Chaitanya Karamchedu: Indian-American teen finds affordable way to convert seawater into drinking water
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(September 27, 2023) “1 in 8 people do not have access to clean water, it’s a crying issue that needs to be addressed,” said Portland resident Chaitanya Karamchedu. Living in the part of the US where the Willamette River and Columbia River converge, the Indian-American teenager saw that despite the presence of two large water bodies, people still had problems accessing clean water. This nudged the Jesuit High School student to come up with an innovative idea to convert seawater into drinking water, an invention that won him $10,000 at Intel’s International Science Fair.
It all began when Chaitanya found that millions of lives are endangered due to a lack of clean and drinkable water, especially in developing countries like India. As per stats, 163 million Indians lack access to safe drinking water. “The best access for water is the sea, so 70 percent of the planet is covered in water and almost all of that is the ocean, but the problem is that’s salt water,” he said in an interview. For years, the idea of isolating drinking water from saline water has baffled scientists. Moreover, he discovered that desalination was inaccessible in many remote coastal areas due to its high implementation costs. This made him more determined to create an economical solution for seawater salination.
The idea struck him in his high school lab. “The real genesis of the idea was realising that seawater is not fully saturated with salt,” he revealed. This led him to work with an absorbent polymer to filter out pure water from the water bonded with salt. Unlike traditional thinking that considered seawater as fully saturated with salt, he found that only 10 percent of seawater was actually saline, while the remaining 90 percent remained untapped and not bonded to salt particles. Staying away from conventional desalination efforts, Chaitanya focused on this abundant 90 percent of seawater that was not directly saturated with salt. His goal was to develop a cost-effective method to extract drinkable water from this portion. This novel approach has the potential to revolutionize access to clean and safe drinking water for millions of people worldwide who currently struggle with inadequate water resources.
The widely practiced method of desalination not only faces challenges related to cost but also raises environmental concerns. High energy consumption is one of the primary drawbacks of conventional desalination techniques, which has raised environmental concerns due to its carbon footprint and potential ecological impacts. Chaitanya’s innovative approach to desalination, however, offers a promising alternative by being a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution.
If his method proves to be scalable and sustainable, it could not only provide a more environmentally friendly way to produce freshwater but also significantly reduce the economic burden associated with desalination projects. This kind of innovation is essential for ensuring access to clean and safe drinking water while minimising the negative impacts on the environment.
Chaitanya, who was also named among the Regeneron Science Talent Research semifinalists, has made a groundbreaking discovery that stands as an example of the power of innovation and dedication in addressing one of humanity’s most pressing challenges — access to clean and safe drinking water. His unwavering commitment to finding a solution has the potential to transform the lives of countless individuals around the world.
(April 14, 2023) Growing up in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, while Hasti Modi marvelled at the colours that nature provided to life, she was appalled at the lackadaisical approach of the public administrative system to protect greenery. Although they did their duty of planting saplings these were usually short-lived publicity initiatives, aimed at the media. The saplings would not get the care they needed to grow into trees. After making their one-day initiative popular in media and social media, they forgot all about nurturing them. As a fifteen-year-old, yearning to do something about this, Hasti started the NGO IGNITE. She mobilised the citizens of Bhavnagar to make their beloved city greener. In the last eight years, her organisation, which partnered with another NGO, Green City, has planted more than 50,000 saplings so far, with the active participation of Bhavnagar citizens. [caption id="attachment_29259" align="aligncenter" width="853"] Hasti Modi[/caption] The volunteers of both organisations did not stop at just plantation, they ensured that the plants were nurtured as well. The volunteers in our drives have been people of all age groups, starting from seven-year-old kids to 75-year-old senior citizens,” says Hasti who now works with Ernst and Young in Rome, Italy. Smart
The volunteers of both organisations did not stop at just plantation, they ensured that the plants were nurtured as well. The volunteers in our drives have been people of all age groups, starting from seven-year-old kids to 75-year-old senior citizens,” says Hasti who now works with Ernst and Young in Rome, Italy.
