Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveBeyond classroom walls: Entrepreneur Saket Pathak’s tech-driven revolution to make learning inclusive for all

Beyond classroom walls: Entrepreneur Saket Pathak’s tech-driven revolution to make learning inclusive for all

Written by: Team GI Youth

(November 26, 2023) When Saket was around nine years old, he went home to visit his grandparent’s home in India with his parents. While he was playing with the local kids, he realised that several of those kids did not go to schools regularly, or had books to study at home. He noticed the absence of adequate resources and learning tools for proper education in schools serving underprivileged communities. “It was in 2017,” says the entrepreneur, adding, “Since then I have been striving towards helping kids around the world through what I think is a resource many needy kids lack: proper education and learning tools. The experience I got from my trip in the beginning led me to the conclusion that children don’t get the exposure to education that they need.”

Entrepreneur | Saket Pathak | Global Indian

Currently studying at the Silver Creek High School in San Jose, California, Saket Pathak is the founder of Learning Quest, a non-profit initiative that focusses on distributing books and other learning supplies to underprivileged children in various parts of the world. The young entrepreneur, who recently won the prestigious Diana Award, has been energetically gathering funds and books from donors globally, contributing over 8,000 books to 20,000 children in the USA, India, and Africa. The Global Indian‘s initiatives have garnered media attention, secured several grants for Learning Quest, and served as inspiration for numerous individuals to join the noble cause.

A boy with a mission

He was only in the third grade when after learning about the gender gap in education, Saket started rooting for girls’ rights. “I have been advocating for education rights and accessibility without any boundaries of gender or financial constraints since I was quite young. I even hosted local spelling bees and used the donations to give back to an organisation specialising in education,” said the entrepreneur.

But the kid genius doesn’t just have a golden heart and passion for an educated world. He shared, “I have been coding since elementary school and can work with the languages of Python and Java. I am also skilled in HTML / CSS, which is what, was used to create the website for Learning Quest. I am currently delving into learning about Swift, which will help the creation of the “in development” Learning Quest mobile application. All of this will help in the creation of the Learning Quest technology side.” His other strength, he adds, is in marketing. “My mission was to spread the word about Learning Quest to as many people as possible and impact as many lives as possible.” The Learning Quest team has buit a network of partners and collaborators and also made it onto the local news. “We will soon expand to a team of volunteers around the globe and sustain more partners in donations of books as well as scaling our mobile application,” Saket explains.

Empowering minds

Founded in 2022 by Saket, Learning Quest has been exclusively dedicated to distributing books donated by individuals, schools, and libraries in the USA to underprivileged children in India. Speaking about the mission of his organisation, the entrepreneur said, “When a child is deprived of essential resources, what they do afterward and their perception of the world is changed as an effect. With proper education comes the ability to think better, earn better, and explore new horizons. But if a kid does not attend a school or lacks educational resources, their view of the world would be constrained, they pick low-income jobs early in their life and this cycle keeps going in a loop.”

According to Learning Quest data, approximately 40 percent of children living in poverty lack access to the necessary education. In certain regions of the USA, both teachers and students face financial constraints, hindering their ability to provide a quality education for children. “Roughly 72 million children are affected by this issue and therefore are not prepared for the real world. This can lead to many things such as unemployment, poor health, under-representation, and even cases of exploration,” he explained.

In the process of developing an app for the oganisation to make the service accessible to more and more kids, Saket has grand plans for Learning Quest. “We have already impacted many children and know how we can further develop Learning Quest for the better. We have been able to gather fundamental information to better understanding how the application should be created and which areas will be impacted the most. Going ahead, I wish to build a sustainable enterprise working in several communities or countries that are looking to grow significantly, focussing on increased efficiency,” shared the entrepreneur.

