Bodhna Sivanandan: Indian-origin eight-year-old is the chess queen of Europe
Compiled by: Amrita Priya
(January 30, 2024) It was only during the lockdown of 2020, that the London based chess player Bodhna Sivanandan began learning the game, and in 2023 she made history by clinching the title of England’s first World Youth Champion in 25 years, stunning the world. The chess prodigy who has caught attention of the entire chess fraternity and the worldwide media even had the opportunity to play a game of chess with British PM Rishi Sunak upon his invitation to 10 Downing Street.
Bodhna Sivanandan with Rishi Sunak
“I always try my best to win. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes it doesn’t,” the eight-year-old who holds the title of Woman Candidate Master said in an interview.
Extraordinary feats
2023 had been full of extraordinary victories for the young player. She defeated former British chess champion Peter Lee in an exhibition match, garnering praises from all around. Impressed by her talent, International Master Lawrence Trent tweeted, “The maturity of her play, her sublime touch, it’s truly breath taking…I have no doubt she will be England’s greatest player and most likely one of the greatest the game has ever seen”.
With her phenomenal performance at the Classical, Treble Crown and the latest European Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2023 held in Zagreb, Croatia, Bodhna has become one of the most loved international chess stars.
Bodhna Sivanandan
At the European Blitz Chess Championship 2023, she defeated a number of female grandmasters from across the world. In the penultimate round, she even earned victory over international master, Lorin D’Costa, the coach of the England women’s chess team. The European Blitz Chess Championship had witnessed a massive number of registrations with 555 players, including 48 grandmasters and 50 international masters as participants. Bodhna managed to shine above all, winning the the best women’s player award.
Early start
Bodhna was just five when she embarked on her chess journey, quickly mastering the intricacies of the game. A mere 15 months later, in March 2022 she had clinched silver in both Rapid and Blitz European under eight girls’ tournaments, establishing herself as the world No. 1 girl in Blitz for her age group with an impressive margin of 322 FIDE points. Leonard Barden, the English chess master, broadcaster and journalist described the little chess player as ‘exceptional’ then.
Later in the European Schools under eight age group championships held in Rhodes in May 2022, she won all the 24 games winning three gold medals. She was just seven then.
The same year in August, Bodhna participated in the British Chess Championship in Torquay, earning two wins and a draw defeating the then reigning U12 champion.
Bodhna Sivanandan
Stumbling into chess
Talking about how she discovered chess, Bodhna shared in an interview, “One of my father’s friends was throwing away some stuff because it was Covid. Inside that there was a chess board. I was curious about the pieces and started playing.” She was just five then.
“Accidentally she started chess,” her father Sivanandan Velayutham, remarked in an another interview.
Recognising her interest in the game he started taking her around the English Chess Federation and to other people in England who play and support chess. These individuals proved to be not only friendly but also supportive of Bodhna’s endeavours.
Chess in the UK
The British government is taking lots of initiatives to promote the game. As part of a new package announced last year, the UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) will be investing GBP 500,000 in the English Chess Federation (ECF) over two years to nurture the next generation of world-class talent.
The funds will be utilised for specialised coaching, training camps, and advanced computer analysis for international competitions, providing crucial support to both established grandmasters and emerging players.
Bodhna Sivanandan at UK Prime Minister’s residence with other delegates
In an interview given before the announcement and the multiple wins of 2023, the grade four student of St John Fisher Primary School of Harrow in London had shared, “My school has a chess club but it’s just for grade six students, so I am not allowed.”
When asked how does she think she would fare if allowed to play with sixth graders, “I think, I would probably win,” she had replied with a smile.