Smart collaborations
As a fifteen-year-old, Hasti had not forayed into social activism just for the sake of it. To fulfil her purpose, she invited local celebrities like Jitubhai Vaghani (the-then MLA of Bhavnagar), Deven Sheth (founder of Green City Trust Foundation, an industrialist and nature enthusiast), as well as the principal and vice-principal of her school, to her first tree plantation drive. This added a lot of buzz to the drive, garnering the interest of local citizens and motivating them to volunteer for the cause.
[caption id="attachment_29253" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Tree plantation drive in Bhavnagar[/caption]
It was in that event that Deven Sheth asked Hasti to collaborate and join hands with Green City, as they were working to achieve the same goal. “I am deeply grateful to Deven Sheth for seeing potential in me that day and giving me the opportunity. I will continue to promote this noble cause wherever I go, irrespective of country borders, culture, age and nationality,” says the twenty-four-year-old, in an interview with Global Indian.
Continuing with the drive in London
When Hasti got selected to study at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), she did not forget her purpose and continued her drive there as well. She worked tirelessly for a few months to find the right collaborators for tree plantation in London. “I follow the spiritual philosophy propounded by Dada Bhagwan Foundation (Ahmedabad, Gujarat). When I moved there for my masters, I organised tree plantation drives in London for all the foundation members based out of the UK, as well as for other residents and LSE students. says the youngster who won Diana Award for her initiatives in 2022.
[caption id="attachment_29256" align="aligncenter" width="569"] Tree plantation drive in London[/caption]
“Simon Joshua (a collaborator in Harrow) had the necessary resources and so he arranged for everything while I coordinated and invited the members of the foundation. We planted a record 500 saplings,” Hasti says.
Life abroad and COP26
Always a good student, Hasti pursued her bachelors at Ahmedabad University. She received the RSB France Honour, which is an Honorary Mention given by the Rennes School of Business (RSB) for being the only student across the Business school to score the highest possible grade in all courses despite taking maximum credits in a term. “I am immensely grateful to Ahmedabad University, which sent me to RSB for a semester exchange, and of course, absolutely grateful to RSB for the phenomenal exposure,” she says.
Another opportunity that Hasti is grateful for is the chance to be a part of the COP26 summit last year, not as a participant but as a host to hundreds of senior experts engaged in sustainability and governance initiatives across the globe. “It was an extraordinary experience. I am grateful to Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet (GASP) for giving me this opportunity,” she says.
Recently, she also got an opportunity to give a speech at the global UNICEF online platform, after being selected as a UNICEF changemaker for its OurFuturePledge campaign.
Always a proud patriot, Hasti says, “I plan to work and contribute immensely, first at an international level in the field of public policy and administration. In the long term, I intend to focus all my energy, time and resources to serve my country. I will carry the vision and mission of my NGO, IGNITE, to whichever part of the world I go and get more and more people involved into it,” she mentions.
The youngster belongs to a business family. Her father is a fourth-generation businessman in their 142-year-old, Indian traditional clothing business based in Bhavnagar, while her mother is a dietician by profession.
(December 24, 2022) SL Narayanan was all of nine when the board game with 64 black and white squares grabbed his attention. It was at this young age that he learnt that the knight in chess moves multiple squares each time while the pawn moves forward one square. Such was his passion for the game that he aced it and won his first championship that same year. This taste of victory gave Narayanan enough drive to pursue the game professionally and eight years later, he became India's 40th chess Grandmaster at the age of 17. Cut to 2022, Narayanan is still making India proud at the international level when he recently won the Bangladesh premiere chess league and an individual bronze medal at the 2022 World Team Chess Championships. Last year, he finished second at the ChessMood Open in Armenia. The pandemic was a blessing in disguise for this 24-year-old who got enough time to improve his game. "I was very happy with my performance at the ChessMood Open. I played some quality games and was very happy to see the result of my work during this pandemic. It was my first visit to Armenia and I am glad I
enia and I am glad I could keep a positive memory about the tournament. And this indeed motivates me to work even harder," he told Global Indian in an interview.
