." The duo would spend their weekends together experimenting with new ingredients.

[caption id="attachment_17066" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Childhood image of Rishi[/caption]

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rishi was always a very active child, involved in various sports during his school days. However, as much as he loved the US, he never lost touch with his roots. Growing up in a Hindi-speaking household, Rishi says he loved his visits to India. "We would visit my Nana and Nani during vacation and I used to enjoy my time there. It was kind of a reunion for me, because all my cousins would come home, there would be amazing food, and we would have a gala time," Rishi shares.

Fascinated by immunology

After completing school, Rishi graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a minor in applied statistics. Through his work at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute, Rishi became fascinated with the immune system. "During that time, I designed and tested a novel therapeutic vaccine for food allergies that was able to re-train pathologic immune responses and suppress disease. I was amazed by the immune system's ability to learn and improve over time, and began to wonder how it could be used or engineered to treat disease."

[caption id="attachment_17067" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Rishi with his family[/caption]

Following his undergraduate education, Rishi earned a master’s degree in immunology from the University of Oxford, where he was awarded highest distinction for his academic work and was a member of the Blues lacrosse team. Explaining, the young doctor shares, "There I completed an IRTA Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, investigating new mechanisms of tissue damage in autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis."

[caption id="attachment_17069" align="aligncenter" width="651"] A sports lover, Rishi was a part of the Oxford City Lacrosse Club[/caption]

Focused on understanding the human immune system better, Rishi has published over 20 academic papers, including first-author publications in Science, Cell, and Nature Medicine. His recent work on understanding immune responses to viral pathogens and has led to new insights into the development of immune memory after SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA vaccination. "I aim to bring immune profiling into the clinic to better diagnose, treat, and prevent disease," says the young doctor, who is excited to have received the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship. When he says he hasn’t lost touch with his roots, he means it: "My family is very proud but they keep asking me when I’m going to finish my education, start earning and get married," he laughs.

Going beyond the call of duty

During the last two years of pandemic, people across the globe have been bombarded with misinformation - not just about the disease, but also about vaccines. When cases peaked in United States last year, Rishi became a leading science communicator on COVID vaccines, with regular contributions to major news outlets such as The Atlantic, Nature News, and NPR.

[caption id="attachment_17068" align="aligncenter" width="637"] Dr Goel, with his friends, at the Bryce Canyon[/caption]

"While there were several health bulletins being published or broadcast across the world, many people were still choosing to believe the forwarded messages of their family members on social media. Even today, many people in the US are hesitant to get vaccinated. I think it is imperative that doctors should be able to communicate in a language that the masses understand. Thus, I started communicating with various media outlets, dispelling the myths about COVID and its vaccinations," shares the young doctor, who wishes to become a physician-scientist in the future.

Follow Rishi Goel on Twitter and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 7 mins

How Sri Nihal Tammana’s recyclemybattery.org has recycled 145,000 batteries, and counting…

(December 21,2021) Recycling batteries for a better future Recycle My Battery has recycled over 145,000 used batteries Every day almost 15 billion batteries are purchased to power everyday objects, most of which end up in landfills. In Edison, New Jersey, a seventh grader works tirelessly to rid the world of battery pollutants, aspiring to make the world safe from fires. Interestingly, his campaign also started when a fire at a waste plant in California caused million of dollars' worth of damage. When Sri Nihal Tammana read about it on his tenth birthday, he realised the culprit was a discarded lithium-ion battery. That became a clarion call for the 12-year-old to start a campaign to rid the Earth of used batteries. It galvanised the community, and like-minded children to begin collecting and recycling all types of batteries. Most importantly to save the planet. The little boy founded recyclemybattery.org which has grown exponentially since it began in 2019. Collaborations with Call2Recycle, today there are recycle bins in 200 US locations, and the non-profit is also working with US school superintendents, covering over 200 schools (200,000 children). [caption id="attachment_8698" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Recharge My Battery founder Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption] "I started to learn about

,000 children).

[caption id="attachment_8698" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Recharge My Battery founder Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]

"I started to learn about all types of batteries, and how chemicals cause pollution when they end up in landfills, poisoning groundwater and damaging the ecosystem. I realised that our entire world is powered by batteries, and they are only going to be more widely used. I founded Recycle My Battery to address this," says the pint-sized TEDx speaker, environmentalist, eco-hero and Point of Light honouree.

His large, observant bespectacled eyes light up at the mention of science and sustainability. The winner of the NJ Governor’s Award and the Jefferson Award for his work, Nihal has a sensibility that defies his years.