(February 5, 2023) Growing up, Taj Pabari wanted to be in school to learn the things that one couldn't learn otherwise, and not waste time on activities or problems that machines could solve. This led him to entrepreneurship at a very young age, making him one of Australia’s youngest and successful entrepreneurs. The CEO of the ASE Group - a community-led and purpose driven social enterprise that delivers education, entrepreneurship and employment programs to young people - has reached out to over 180,000 people so far, and is helping young people learn how to build businesses and make money. "Instead of teaching people the skills they need to get a job, the education system is teaching them to get good grades so they can get into a university. I think that's wrong. A heap of adulting skills is missing from the education system," Taj tells Global Indian. And it is this gap that Taj is bridging with the Australian School of Entrepreneurship, by providing youngsters with skills that they need to thrive in the real world. [caption id="attachment_27204" align="aligncenter" width="757"] Taj Pabari is one of Australia's youngest entrepreneurs.[/caption] The disconnect began for him as early as third grade, when he
achment_27204" align="aligncenter" width="757"] Taj Pabari is one of Australia's youngest entrepreneurs.[/caption]
The disconnect began for him as early as third grade, when he couldn't wrap his head around long division, and didn't understand why something that could be solved with a calculator was used as a means to assess a child in school. "When calculators became mainstream in schools, the educators, the education department and the government started banning it. There was a significant level of confusion with calculators, but ultimately, they realised that calculators are an amazing tool, and won't replace mathematicians or quantum," he says, adding that now ChatGPT has caused a similar confusion years later. With the buzz around ChatGPT taking over assignments and jobs, reams of print are being written on the general-purpose chatbot that creates AI-generated content.
"We need to move towards assessment based on problem solving and human skills. If people are worried about kids doing their assignments on ChatGPT, it's probably not a very good assignment to begin with. ChatGPT cannot do an assignment that can assess human skills. Humans should be competing against machines on human skills, because machines will never be able to demonstrate human skills. No matter how advanced a machine or AI technology may develop, it's a skill that machine will never be able to demonstrate," says Taj, at a time when ChatGPT has reached 100 million users within two months of its launch.
The 23-year-old calls ChatGPT an "incredible tool", and believes that "instead of banning or frowning upon systems like this, we should be urging young people to be taking up these platforms." The entrepreneur explains, "During school, teach them appropriate usage of techniques, teach about responsible AI techniques to make sure they know how to make the most of it. Going back to the basics of the future of any work, we know that any task or job that can be simplified down to a series of sequential and logical steps can and will be automated by AI. Government and educators are afraid of young people using ChatGPT. However, the assessments they are giving younger people are not in alignment with the needs of the real world."
Taj, who was awarded Young Australian of the Year for Queensland in 2017, believes that real-world skills are should be the focus of the education system. "If we are looking at skills of the future then rather than trying to compete with the machines on the skills that machines can probably do better, such as knowledge-based tasks, let's compete on human skills," the entrepreneur adds.
Disengagement led to purpose
Born in London in 1999 to Indian mother who was brought up in the UK and a father who has many generations living in Kenya, Taj moved to Australia at the age of one as "Kenya wasn't one of the safest places to raise a child due to increasing crime rate."
Growing up in Queensland, Taj had a hard time getting accustomed to the conventional way of education where he saw every other child "doing really well" in academics. Being the only person who wasn't keeping up with his classmates was "an isolating experience" that continued throughout primary school. "I couldn't connect the dots between the things that teachers were teaching me in school and the things I really needed to succeed in the real world. The mix of these two problems led to my disengagement from mainstream education." The disengagement led to many detentions and suspensions throughout the school, making his parents furious. But those days made him realise his interest and passion for technology. "I loved pulling off electronics and exploring the insides of the softwares. I realised that technology was the path that I would want to pursue when I grow up."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1nqkrWxGRQ&t=50s
As young as nine, Taj began his first "informal business" - a tech blog - where he was reviewing electronics, and that's when he realised that tech is something beyond a hobby for him. Amid the "boring" school classes, he had found something that made sense to him. Being a child of the tech era, he couldn't fathom the need to learn long division in school, when calculators could easily do the job. "I couldn't understand why you would assess a child, in an examination setting, on his ability to demonstrate long division. In the work space, they will have access to a calculator. The purpose of the school is to prepare young people for the future of work, and if we know that the future of the work involves calculators and AI systems, we should be adjusting our assessments in school to assess tasks that are in line with the needs of employers."
First brush with entrepreneurship
As a teenager, he was keen to grasp skills that would help him thrive in the real world, and that pushed him on the path of self-learning. At 14, he started 56 Creations, to teach young people digital literacy. "We started by developing a DIY tablet for kids, by kids. Its tagline was the Lego of 21st century. I wanted one while growing up, and that's why we started the business." After two years of successfully running the business with the tablet model, they switched to running workshops for young kids with regard to STEM skills and digital literacy, and reached out to over 50,000 people across the planet.
His first real business gave him confidence, making him believe that he was a kid with a career, and grades wasn't the only criteria to assess a child's ability. "It was actually my first taste of what a career in business would actually look like."