While the chess grandmaster is upping his game with every tournament but he had to overcome many challenges to reach the top.
A chance encounter with chess
Born in 1998 in Kerala, Narayanan was just nine when he first accompanied his mother to a chess tournament at her office and watched with rapt attention as she played the game. Sensing his curiosity, one of his mom's colleagues introduced him to the rules of the game. Intrigued by the world of chess, he returned to the tournament the next year with his mother and tried his hand. He managed to impress his opponent with his moves; he noticed the kid's potential and insisted his mother give Narayanan proper training. "Consequently, under the guidance of P Sreekumar, who was the former Kerala State Champion, I started my first lessons of the game. I learned the game in a systematic way and also started participating in district weekly events," he says.
[caption id="attachment_15245" align="aligncenter" width="486"] A young SL Narayanan up against top GM Parimarjan Negi.[/caption]
While Narayanan was mastering chess with each game, he would often ask his parents about his future in the game. The question of who would he become if he continued playing well often crossed his mind. "They [my parents] had one clear name to look up to - Vishwanathan Anand. Once I got to know about him through his games and news reports, I knew I had a role model," he adds. Soon, he fell in love with chess as it was the game's individuality that attracted him. "The rules are the same for everyone but you play according to your understanding/strategy and that's what made it colourful for me," says the grandmaster.
Nudging support from family
The 23-year-old is now among the top 10 chess players in India, and his career is testament to his family's support and commitment to the game. "My father was a government contractor but he quit his job when I started playing so that he could travel with me for tournaments," he reveals. His mother, who introduced him to the game, was among his biggest supporters as she was the sole breadwinner in the family for the longest time. The Grandmaster from Kerala also found support in his sister who gave up her dream of being a chess player in order to let him succeed. "My sister was also a very good chess player. She has participated in several national events and was the Delhi University zonal champion in 2017. We both trained under the same coach together for a while. However, my parents could only back one of us as our financial background wasn't great; one of us had to step back to pave the way for the other. Since I was a bit more talented and hard working, she decided to take a step back," adds Narayanan.
The chess player's endeavours were not only supported by his family but even his school backed him. Narayanan studied at St Thomas Residential school till 8th standard and then moved to St Mary's Higher Secondary School to focus more on his game. Despite his hectic schedule, the 23-year-old was able to strike a balance between his studies and chess, all thanks to the support of his teachers.
Checkmate by challenges
Narayanan was quite young when he started learning from former Kerala State Champion, P Sreekumar and later trained under IM Varghese Koshy and GM Praveen Thipsay. But it hasn't been an easy journey from him as financial aid has always been a constraint. "Initially, I didn't get any proper training, opportunities or support to better my game despite being a strong and hardworking player. My parents took loans from several institutions to give me good training and help me participate in tournaments. If I had gotten proper training when I was young, like the players of similar age now get, it would have helped me create a strong foundation which I could build on," says the English Literature graduate from Mar Ivanios College.
[caption id="attachment_15246" align="aligncenter" width="1038"] SL Narayanan at World Junior Chess Championship 2016[/caption]
In 2016, the year Narayanan won gold in the Asian junior blitz chess championship, crowdfunding came to his rescue. "I was contacted by the social platform - Milaap after they came to know about me through one of the dailies. Later, they started crowdfunding and raised around ₹1.15 lakh which was indeed helpful for me. I believe crowdfunding is a reliable way to raise funds especially in a third world country like India," adds Narayanan.
He didn't find much support from the government either apart from the time when he became a grandmaster. "Since then I have not received any support from either the State or Central Government. Even when I went to one of the administrators, he ridiculed me and asked if chess was even a game; that was so disheartening," he reveals.