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Published on 26, Nov 2023

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Kiara Ramklass: Bridging communities through the rhythm of Marimba

(July 16, 2023) In a remarkable journey of passion and purpose, Kiara Ramklass, an Indian-origin South African, has made a significant impact on her community by using the power of music. Her social enterprise, Marimba Jam, has not only provided underprivileged learners with a means of expression through rhythm and music but has also become a catalyst for cultural and social harmony. Recognized as one of the 100 Young Mandelas of the Future, Kiara's journey with Marimba Jam has grown from a small school outreach initiative to a renowned organisation that enriches vulnerable communities with the joy of Marimba music in a post-apartheid South Africa. “We have a focus on nation building because in South Africa there is a huge disconnect between the privileged youth and the youth from underprivileged segments of society. We use music to bridge that gap,” said Kiara. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa8fAYwfMy4&t=83s A Cape Town resident, Kiara has already earned herself several accolades, including being named one of the ‘200 Young South Africans’ by the Mail and Guardian in 2023. Her organisation, Marimba Jam has broken a Guinness World Record and has received several awards - the Number One Youth-Owned Business at the Western Cape Entrepreneurship Recognition

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A Cape Town resident, Kiara has already earned herself several accolades, including being named one of the ‘200 Young South Africans’ by the Mail and Guardian in 2023. Her organisation, Marimba Jam has broken a Guinness World Record and has received several awards - the Number One Youth-Owned Business at the Western Cape Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards, first prize at the Investec Startup School Africa and the Billion Acts of Peace Award led by 14 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, where it was chosen from millions of acts of peace worldwide as one of seven finalists. As the winner of the Billion Acts of Peace Fellowship from the Peace Jam Foundation Kiara got the opportunity to participate in a one-year global fellowship.

Her award-winning social enterprise not just teaches but also has a band that performs across South Africa. The band has had the honour of performing for the likes of President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Western Cape Government, the South Africa National Rugby Union Team, and the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation apart from performing at numerous events.

The rhythms of marimba

Marimba is an African musical instrument of the percussion family. It is like a xylophone and consists of a series of wooden bars of varying lengths. The instrument is played by striking the bars with mallets, allowing the performer to create melodies and harmonies by varying the rhythm, speed, and intensity of the strikes. Marimba is known for its rich and resonant tone.

The ground-breaking Marimba Jam syllabus are being used in African schools that wish to integrate marimba into their offerings. “We are to first to develop a syllabus that allows marimba to be the first African instrument to be taken as a subject in school,” said the 28-year-old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaoB00sMobo

Breaking world records and achieving recognition

In 2018, Marimba Jam achieved international recognition by breaking the Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest Marimba Ensemble’ with the participation of 241 females between the age of eight and 23 on South African National Women's Day. Previous holders of this title included Australia with 108 players in 2016, and Zimbabwe with 222 players the same year.

The following year, the organisation represented South Africa at the prestigious Social Enterprise World Forum, showcasing its impactful work on a global stage at Addis Ababa.

Making a Difference

Marimba Jam actively supports community causes through Marimba Jam Cares to bring about social change.

As the Marimba Jams website states, “it’s built upon the ideology that music can act as a vehicle for social change,” following the organisations motto,” Finding Harmony in Community,” to connect youth of South Africa bridging the socio-economic barriers that divide them. The profit earned from every paid performance and workshop of Marimba Jam helps in supporting the causes of its NPO branch - Marimba Jam Cares.

It started when…

When Kiara Ramklass, was in grade 11, she was deeply moved by the plight of the underprivileged in her society. Recognising her talent for playing the instrument, marimba, she decided to utilize it as a medium for change. With the support of the youth development organization enke: Make Your Mark, Kiara started her initiative to provide marimba lessons to learners from underprivileged schools in her locality. Her efforts were acknowledged with the Amy Biehl Spirit of Youth Award in 2012, further fuelling her determination.

In 2014, when she was in the first year at university, both her parents lost their jobs. Kiara stated teaching marimba as a part time job to support her education. Her teaching skills were so much in demand that at one point of time she found herself teaching 15 batches of students a week while pursuing her full-time degree in film and media screen production at the University of Cape Town.

[caption id="attachment_31934" align="aligncenter" width="542"] Kiara Ramklass, CEO and founder, Marimba Jam[/caption]

Later, she was chosen for the Global Young Innovators Programme to participate in a seven-month course by Newable UK and Innovate UK. “I was awarded a grant of £10 000 to develop a new virtual reality app for the African Music Heritage project,” she said.

Kiara is also the recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African leaders, which took her to the University of Texas’ McCombs Business School for a six-week fellowship.