Helping build business
After running 56 Creations for seven years, Taj wanted "a bit of change." "While I liked tech, I realised my passion was actually the business and entrepreneurial side. I thought, let's teach kids how to build businesses, and find kids who were in similar positions as me while growing up - some who were disengaged and some from disadvantaged backgrounds as well." This gave birth to Australian School of Entrepreneurship in 2020.
With the world facing a global crisis in the form of Covid-19, it was a difficult year to start a business. "However, we realised that some of the biggest businesses like Instagram and WhatsApp came from global crisis, when youth unemployment was on the rise. We thought we could actually use self-employment to solve some of the biggest problems. We worked with a group of disengaged kids who were learning new skills by the end of the program, and also making money. We realised that self-employment and entrepreneurship can solve youth unemployment."
The ASE Group has two initiatives - Australian School of Entrepreneurship that works with young people, and Australian School of Employment that works with adults. While the former provides entrepreneurship training and life skill programs through workshops and online education, the latter provides self-employment programs to help Australians contribute to their local communities through micro-businesses. "Collectively, we have worked with 180,000 people across the planet. We do a lot with online education and that's how we are able to reach people internationally. More than 1.5 million Australian dollar of income has been generated by our alumni," says the proud entrepreneur.
Much of Taj’s learning was done on the go, and it was challenging to start with almost "no worldly wisdom and no life experience" because he would make "significantly more mistakes than the average business owner." Moreover, he had to learn to manage stress and his wellbeing. "I had to put together strategies which were beneficial and helped me get through extended period. Entrepreneurship is a tough spot," he says.
Having already reached 180,000 people in the last three years, the entrepreneur is keen to expand the impact to a million people by 2030. "That's lifting a significant number of people out of the poverty trap, out of youth unemployment trap. And instead of applying for work, start your own business. Create your own future is essentially the vision."
(August 8, 2022) Rishaad Chaudhry began his musical journey as an amateur who used to write songs in his room during the pandemic-induced lockdown. As the world opened up, he continued to make music, very different from that of others. He could incorporate numerous genres into one song or make songs of different kinds of genres. From pop and hip-hop to rap and indie Hindi music, this Geneva-born singer has created his brand of music, which sets him apart from other artists. "While making music, I simply reflect on my own life, experiences, learnings, and emotions," smiles Rishaad, in conversation with Global Indian. His latest track, ‘Tu’, is a Hindi pop song with a touch of desi rap, which is refreshingly different from a regular Hindi song. [caption id="attachment_20469" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Singer Rishaad Chaudhry[/caption] “I have played with the pop and rap styles that my English songs have and integrated these into a Hindi one. I was inspired to write a Hindi song that my audience would relate to," informs the 20-year-old, who believes that the desi rap and pop genres are growing rapidly and his latest song fits perfectly in both. The song, he informs, came to be as
pop and rap styles that my English songs have and integrated these into a Hindi one. I was inspired to write a Hindi song that my audience would relate to," informs the 20-year-old, who believes that the desi rap and pop genres are growing rapidly and his latest song fits perfectly in both. The song, he informs, came to be as a result of Rishaad’s own experiences as well as those of others about how love can have a huge impact on us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BusFWLxljAo
He says the beat for ‘Tu’ really struck out for him as it has a happy yet gloomy melody and tune. “After deciding the beat, I thought of the chorus of the song. I was slowly able to bring the harmony together with elements of desi rap,” explains the singer, about what all went into the making of the song.
Musical journey
Rishaad was born in Geneva, where his father was transferred for a job opportunity in 1997. The family, however, returned to India later and settled down in Gurgaon. The budding singer went to Shri Ram school Aravali, Gurgaon, and then to La Martiniere, Lucknow. “Having spent a major part of his school life at the boarding school, I made lifelong friends and memories, along with gaining important life lessons which I believe are of use to me till today and will be for the rest of my life,” says the youngster, who is currently studying Business in OP Jindal Global University, Sonepat.
Rishaad began writing songs in the pop/hip hop genre. “As I grew as a musician, I delved into rap as well as Hindi songs. I initially did not choose rap and was inclined only towards singing. However, after listening to the kind of music my generation and target audience listen to, I gave rap a shot as well and found my niche in it," he says. His previous song ‘Khafa’ echoes the pain of longing. ‘Not Alright’ and ‘I’m Sorry’ are also two of his most popular previous releases.