A journey worth remembering
Despite many challenges and setbacks, Narayanan has been able to pull himself through all of it for the sheer love of the game. From winning his first championship in 2007 to becoming a grandmaster, he has come a long way. "There have been a lot of thrilling moments in the journey with some tournaments working for me and others working completely against me. But I still enjoy the process of working on a game and the concept that builds the game."
For this Global Indian, chess is more than a game as he says it has helped him in shaping his character. The grandmaster is confident in the future of the sport and its players. "I could easily say that chess could help the young generation to instill in them life qualities as well as problem solving capabilities which will benefit them immensely," he signs off.
(October 19, 2022) At just 15, Ansh already has many achievements to his credit. The UP-born teen is the author of a book on computer science as well as the founder of two startups and an NGO. Always hamstrung by limited resources, the class 11 student studied in his native village, Tiwaripur, in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district until class five. Thereafter, he joined the Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Rajokari in Delhi, NCR. The enterprising teen is an inspiration back home in UP and now in NCR, too. Recently, Ansh’s project, Dhanwantri, an Android app that can be used to enhance the service delivery of healthcare, was selected by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India's largest research body. That apart, Ansh has also come up with several ways to leverage technology to create solutions for the problems around him. Bagging the fifth position in the CSIR Innovations Award for School Children is no mean feat, considering that more than 10,000 applicants submitted their innovative projects to CSIR. [caption id="attachment_23196" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Ansh Tiwari[/caption] "All my initiatives have been about making use of technology to find solutions. They have also been a result of the various challenges people
"All my initiatives have been about making use of technology to find solutions. They have also been a result of the various challenges people around me face, and the deep urge to do something to make life easier," tells Ansh to Global Indian.
During the lockdown when I was in my village Tiwaripur, we had to travel 20 kms to get basic healthcare facilities. The solution that I submitted to CSIR triggered from the bad experiences that I had during that time - Ansh Tiwari
He is always grateful to his parents, who ensure his good education despite not being much educated themselves. They support his dreams of being a social entrepreneur who leverages technology to solve pressing problems,
Making farmers’ lives easier
Growing up, Ansh saw his grandfather, who is a farmer in Tiwaripur, as well as many others lose out to middlemen. The greedy middlemen earned huge amounts of money by purchasing farmers’ produce at cheap rates and selling them in urban markets at inflated rates.
Ansh was determined to do something about it. As part of NXplorers programme of coming up with a solution-based startup idea, the youngster conducted a thorough survey of village farmers by interviewing them and created Kanad, an app that directly connects them to urban markets, ending exploitation by middlemen.
Sixty percent of India’s rural population can now access the internet. Through my app, farmers can directly contact urban purchasers and enhance their earnings - Ansh Tiwari
At the moment, the app’s efficiency is being tested amongst farmers of suburban areas and based on their feedback, it will be rolled out to those in the rural areas.
With the help of the same app the marginal farmers can utilise the resources of more established ones by taking their machinery on rent on an hourly basis, escaping the financial burden of purchasing expensive equipment. Ansh has also tried to integrate healthcare facilities for farmers and their families in the same app so that it’s a one-stop solution for them.
Speeding up through AI
Just before the pandemic struck, Ansh got selected for LaunchX Entrepreneurship programme scheduled to be held at Duke University, Durham, USA. Youngsters from 19 countries were selected to attend it. Unfortunately, as Covid protocols were put in place around that time, the programme took place online.
In the five-week long programme, Ansh was part of a five-member team comprising two Indians, two South Koreans and one Chinese to identify a problem and create a start-up as a solution. The members co-founded Speed Up AI.
[caption id="attachment_23197" align="aligncenter" width="1112"] Ansh with his multinational team[/caption]
“Machine Learning needs data that is labelled so that AI can process such data accurately. Since most of the data is unfiltered, labelling the data is a very tiring and time-consuming process. We proposed to create an AI solution for it.”