From small initiative to thriving social enterprise

Kiara's commitment to teaching marimba and her desire to make a deeper impact led her to formalise Marimba Jam into a full-time venture in 2015. Since then, Marimba Jam has flourished as a dynamic social enterprise, offering marimba lessons to thousands of learners in the Western Cape. The organisation also runs annual teacher training courses, festivals, and workshops, providing part-time employment to university students who want to be a part of the cause.

Held annually at an open-air theatre, the Marimba Jam Festival is a popular event. It not only provides Kiara’s students a platform to perform but also works as a fundraising event to continue with the organisations outreach programme – to provide weekly marimba band lessons at schools meant for poor children. “The underprivileged schools don’t have any access to music or art and culture. We invite students at such schools into private schools so that they can share and learn from one another. This initiative gives them the opportunity to unleash their talent,” Kiara says.

[caption id="attachment_31935" align="aligncenter" width="736"] Kiara with her students[/caption]

The Indian-origin musician and teacher was born and raised in Cape Town and is dedicated towards making a difference in a post-apartheid South Africa through the transformative power of music and social entrepreneurship.

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A ‘Rebba’rence to the downtrodden: How Dhruv helps underprivileged and pandemic-stricken

(March 24, 2022) An eighth grader, Dhruv Rebba landed in India from the US to visit his father's village - NP Kunta in Andhra Pradesh. The experience was a life changer – as he started a non-profit at the age of 14. The teenager from Illinois was startled by the gap in the standard of living between the US and India, and couldn't wrap his head around it. “It astonished me that the difference in the quality of life between two parts of the world is so stark — in a week, I experienced polar realities on two completely different continents," Dhruv tells Global Indian in an interview. Universal Help, an organisation that helps improve people's quality of life, began with this earnest need to bridge the gap. That relentless work for the underprivileged, and contribution to stem helped him bag the 2022 4-H Youth In Action Award for Stem. The stem lover is also the youngest amateur radio operator in the US, who obtained his license at just nine. [caption id="attachment_13196" align="aligncenter" width="433"] Dhruv Rebba[/caption] When stem became his be all Born in Dallas in 2004 to immigrant parents, Dhruv's inclination towards stem began as early as age six.

obalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dhruv2.jpg" alt="Stem Lover | Dhruv Rebba " width="433" height="541" /> Dhruv Rebba[/caption]

When stem became his be all

Born in Dallas in 2004 to immigrant parents, Dhruv's inclination towards stem began as early as age six. “I would play with electronic snap circuits (DIY kits) where anyone can put together a circuit while following a guide, and can build Led lights, fans, and various systems with ease,” says the Class 12th student. It was in fourth grade that he came across stem opportunities that 4-H, a youth development and mentoring organisation, had to offer. “I joined the 4-H robotics club where I was taught by older 4-H members, which led to my interest in stem,” adds the Normal Community High School student who initially felt lost but soon picked up pace.

“We began with NXT Robots, which are lego-based robots, and soon started making line followers. Moreover, we made the robot function through line, ultrasonic and touch sensors. This cemented my interest in the field of robotics,” says the 17-year-old who is currently a part of a 4-H based FRC team, MetalCow Robotics that builds 120-pound robots from scratch.

Dhruv also launched 4-H robotics clubs in elementary school to “create more opportunities for younger kids to get involved in stem.” “I teach third to fifth graders the basic fundamentals of robotics, coding and engineering,” reveals the Normal resident.

Radio ga ga

In third grade, Dhruv attended the Dayton Hamvention, an international ham radio convention, thanks to his dad who has been a ham radio operator for over 25 years. “I was inspired by the convention, and took an FCC exam to obtain an amateur radio license when I was nine years," says Dhruv who got a place in the Limca Book of Records for being the youngest person of Indian descent ever to earn a general class license.

This love for ham radio helped him bag a project Amateur Radio on the International Space Station that allowed 16 students from various countries to speak via ham radio to astronauts on board the orbiting station. “I was the driving force behind an ARISS contact on October 23, 2017 at Chiddix Jr High School wherein students got the opportunity to talk to Astronaut Joe Acaba on the ISS. From technical preparations to coordinating with Nasa to making the initial ISS contact, I helped at every step. As the lead control operator of the ARISS contact, I made the initial contact between our ground station and the ISS," says Dhruv, who helped conduct an eight minute live conversation through the radio.