“Not Alright is a song for everyone who is putting up a happy face for the world but is struggling within themselves. I wrote this song to remind everyone to be kind because we can never know what is happening in someone else’s life. ‘I’m Sorry’ is an apology for all the wrongs I did while being hurt in love,” informs Rishaad.
The music he has been listening to over the years has had a huge impact on the way Rishaad began to make his own. “I am a huge fan of the rap, pop, and hip-hop genre as well as Indie Hindi music. Some of the artists I have been listening to for years, including 21 Savage, Powerful, Drake, The Kid Laroi, Juice Wrld, Zaeden, and Yashraj have inspired me to showcase my take,” says Rishaad, who also performed in his high school band. The youngster believes rap is a genre that has become increasingly popular among the people of his generation. “This inspired me to incorporate the genre into my songs."
Finding his voice
With his music, says Rishaad, he intends to connect with people and allow them to connect as an audience. “Life is full of ups and downs, and no one should feel as if they are alone on this roller coaster ride,” says the singer, who is looking forward to travelling abroad to obtain a degree in digital marketing, which will assist him in his career as a musician.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdyApGuz3WA
So what more tracks are in the making? “Currently, I am working on an English song, its working title is ‘Broke My heart’. It is a song about heartbreak and betrayal and echoes the feelings of sadness one feels after losing the one they loved the most. This song is an extremely special one as I am in the process of recording my first ever music video for the same,” informs the talented singer, who also has several Hindi singles in the making which will also be released soon.
He says the constant motivation to create music is what gives him immense joy and satisfaction. “Each day, my passion only grows along with my experience and knowledge regarding the brand I wish to build as a musician,” smiles the youngster who indulges in different kinds of sports including football. “I now see a clear image of where I wish to be in the coming years and what I wish to achieve. My main focus is on creating music and content to reach an audience all around the world and continue to do what I love,” says Rishaad.
(September 14, 2024) "Nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future," wrote Jon Krakauer in his iconic biography, Into the Wild. Just like his protagonist, Chris McCandless, young conservationists have turned their back on what is tried and tested, seeking their fulfillment in the heart of India's forests instead. From working with the little-known fishing cat, like Tiasa Adhya, to getting up close and personal with leopards as Shaaz Jung does in Bandipur forest, Global Indian takes a look at India's conservationists and the people helping to protect India's treasury of forests and wildlife. Tiasa Adhya View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tiasa Adhya (@tiasaadhya) Growing up, Tiasa would run home excitedly to her rooster, Nontu, and his many wives, all cared for by Tiasa and her brother. 'Home' had been transformed into a menagerie, with many pigeons, rabbits, fish and the family dog and cat. These experiences were the first seeds of Tiasa's desire to be in wildlife conservation. Tiasa says in an interview that her coach, Partha, led her to the field. Today, she's one of India's young conservationists, and is part of the Fishing Cat
Growing up, Tiasa would run home excitedly to her rooster, Nontu, and his many wives, all cared for by Tiasa and her brother. 'Home' had been transformed into a menagerie, with many pigeons, rabbits, fish and the family dog and cat. These experiences were the first seeds of Tiasa's desire to be in wildlife conservation. Tiasa says in an interview that her coach, Partha, led her to the field. Today, she's one of India's young conservationists, and is part of the Fishing Cat Working Group to protect the under-appreciated Fishing Cat.
She has worked with Dr Shomita Mukherjee, the country's only small cat specialist, to study the species. The team also works to preserve the animal's natural habitat and to collaborate with local communities to reduce negative interactions.
Members of the International Fishing Cat Working Group also work in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to provide global guidelines to protect the fishing cat.
In 2019, conservationist Ayushi Jain was living in Kanathur village, Kerala, searching for the rare Cantor's giant softshell turtle. The matter had come to light due to unusual, mass fish death and the Cantor, which can grow up to one metre in length, was suspected as the cause.
Ayushi began working with the Cantor giant softshell turtle back in 2016, during an internship at the Turtle Survival Alliance in Lucknow. After finishing a course on Herpetology at the Indian Institute of Science, she began studying the distribution and mapping of turtles at ATREE, Bengaluru. In 2018, she was selected as a Distinct and Globally Endangered Fellow by the Zoological Society of London. She believes that the most effective conservation efforts involve working with the local community.