Ansh and his team were part of the top six percent of the 800 participants to successfully complete the programme and earn a completion certificate. “It was not a small achievement for us because in order to claim the certificate, participants were required to generate $250 from the startup by the end of the five weeks. We were one of the few teams to achieve this,” he says.
Ansh and his team were later able to get funding from Delhi Government’s startup reality show, Business Blasters that helps school children to pitch their ideas to investors.
Connecting girls with mentors in STEM
I have seen many girls around me, including my sister, who do not attempt to study computer science due to lack of resources or other challenges. So, I started my NGO, ‘Girls in Stem’ to increase participation of under-represented minorities - Ansh Tiwari
In this initiative Ansh has created an online research programme in computer science where girls pitch their research ideas and are matched with university professors who guide them to take their ideas forward. In its two cohorts, Ansh’s NGO has successfully matched 210 research ideas with relevant professors.
Setting the path for students
The tech enthusiast has released his book Technology: What lies ahead? for students who want to get a head-start in computer science but don’t know where to begin.
“When I was choosing my field of study in the vast ocean of new technologies being discovered, it took me almost a year to find out that Artificial Intelligence /Machine Learning with the intersection of agriculture is what interests me,” says Ansh. “I realised that others must be facing the same challenges, especially as the school system in India focusses more on academics rather than career counselling.”
[caption id="attachment_23198" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Book written by Ansh Tiwari[/caption]
Ansh believes that his book, published by Notion Press, and available for purchase at Amazon and Flipkart makes students’ lives easier by familiarising them with emerging technologies. “I have provided brief information about the plethora of choices available to them.”
The multi-talented multitasker
The multi-tasker's activities are not just confined to technology and entrepreneurship. He is an NCC cadet, and has been practicing yoga for seven years now. “I have won state level yoga competitions as part of a team, and zonal level competitions as a solo performer.”
His list of achievements doesn’t end here. He has been the head of his school’s robotics club and has organized several events and competitions. He is the first student of his school to get selected in the Young Technology Scholars programme conducted by Reimagining Higher Education Foundation. “I have participated in and won several hackathons.”
Teachers of life and love for teaching
Ansh loves to teach and offers free classes at home and helps out his schoolmates whenever he can, teaching them physics and chemistry concepts through experiments. He has also conducted research into social media’s impact on self-esteem in teenagers.
I have a soft corner for my village Tiwaripur and want to do a lot for the people there. Since I am still a student, I do things that can be done at this stage but would love to do more - Ansh Tiwari
The multi-faceted youngster has been the co-founder of his school’s math club, president of entrepreneurship club, head of science and technology club and class representative. The teenager receives constant support from his school Principal, Parmod Kumar Sharma and his teachers, especially his mentor, SK Pandey, under whose guidance he works as the science lab assistant in his school.
“My father is my inspiration,” Ansh says. “He took us out of our small village in UP and brought us to Delhi NCR, giving me the opportunity to explore new horizons.” signs off the youngster who is motivated by the Prime Minister of India’s hard work and down-to-earth demeanour.
(February 23, 2023) On a summer trip to India in 2014, Aryaman Khandelwal and his family were going by road to Chikaldara, a village in Maharashtra. The area is famous for growing corn and the family stopped at roadside stalls to try it. On the way, he saw a little boy, no more than ten years of age, carrying a sack of corn twice his size. "It was an impetus for me, something needed to change," he said, in an interview. Then a senior at Parkland High School, Aryaman went on to found Get2Greater over the next couple of years, an AI-driven app to improve access to healthcare services. When he saw the young boy carrying corn, it dawned on Khandelwal that life wasn't so easy for everyone. "They had to work so hard to make do," he said. His efforts earned him the Gloria Barron Prize in 2017, which is given to young people with significant social initiatives. "The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school," he said, adding, "The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea
given to young people with significant social initiatives. "The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school," he said, adding, "The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea interested me and I wanted to implement it." So, in 2015, the young Global Indian began work, reaching out to family members who had worked as doctors in rural Maharashtra.