It took a village to see the problems

That visit to his father’s village in Andhra Pradesh (2018) had a profound effect on him, and led to the launch of his non-profit Universal Help. “I walked through a dirt road riddled with potholes. To my left, I saw a deserted primary school with a collapsed foundation. To my right, I saw a medical clinic that was almost always empty and devoid of a doctor. I looked at homes on the street, many of which were small amid a periodic power outage. I thought back to life in the US, with no outages and schools that don't collapse. A regular middle-class home in the US is magnitudes larger than what I saw in this village. It made me think a lot,” says Dhruv.

[caption id="attachment_13204" align="aligncenter" width="545"] Universal Help distributed books to schools in Andhra Pradesh[/caption]

The organisation started working for the betterment of people. It has provided textbooks to schools, digitised schools in rural India with projectors, computers and UPS. “We’ve also provided emergency rescue materials during Cyclone Yaas in West Bengal. Currently, we are working on starting a solar panel pilot programme in rural Andhra Pradesh, although it’s in very early stages. Locally, we are working with the city of Bloomington to expand accessibility to recycling, and also with the Ecology Action Centre on a composting project," reveals Dhruv.

Help during the pandemic

Within two years of launching the nonprofit, the pandemic struck, and Universal Help rose to the occasion. “We distributed two months of groceries to poor Purohit families of Kopparu village in Guntur (AP) and 10 grocery kits to the Purohits of Bolarum, Hyderabad during the second wave of lockdown. We also distributed groceries and other essential goods for a month to a mental health clinic in Shantiniketan, Hyderabad. Together, Universal Help and GSSO distributed food to 380 families in rural villages in India during the first two waves of Covid-19,” adds Dhruv whose non-profit works with volunteers, and is funded by individual donations.

Dhruv's contribution to the world of stem and social work helped him bag the 2022 4-H Youth In Action Award for Stem. “It feels good that your work is being recognised,” says the boy who plans to study computer science in college, and wants to start a technology company soon. He loves curling with a book or watching tv in his free time.

His parents, who work at State Farm Insurance, are his biggest cheerleaders. “They’re open to things that I want to do, and try to connect me to people who might be able to help me achieve my goals,” says Dhruv who calls “taking the first step” his biggest challenge so far. “Originally, I had no idea how to start a non-profit. However, with the support of friends, mentors, and family, I was able to overcome many of obstacles,” he adds, advising youngsters to “not be afraid to start. However intimidating it is, once you push the pedal it gets easier and less intimidating.”

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Crafting victory: Badminton player Chirag Shetty wishes to have a room full of medals

(March 12, 2024) A few years back, when an interviewer asked Chirag Shetty what was his future goal, the Indian badminton player had replied, "Currently, my target is to become the World No.1, and I know that I and my partner (Satwiksairaj Rankireddy) can achieve that if we continue to play as well as we did in the Indonesia Open." And just yesterday, the 26-year-old joined the exclusive ranks of the only doubles pair from India to achieve the prestigious World No. 1 position in the BWF World Ranking. So, now what? "My ultimate target is to win a medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics," quipped Chirag, during the press conference. Known to be the first Indian to win a gold at the Asian games in badminton, Chirag has been working towards just one goal, for the last seven years. "A couple of years down the line when I retire, I want to have a room filled with all the big medals that badminton has to offer,' said the player, adding, "My ambition is to have a medal in all prestigious events, including the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and world tour finals." [caption id="attachment_49908" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Chirag Shetty (right)

is to have a medal in all prestigious events, including the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and world tour finals."

[caption id="attachment_49908" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Chirag Shetty (right) and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy with their former coach Tan Kim Her.[/caption]

Alongside his partner, Chirag has been making waves in the badminton scene, clinching victories at the Indonesia Open, Asia Championships, Swiss Open, Korea Open, and the most recent French Open 2024. "The key was to be steady," said Chirag talking about a difficult match he had with his Chinese opponents - Lee Jhe-Huei and Yang Po-Hsuan, adding, "They can be quite a formidable pair. They play some really attacking badminton. So you need to keep your calm. We knew that they would come all guns blazing. But we had to stick to our plan and that's what we did."