A group trip to Eaglenest in Arunachal Pradesh when she was an undergrad student at St. Xavier's College, would change Nandini Velho's life. She would go on to be part of the team that organised the first-ever Arunachal Bird Festival at Eaglenest and is the author of The Eaglenest Memory Project, based on interviews with the Bugun and Shedukpen tribes.
One of India's most important conservation voices, Nandini holds a PhD from James Cook University in Australia. In order to understand policy, she worked as a Policy Fellow at the Ministry of Environment and Forests with then-environment minister Jairam Ramesh, with the forest department and local community leaders.
Malaika Vaz
Even as a child, Malaika Vaz was captivated by the great outdoors. She is the youngest person to reach the Arctic and the Antarctic with the students at the Ice Foundation. Early on, she learned windsurfing, and sailing and is a professional diver. As she grew older, though, she felt she needed more than just adventure. Having witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by unsustainable tourism, illegal trade, and climate change on the marine ecosystem. And she decided to do something about it.
She was swimming in the Maldives the first time she spotted a manta ray - "I saw a beautiful black shadow coming out of nowhere. It was curious about me. I was frozen, I wasn't expecting this giant cloud to come up to me. It was poetic. Ever since then, I have been obsessed with them."
"I realised that while I loved being on camera, shaping the stories and bringing in new perspectives and narratives that hadn't traditionally been seen on television was what I liked best," she said. She turned to other roles - she has been a director, writer, and producer, apart from presenting. She is also the founder of 'Untamed Planet', a production company that seeks to make an impact in the conservation world.
It's easy enough to see why Shaaz Jung has over a million followers on Instagram. His brand of wildlife photography is raw, captivating and filled with the fury of the jungle.
Shaaz Jung's role as a conservationist is unconventional - he spends his days studying and photographing wildlife and has become known for his affinity for big cats. He has also helped establish eco-friendly wildlife camps in South India and also in East Africa.
Having studied economics at Utrecht University, Shaaz left the corporate world to follow his passion instead. He now runs his camp, The Bison and is closely affiliated with African Under Canvas, where he leads wildlife and photographic expeditions.
He was 12 when he caught his first snake and looking back, he attributes his sense of adventure to his grandfather, who introduced him to the wonders of wildlife when he was still a child. Soon, Nirmal and his friends were called upon if there was a snake in the neighbourhood, which they would trap and release into the wild.
A wildlife rehabilitator by the time he was in his teens, Nirmal became Goa's youngest Honorary Wildlife Warden at 18. At 21, he led a team of 200 on a nature conservancy project in Chorla Ghat. Working with Captain Nitin Dond, the conservationist's team team restored 800 acres of de-forested land and converted it into a diverse, private nature conservancy.
Kulkarni is now the chairman of a research centre and director of a wildlife nature resort. As a qualified herpetologist, he spends the monsoon months in the Western Ghats and heads off to the Northeast in April and May.
(January 6, 2021) Singing the Indian national anthem evokes fervour and patriotism. Some hum the British and American ones. Well, not fully, but at least some words! Yet, this Indian boy’s anthem repertoire is something that will take you aback. The 15-year-old Indian anthemologist Yathaarth Murthy is a two-time Limca Book of Records holder for singing the highest number of anthems in the world. He disarms with his eager smile as he shares how he mastered a whopping 260 national anthems – that is how many there are in the world, incidentally! That’s not all, this teen is also an avid environmentalist and was one of the 20 winners of the India 20 Under 20 organised by White Canvas, a mentoring organisation recognised by Niti Ayog. Born and raised in Bengaluru, Yathaarth’s first tryst with anthems happened when his Hindustani classical music teacher tutored him to perform anthems of four countries – India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Japan -- on the keyboard. “That was back in 2014. It got me hooked. I liked the lyrics and wanted to explore more anthems. So, I began researching on YouTube and Wikipedia, and taught myself several more countries’ anthems,” the Indian anthemologist tells Global Indian. Onward on, one anthem at a time Anthem spurting became a passion for the student of Vidyashilp Academy. “It lit a spark and there was no
wp-image-9313 aligncenter" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2022/01/IMG_31791.jpg" alt="Indian Teen | Yathaarth Murthy | Global Indian Youth" width="417" height="640" />
Onward on, one anthem at a time
Anthem spurting became a passion for the student of Vidyashilp Academy. “It lit a spark and there was no turning back,” he says. Soon he was spending hours pouring over anthems of different nations. While he understood the gist of a few, he enjoyed the lyrics and tunes too.