Aryaman was put in touch with the MAHAN Trust, which provided healthcare to rural parts of the state. The NGO was founded in 1997 by Dr Ashish, who wanted to improve medical care and health services to tribal communities in the Melghat region. They have set up a hospital, child care programmes, eye testing, run nutrition farms and carry out socio-economic research. Through them, Aryaman learned that "maybe 10 to 15 trained guys serve a population of 200,000," he said.
At the time, the MAHAN Trust was training village health workers to carry out basic processes. They dealt with numerous challenges, aside from the lack of qualified doctors and healthcare workers and had to work around the system. There were many quacks, who would quit studying after a year of med school and return home as ‘healthcare providers’. People were also deeply suspicious of outsiders and western medicine alike and didn’t really want to talk to healthcare workers who arrived from elsewhere.
Locals were, however, comfortable with the trained workers, who were from their own communities, who were otherwise not fully educated. "They were trained to take basic measurements, record them and take the data to a hospital," Aryaman explained. Doctors would review it and send back treatments or diagnoses. While the method was innovative, and showed results, it was time-consuming and could take anywhere between two weeks to two months.
Building Get2Greater
That's where Get2Greater came in - it separates the unhealthy from the healthy, so doctors could focus on the more pressing cases. The app can record basic health metrics, compile it in order of priority and send it to doctors nearby. When he started, however, Aryaman "just had a passion and an idea." Equipped with a basic software prototype, Aryaman sent a tablet to MAHAN in India and established a line of correspondence. "I asked them to critique the app," he said. "I realised that India is very far away from the US! We could only speak for a few hours late at night or early in the morning. There was also very little electricity and connectivity."
He began reaching out for collaborations. Aryaman's proposal won him funding from Lehigh Valley LaunchBox, an entrepreneurial program run by Penn State Lehigh Valley. After numerous trials and bug fixes, Aryaman replaced English with Hindi and created a Wi-Fi component so the devices could connect to the local hospitals. He has also been in talks with the UN to help take the device to other parts of India and the world.
Aryaman, who was named 2018 US Presidential Scholar and a Coca-Colar Scholar in 2018, went on to earn a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering in Computer Science from Princeton University. He went on to found ‘Stealth’ along with Harvard grad Dean Hathout.
(April 23, 2023)Priyanka Yoshikawa (addressed as Yoshikawa Purianka in Japanese) became the second multiracial beauty pageant contestant to hold a winner’s title in Japan. She was crowned Miss World Japan in 2016. Born to a Bengali father and a Japanese mother, the twenty-nine-year-old is a master of many trades. Before holding the beauty pageant title, the youngster worked as a Japanese interpreter with a license in elephant training. The avid kickboxer and art therapist is now an entrepreneur helping people feel confident in their skin. [caption id="attachment_29470" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Priyanka Yoshikawa at the Miss Japan pageant[/caption] It was a teary trail-blazing triumph when Priyanka got successful in claiming the top title in Japan’s beauty pageant. The critics were completely against her participation. They felt that the title holder should have been a ‘pure’ Japanese rather than a ‘haafu’ - the Japanese term for ‘half’, often used to describe people from a mixed race in Japan. Priyanka’s predecessor Ariana Miyamoto was the first ‘haafu’ to hold the title in 2015 serving as her role model. “Ariana is an inspiration for showing me and showing all mixed girls the way," Priyanka had remarked after her win. Though the youngster who can fluently
han a ‘haafu’ - the Japanese term for ‘half’, often used to describe people from a mixed race in Japan. Priyanka’s predecessor Ariana Miyamoto was the first ‘haafu’ to hold the title in 2015 serving as her role model.
“Ariana is an inspiration for showing me and showing all mixed girls the way," Priyanka had remarked after her win. Though the youngster who can fluently communicate in Japanese, English, and Bengali, was confused about her identity growing up, she calls Japan her home after spending most of her life there.