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Rising star

Born and raised in Mumbai in a Tulu family, Chirag was always inclined towards outdoor sports. While he always participated in various sports activities in school, a real turn came in his life when his father took him to the Uday Pawar Badminton Academy. The young badminton player first held the racket and completely fell in love with the sport. "I started playing badminton at the age of seven under Manish Hadkar. Initially, I started playing just as recreation but gradually when I started winning tournaments, my interest grew," shared the player, adding, "After completing my 10th standard I chose it as a career option. After passing my 10th standard, I had to choose between science and commerce and I opted for the latter because I wouldn’t have been able to continue playing badminton if I had taken science."

[caption id="attachment_49907" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Chirag Shetty with Prime Minister Narendra Modi[/caption]

The young player later moved to the Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad, where he crossed paths with his current partner, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. Although he was initially paired with Arjun MR, the team coach, Tan Kim Her, recognised the potential of uniting two tall, strong players with impressive skills to form a formidable doubles pair. "It was one of the best decisions to pair with Satwiksairaj. We are now adept at adapting to a given situation, and our responses in a crisis have been effective. Satwik is a very calm and composed guy, ensuring the pressure doesn’t build up. We complement each other pretty well with a clear strategy going into a match,” Chirag said of his partnership.

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Heightened horizons

Although they have been partners since 2015, the world witnessed the true strength of this duo only in 2018, when they played a crucial role in earning India a historic gold medal in the mixed team event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Chirag also won the men's doubles silver with his partner. "That was an interesting year," the young player shared, "We won our first big badminton tournament, the Hyderabad Open, by beating an Indonesian pair named Akbar Bintang Cahyono and Muhammad Reza Pahlevi Isfahani in the final." Since then, the Global Indian has won several titles, including the BWF World Tour, Thailand Open, Swiss Open, and India Open.

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All set to represent India at the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024, Chirag is confident that he will be able to bag a medal with his consistent performance in the last couple of years. "We have had some brilliant games, and would like to replicate the performances," said the player, adding, "Our first target will be to make the quarter-finals in whichever tournament we play and if we do reach the quarters then we will take one match at a time."

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Aman Sharma: From balcony birdwatcher to global eco-warrior

(July 11, 2024) It was a pair of red vented bulbuls that changed Aman Sharma's life, when they built their nest on his balcony. He happened to have a camera, and would take photos of the beautiful little birds. And the rest, as they say, is history. By this time, frequent family trips to national parks had already sparked a deep love for nature and the teenager was enchanted - he hadn't really imagined that his bustling city was home to birds beyond crows and sparrows. Aman would wake up at 6 am to spend time observing birds before school. His terrace was his private observatory, and he even set up his own garden, with over 500 plants, to attract birds to his 'urban jungle'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aman Sharma 🐳🇮🇳 (@birds_of_india_) Turning a Hobby into a Movement "When I asked my school teacher and my family, they had no idea there were so many species in the city itself," he says. So, he founded the 'Cuckoo Club', a series of nature walks and visits to nearby national parks, conducted by children for children. "Soon, we became India's largest birding community for

Turning a Hobby into a Movement

"When I asked my school teacher and my family, they had no idea there were so many species in the city itself," he says. So, he founded the 'Cuckoo Club', a series of nature walks and visits to nearby national parks, conducted by children for children. "Soon, we became India's largest birding community for youth by youth." He went on to become India's youngest wildlife photographer, as well as a vocal advocate against climate change on international platforms. "In our curriculum we are not taught beyond education. We are not taught about the wildlife that exists beyond our backyards. How many people know that Delhi is the second-most bird-populous city in the world, with more than 500 species of birds. Almost 18 years of being in school and I was never taught this," he says.

Achieving Global Recognition

Now twenty years old and a student at the University of Pennsylvania, the Global Indian is a three-time TEDx speaker and Nikon's youngest ambassador. In 2019, his petition calling for a climate emergency gathered 1.2 million signatures across 70 different countries. That's not all. The EU, Austria, UK and the state of New York actually declared climate emergencies, and Aman gained appreciation from Leonado Di Caprio and Greta Thunberg. That year, he also received an invitation to speak at the Climate and Peace Summit, Oslo Pax. Aman also the first Indian photographer to be featured in Times Square, New York.