While Yathaarth, the only child of architect parents, found the accents and pronunciation a bit difficult, he kept at it. “The first few tries were difficult. As I continued to practice, I got a hang of the pronunciations too. Before I knew it, I was able to sing more than 100 anthems,” says Yathaarth. Incidentally, the term “anthemologist” was something he coined to describe his unique feat.
[caption id="attachment_9312" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Yathaarth Murthy with Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai[/caption]
It was around this time in 2017, that he told his mother about wanting to apply to the Limca Book of Records. To his surprise, he had in fact made the record. That’s how a young Bengalurean came to hold the Limca record for singing the highest number of anthems – 112 at the time. “When I first picked up learning these various anthems, I didn’t think I’d one day become a record holder or a TEDx speaker,” says the class 10 student. Yet, he soon broke his own record when he learnt all 260 anthems, and once again set a new Limca record in 2019.
Saving the environment, one lake at a time
As a primary school student, Yathaarth used to love watching TedX videos and wanted to be on the hallowed platform himself. His dream soon came true when he was invited to deliver his first TED talk in 2018 at age 12. “My first talk was about my journey as an anthemologist,” says the youth who has so far given four TED talks, the most recent in December 2020. The topics have been varied: environment, anthems, and on pursuing one’s dreams.
After he’d set his second Limca record, Yathaarth wondered, “What next?” “How could I give back to the community and do something meaningful? It was around then that I began learning more and more about the environment and climate change. I watched Greta Thunberg’s speeches. Shortly, I began working in the environment sphere in my own small way,” he adds.
Soon, Yathaarth was holding climate strikes and working on a school project for the World Federation of UN Association which earned him more accolades in 2019. “I worked on a project with four friends. We decided to revive Manae, a 4.5 acre lake on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The city was once filled with beautiful lakes, but today most are highly polluted or encroached upon,” says the environmentalist, who launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise Rs 8.27 lakh for the lake’s revival. He worked with Anand Malligavad, also known as the Lake Man of India, to revive the lake and would often visit the lake in his free time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IVIcvIMKhU
“When we first visited the lake, we could see the barren lakebed and there was barely any flora and fauna. Today, the lake is thriving and hosts various birds like peacocks, has beautiful flora and is the water source for a neighbouring village,” beams the boy who still visits the lake sometimes. His work to revive this lake earned him a spot on White Canvas’ India 20 Under 20 list.
Making time count
Anthems and the environment apart, Yathaarth Murthy is also a basketball and music lover. As he gears up for his board exams, he has already begun planning for a future as a diplomat representing India at the United Nations. “I’ve chosen sociology, global perspective, history, and environment management, so I can apply to colleges abroad, and work towards working with the UN,” says the teen who spent the better part of the pandemic trying to conduct relief work. From distributing food to the needy through the iCare brigade to organising Housie for a Cause, and diverting funds towards Covid relief, Yathaarth has been busy doing his bit to spread cheer in otherwise dismal times.
(March 6, 2024) After passing out of engineering college in 2018, Sandy Khanda could have either followed the conventional path of securing a job or pursue a startup venture, a common choice among many young enthusiasts, but he chose to start an NGO. Headquartered in Delhi NCR, his NGO, Green Pencil Foundation has quickly gained momentum, extending its reach in eleven states of India with a strong volunteer base of over 2,000 young volunteers. Together, Sandy and his team have touched the lives of over 20,000 individuals through initiatives that emphasise women's empowerment, menstrual hygiene management, education for underprivileged children, and action for climate change. Recognizing the global nature of many societal challenges, Sandy has also expanded Green Pencil's operations to Indonesia and Iran. “In Indonesia, our outreach extends to various areas in Jakarta and the Papua province, which has the lowest literacy rates in the country,” he tells Global Indian. “With a presence in over 50 schools and underprivileged communities, we are committed to making a difference in remote locations, employing an inclusive approach that transcends borders and religions. Our initiatives also extend to certain regions in Iran” the social entrepreneur adds. [caption id="attachment_36371" align="aligncenter" width="437"] Sandy Khanda[/caption] Life’s
ns, employing an inclusive approach that transcends borders and religions. Our initiatives also extend to certain regions in Iran” the social entrepreneur adds.