The method to the research

The Woodrow Wilson student, Nihal researched on how to prevent batteries ending up in landfills, and it was a huge turning point that has been the guiding light that is slowly creating a change. "I started RMB to reduce the 15 billion batteries that are carelessly thrown away each year to zero. We have an amazing team of over 150 kids, and have achieved so much in the two years thanks to my team! We have recycled over 145,000 used batteries so far, and educated over an estimated one million people." Now, Nihal hopes to reach India with his campaign.

[caption id="attachment_8700" align="aligncenter" width="837"] Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]

Always thinking ahead, partnering with Call2Recycle and Best Brains helped spread RMB’s wings across the US. Call2Recycle offered free battery bins while Best Brains helped right from initiation, advising on where to place battery bins in over 150 locations. Today, 145,000 used batteries have been recycled and the team has educated an estimated one million people on battery disposal, etc.

The 2009 March-born student has been STEM-inclined since he was a toddler, and thus math and science were his favourite subjects.

Infact, Nihal already had dreams of becoming a successful entrepreneur even though his parents were concerned that he was too young to start an organisation. He started it, anyway. At age 10, news of fires and lithium-ion batteries put him well and truly on this path. His younger sister is in awe while his parents who work in IT, and are extremely encouraging, especially his father, "He kept motivating me towards my dreams. Without him, I wouldn't have started my organisation!" says Nihal. Nihal loves speaking to his grandparents in Vijaywada, India, and often regales them with his stellar achievements.

From recycle to spreading awareness

The TedX speaker admits sheepishly to being extremely nervous on the podium, and it took two months of practice to prepare for his TedX speech. The Eco-Hero awardee is a 12-year-old who has only just begun tackling world problems. With the help of more than a 145 strong childrens’ team, today RMB has placed more than 250 battery bins across the US. "We have also won 15 plus national and international awards," chirps Nihal.

The PEYA Award is what Nihal cherishes the most, One in a Million Award, NJDEP Recycling Award, Citizens Award, Nihal is thankful for the acclaim and attributes it to team effort, and the partners who supported his dream.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Recycle My Battery (@recyclemybattery)

If STEM subjects bring a glint to Nihal's eyes, he is also a proficient artist, and has won national awards for his distinctive drawings, one of which is shared below. "I have loved art and drawing since I was little. It was super creative and fun to draw, and impress everyone. I drew frenetically just to pass time - 100s of drawing, and I have gotten many awards," says the achiever who seems earnest and adult in demeanour.

The boy who has received appreciation from New Jersey state senators Bob Menendez, Sam Thompson, Patrick Diegnan and Vin Gopal, and Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey, exudes a wisdom beyond his years, and is grateful for their support which has furthered RMB.

As other children were gaming or playing tag, Nihal went CEO hunting to ask for support. That came in the form of kudos from Kevin Kassekert, COO of Redwood Materials, among many others.

Experience and impact has already given Tammana the depth to charter new paths in his life. His research-minded proclivity takes him forward, "I tend to do research to learn more about the environment, waste management, and recycling! When I see the battery bin is full, I feel very proud that people are using the bins that we place," says Nihal who still has ample amount of schoolwork to do, his first priority. After that comes RMB work, and of course, research.

[caption id="attachment_8702" align="aligncenter" width="772"] Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]

Busy increasing RMB's influence across the US, the 12-year-old was also hired to research on waste management by an Indian firm. "I was recently hired as the youngest research lead at the Delhi-based EnviroVigyan (started by a professor and some PhDs). I want to do more research to learn more about waste management now," he adds. He also blogs for them.

Higher goals, ahoy

Egged on in no small measure by parents in IT, Nihal now has a clear goal in mind - of studying at an Ivy League like Stanford, and learn about environmental science, business development, science, space science and math.

For budding STEM students, his advice is, "Always go after your dreams and never give up! Failure leads to success!"

Having the right mentors opened a whole world of learning and opportunities, and Nihal is grateful for the guidance of Professor Dr Madigosky, Call2Recycle ex-CEO Carl Smith and his dad who "has guided and supported me throughout my journey to bring down the 15 billion batteries thrown away each year to 0!" he smiles.

It's not all work and no play, with doodling giving him the space to rejuvenate, playing and developing video games adding some fun, yet on any given day, reading and researching touts all else.

[caption id="attachment_8696" align="aligncenter" width="541"] A doodle by Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]

"I practice martial arts, and recently got my black belt in Taekwondo. I love to learn about space. My dream is to become a space scientist. I hope to learn lessons from space to help us improve life on Earth," says the boy who has his own YouTube channel Learn with Nihal, where he educates through videos.

"In my spare time I draw and have also won some national awards for my work. I like to develop and play games on Roblox with my friends," smiles the boy who recently came third at a school geography competition, the GeoBee.

The world is his oyster, and Nihal is already thinking ahead, about how alkaline batteries help grow corn (which even the author did not know), and, a hopeful wish, "I want to start another company that can develop clean batteries in the years to come."

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