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A post shared by Aman Sharma 🐳🇮🇳 (@birds_of_india_)

Connecting Generations Through Nature

Aman's Instagram page Birds of India, has over half a million followers and he looks every bit the teen that he is as he goes on shoots with his mum by his side. His parents helped him find his love for nature at a young age. "They used to take us to national parks and forests as kid for our family holidays," he said, in an interview. And he realised, that although we share our land with thousands of other species, there is still a big gap between human lives and nature. "I started taking school kids out to urban wildlife spaces, and national parks, by co-founding the Cuckoo Club," Aman says. "I wanted to spread the idea that bird watching can be done by young children as well."

As he entered his teens, Aman began sacrificing the "parties and weekend outings with friends" to travel instead. He would head to the hills of Uttarakahand and the deserts of Rajasthan, to document India's immense variety of avian life. "I wanted to bring attention to India's wildlife and national heritage. That is when this turned into a passion more than a hobby."

A Journey Supported by Family and Education

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A post shared by Aman Sharma 🐳🇮🇳 (@birds_of_india_)

In those early days, the young wildlife photographer wouldn't always carry a high-end DSLR with all its trappings. He chose his Samsung phone instead, which was portable and allowed for more spontaneous shots. In fact, in 2020, during a Hampta Pass trek in Manali, he took a photo. He took it down later, thinking it wasn't good enough. A couple of months later, during another road trip, he received an email from Samsung India, asking to feature his photograph. Although this was in the middle of the pandemic, offers began pouring in and Aman soon established himself as a wildlife photographer.

When he went to summer school at Ashoka Universities, a professor there told him about Environmental Studies. Aman immediately caught on to the idea, and was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania, after which he hopes to work in the climate and conservation space.

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Reading Time: 4 mins

From Delhi to Stockholm via Madras: The journey of Mannat Kaur’s award-winning greywater project

(September 18, 2024) A few years ago, when Mannat Kaur witnessed her home tap run dry, she began exploring solutions for the widespread use of greywater (domestic wastewater) to address the water crisis. Little did she imagine that her curiosity and efforts to develop a water-conservation project would eventually lead her to being felicitated by the Princess of Sweden, and attend the Royal Banquet hosted by Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf. The 16-year-old, class 12 student spent an unforgettable week in Stockholm this August when she travelled to represent India at the 2024 International Stockholm Junior Water Prize, held as part of World Water Week. Winning the national championship at IIT Madras, which led to these remarkable experiences, had already been a golden opportunity in itself. [caption id="attachment_39296" align="aligncenter" width="482"] Mannat Kaur at the royal banquet[/caption] Accompanied by her father and the national organizer, Prof. Indumathi M. Nambi from the Department of Environmental Engineering and School of Sustainability at IIT Madras, Mannat joined participants from 30 countries for the prestigious event. Although the United Kingdom took home the international prize, the experience has filled Mannat, the Head Girl of DPS RK Puram, with immense confidence and unforgettable memories. 'Every moment

and School of Sustainability at IIT Madras, Mannat joined participants from 30 countries for the prestigious event.

Although the United Kingdom took home the international prize, the experience has filled Mannat, the Head Girl of DPS RK Puram, with immense confidence and unforgettable memories. 'Every moment was unforgettable,' she tells Global Indian.

The joy of being a national champion

IIT Madras served as the national organizer for World Water Prize. Mannat competed against 350 applicants from 23 states at the national level and emerged as the winner, earning the opportunity to represent her country. “The top 12 shortlisted teams were invited to present their projects in person at the IIT Madras campus, where my project was selected,” Mannat shares.

This was the inaugural year of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize India (SJWP India), an initiative by the Sustainability Venture Studio (SVS) at Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. It was organised in collaboration with the SIWI - Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and sponsored by AquaMAP Center for Water Management and Policy, IIT Madras, to empower young innovators to tackle critical water challenges.

[caption id="attachment_39298" align="aligncenter" width="395"] Mannat Kaur with IIT-M Prof. Indumathi M. Nambi in Stockholm[/caption]

Calling her victory at the national championship a significant personal achievement, Mannat who had dedicated the past four years to this project said, “Receiving recognition at the national level in a competition focused on the water domain is truly rewarding. This recognition has also strengthened my determination to continue contributing to solutions that can have a positive impact on both my country and the world.”

Earlier this year, the youngster had participated in the Genius Olympiad, organised by the US based Rochester Institute of Technology and held at the RIT campus in India where the same project earned her an honourable mention.