Sandy was born and raised in a small village in Haryana, and witnessed firsthand the disparities and challenges faced by rural communities. When he moved to Delhi for education, his transition to urban life only heightened his awareness of societal issues such as gender inequality, poor climatic conditions, air pollution, struggles of marginalised populations and plight of kids growing up in slums of Delhi NCR.
Fuelled by a desire to instigate change, Sandy began his journey through grassroots activism, utilizing platforms like writing, teaching slum children, and organising protests to address pressing social issues, while pursuing engineering.
However, his commitment to societal betterment became even stronger following a life-altering experience - a near-fatal accident that left him in a six-month coma. Emerging from this ordeal with renewed purpose and gratitude, Sandy resolved to dedicate his life to serving others. Thus, the Green Pencil Foundation was born, with a mission to empower communities, break down barriers, and drive positive change across India and beyond.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v3d7TG8SI0
Green for environmental advocacy, Pencil for education
The name of the foundation, Green Pencil, reflects its dual focus on environmental advocacy and education. ‘Green’ stands for addressing the pressing climate change crisis. The foundation advocates improved public policies for reducing carbon footprints, with an emphasis on a human-centric approach.
‘Pencil’ centres around education, particularly the foundation's efforts to uplift underprivileged children and women. Through educational workshops covering topics such as menstrual hygiene management, mental health, and academic classes, the Green Pencil Foundation empowers individuals for a brighter future. "The primary sources of funding for our initiatives come from individual supporters and corporate social responsibility, enabling us to sustain and grow our efforts in making a meaningful difference," Sandy says.
Apart from being engaged in his NGO, Sandy hasremotely served as the national coordinator and community outreach manager at Atlas, a Brussels based political movement uniting people worldwide to create a freer, better and more equitable planet.
Sandy’s responsibilities encompassed coordinating community engagement to promote Atlas' endeavours across India. “I was actively engaged in designing and executing comprehensive campaigns to advance Atlas' principles within the Indian context. This entailed strategic planning, seamless coordination, and effective communication to amplify the organisation’s movements.” His involvement with Atlas provided him with a global perspective on societal issues, a perspective that has influenced the expansion of Green Foundation initiatives beyond India.
The youth-led NGO’s impact spans across major metropolitan cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Manipur, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Amritsar, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Bangalore.
The foundation is spearheading several meaningful projects. Through the 'Periods of Pride' initiative, it has conducted a thorough survey in government schools across India, uncovering critical challenges in menstrual hygiene management. The findings reveal prevalent issues including menstrual taboos, inadequate educational awareness, and limited knowledge about menstrual hygiene products, garnering wide attention.
Another project like ‘Slum to School’ aims to educate and enable soft skills development in slum kids to make them independent. “This project is running in more than 25 Indian cities in 11 Indian states to benefit over 3,000 slum kids,” shares Sandy.
The Foundation is working in coordination with Greenpeace India, the Indian branch of the global environmental group Greenpeace, a non-profit NGO, with a presence in 55 countries in a project called ‘Power the Pedal’. “This groundbreaking project focuses on providing bicycle training to hundreds of women, aiming to promote sustainable mobility and empower themselves in the process,” tells Sandy.
[caption id="attachment_36372" align="aligncenter" width="701"]Green Pencil Foundation and Greenpeace India's 'Power to Pedal' project provides bicycle training to women[/caption]
Green Pencil’s Initiative, ‘One Home One Tree’ is aimed to influence people and encourage plantation drives to fight air pollution in metro cities.
The project, ‘Festivals vibes with needy tribes’ encourages people to celebrate festivals with needy people around them so that they feel special. “It gives the message of equality in the society,” the social entrepreneur remarks.
The project, ‘Pollution Se Azaadi’ advocates for a shift towards public transport and active mobility as effective means to reduce carbon footprints.
Having tasted reasonable success in his efforts to make a difference in India, Sandy Khanda now aspires to extend his impact beyond borders by expanding Green Pencil Foundation's programmes to various regions of South Asia. "We are working towards expanding Green Pencil Foundation’s footprint in South Asian and African regions with an aim to impact more lives," he signs off.
Taj Pabari is one of Australia's youngest entrepreneurs.[/caption]
Yathaarth Murthy with Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai[/caption]
Sandy Khanda[/caption]