The pain of being a ‘haafu’
More than the desire to prove her mettle as a beauty contestant, the Tokyo-born youngster’s main aim was to fight cultural barriers. Priyanka has been a victim of bullying since her childhood for her skin colour. After spending four years of her formative life outside Japan when the Indo-Japanese youngster returned to the country; she experienced huge discrimination. As a six-year-old Priyanka moved to Sacramento, California with her parents and stayed there for three years. From California Priyanka and her parents came to India for a year and stayed in Kolkata.
When as a ten-year-old, Priyanka returned to Japan she was aghast at how people discriminated against her for being multiracial. "My dad is Indian and I'm proud of it, I'm proud that I have an Indian in me. But that does not mean I'm not Japanese," she said in an interview. "I know a lot of people who are ‘haafu’ and suffer," she added.
[caption id="attachment_29471" align="aligncenter" width="462"] Priyanka Yoshikawa with her parents when she was small[/caption]
Being different seemed to be more challenging in Japan than in the US and India. “I had the darkest skin out of anyone I knew. I stood out, and in Japan, that wasn't considered a good thing. The experience made me question my identity and opened my eyes to what that concept means,” she remarked.
A rich family legacy
The youngster’s great-grandfather Prafulla Chandra Ghosh served as the first chief minister of West Bengal. Priyanka has grown up listening to stories of how Ghosh welcomed Mahatma Gandhi for a two-week stay at their home in Kolkata. Sharing her disappointments in dealing with racism, Priyanka remarked in an interview, "We have problems, we've been struggling, and it hurts,” adding “When I came back to Japan, everyone thought I was a germ.”
However, instead of being bogged down by the discrimination hurled at her, Priyanka chose to be strong and vowed to challenge the attitude of people. Participating in the pageant was a step in this direction. Winning the Miss World Japan title was a big win for her because it led her to rise against the odds, particularly when it was her appearance that had been a matter of ridicule.
[caption id="attachment_29472" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Priyanka during a family wedding in Kolkata[/caption]
"As Miss Japan, hopefully, I can help change perceptions. The number of people with mixed race is only going to increase, so people must accept it," she remarked.
Celebrating diversity through entrepreneurship
Although it wasn't easy for Priyanka to face discrimination in Japan, her experiences catalysed her wanting to help people accept and embrace the way they were.
In this effort, she launched MUKOOMI, a wellness and skincare brand in 2020. Derived from the Japanese words ‘mukou’ meaning ‘beyond’, and ‘miru’ meaning ‘to see’, the brand is dedicated to making people confident of who they are and celebrates diversity.
“MUKOOMI is my life's ambition, bottled. It represents who I am, and what I want to share with the world,” mentions Priyanka in her message on the company’s website.
“MUKOOMI is a call to action. It means to see beyond typical beauty expectations and see beyond divides physical or metaphorical. New and exciting things are born from when we come together, and infuse our experiences, our journeys, share understanding and appreciation for one another,” she adds.
The multifaceted youngster is dedicated to creating a successful business and has been interspersing her cause of inclusivity and respect for diversity to it. “MUKOOMI is based in Japan, but it goes beyond nationality, identity, gender, or skin type. It's for you!” is the strong message that Priyanka conveys to her fast-growing clientele.
Hasti Modi[/caption]
Tree plantation drive in Bhavnagar[/caption]
Tree plantation drive in London[/caption]
A young SL Narayanan up against top GM Parimarjan Negi.[/caption]
Grandmaster SL Narayanan[/caption]
SL Narayanan at World Junior Chess Championship 2016[/caption]
SL Narayanan[/caption]
Ansh Tiwari[/caption]
Ansh with his multinational team[/caption]
Book written by Ansh Tiwari[/caption]
Aryaman Khandelwal[/caption]
Priyanka Yoshikawa with her parents when she was small[/caption]
Priyanka during a family wedding in Kolkata[/caption]
Priyanka Yoshikawa[/caption]