The award-winning water project

Mannat’s project is an applied research project which focuses on the development of an indigenous, sustainable, cost effective, decentralized greywater treatment unit which collects, treats, and reuses greywater generated in a household at the source.

“This product driven intervention has two units: Scupper Valve and Bilge Vessel which help households save and fight the water crisis without any major modifications in the current home plumbing system and takes up very little space in the bathroom,” explains Mannat adding, “The preliminary prototype testing demonstrates its effectiveness in collecting and treating greywater to an improved level. The solution also has an image processing component which is able to distinguish effectively between the pre-rinse and post-rinse water from the heavily soapy flows, enabling selective collection of greywaters.

[caption id="attachment_39300" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Mannat Kaur with IIT-M Prof. Indumathi M. Nambi in Stockholm[/caption]

Mannat estimates that a single-family can save around 5,000-6,000 litres of precious potable water per month and can reduce 50% of their water demand if her solution gets implemented. This decentralized approach reduces carbon emissions by 80-85 percent compared to the traditional centralized sewage treatment setups (water pumping and operational energy), offsetting 18,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.

“Additionally, due to lower sewage output, it contributes towards embodied carbon savings linked to the plumbing network infrastructure and construction of sewage treatment plants. This solution, therefore, addresses two main challenges - water scarcity and operational carbon emissions associated with freshwater supply, wastewater treatment and conveyance of treated water,” says the youngster, who has applied for a patent at the Indian Patent Office.

It all started when…

In 2016, during an agitation, Mannat witnessed her home tap run dry as the Munak Canal, which supplies water to Delhi, was breached. Her entire neighbourhood struggled to secure even a single bucket of water. “This incident was a wake-up call, prompting me to explore ways to conserve water,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_39301" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Mannat while showcasing her project during Water Prize national championship at IIT-Madras[/caption]

She began monitoring her family’s water usage and identifying areas of waste, conducting water audits at home. Mannat noticed a significant amount of water going to waste and observed her family collecting greywater in a tub for reuse in flushing. When she inquired why this practice wasn't more widespread, she learned that collecting, treating, and reusing greywater requires major retrofit of the toilet and plumbing piping.

“This is how I started looking and developing practical solutions which can be easily implemented and bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application,” she says.

Experiences at Stockholm

Apart from soaking in the mesmerizing beauty of the European city of Sweden, Mannat got the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with experts. She was selected to participate in a talk show titled 'Bridging Borders and Generations with the Stockholm Junior Water Prize,' sponsored by Xylem, the U.S.-headquartered global water technology provider. Later engaging with experts from the Xylem team at their office and touring their facilities was great experience for the teenager.

Visiting the Indian Embassy and meeting Chargé d'Affaires, Mr Rakesh Tiwari, was a cherished moment too. Additionally, interacting with Taikan Oki, professor at the University of Tokyo and former Assistant Secretary General at the United Nations who won the 2024 Stockholm Water Prize in the senior category, made her overall experience even more enriching.

[caption id="attachment_39315" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Mannat Kaur at Stockholm[/caption]

A visit to the Royal Palace, not as a tourist but as an invitee to the Stockholm Water Prize royal dinner and banquet with the King and Queen of Sweden was a once-in-a-lifetime occasion.

Future plan and good influences

Mannat has a deep passion for computer science, machine learning, and emerging technologies. “The myriad challenges that the world has to confront today, such as climate change and water scarcity have ignited in me the desire to work for environmental conservation,” she says adding, “I would like to make use of my technological knowledge to address the impending challenges our generation will inevitably face.”

As a Steve Jobs fan, the youngster believes in proactive resolution rather than passive observation. “I want to impact the world as Steve Jobs had, using technology to change the way we live life. Just as he made personal computing accessible through Macintosh, the first widely sold personal computer (PC), my dream is to make environmental sustainability the easier choice,” she remarks.

[caption id="attachment_39303" align="aligncenter" width="725"] Princess Victoria of Sweden with participants of the Junior Water Prize including Mannat Kaur at Stockholm[/caption]

Mannat lives in a close-knit family of five which consists of her grandfather, her parents and a younger brother who is in grade 10. Considering herself fortunate enough to have spent some time with her late great-grandmother during the formative years of her life, the youngster mentions “I have inherited my creativity from my architect father and analytical thinking from my mathematician mother, a blend of both has shaped my approach to both life and problem-solving.”

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