Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveDiana Award winner Nishka Sharma: Empowering future STEM leaders

Diana Award winner Nishka Sharma: Empowering future STEM leaders

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(January 22, 2025) Faced with the frustration of finding affordable and ethical mentorship as a high school student, Fremont resident Nishka Sharma turned a personal struggle into a global solution. Determined to help others overcome the same challenges she had faced, she founded the Youth Mentorship Project (YMP), a nonprofit connecting students with mentors in STEM fields. What began as her answer to a lack of accessible guidance has now grown into a platform that has transformed the lives of thousands of students worldwide. Her efforts to bridge the gap between education and real-world opportunities earned her the prestigious 2024 Diana Award, a recognition of her extraordinary impact on underprivileged communities and the next generation of STEM leaders.

Nishka Sharma

Turning Frustration Into Innovation

For Nishka, the journey to creating YMP began with her own difficulties as a high school sophomore eager to pursue research. Her mother’s condition, psoriatic arthritis, sparked her interest in genetic research to understand whether she could inherit the same disease. But finding mentorship to support her ambitious project proved nearly impossible. “Over the next seven months, I sent about 264 emails. I received six rejections, three of which told me to never contact them again, and the rest were ignored,” she recalled in her TED Talk.

Even after joining a paid research mentorship program, Nishka faced disappointment when the mentor assigned to her lacked expertise in her area of interest. “I ended up leaving the program the next day,” she admitted. Frustrated by these barriers, she turned her focus to studying the mentorship programs themselves. She found that many charged exorbitant fees, paired students with ill-suited mentors, and offered limited resources and timelines, leaving many students without meaningful guidance.

Determined to create a better system, Nishka founded the Youth Mentorship Project. “Our goal is not to exploit curious students and underpay mentors,” the Global Indian said. Instead, YMP provides an accessible, ethical platform where students can connect with mentors from top universities and organisations, including Google, Tesla, and Oracle.

The Impact of the Youth Mentorship Project

Since its inception, YMP has made a tremendous impact. The platform uses AI technology to match students with mentors based on compatibility and project goals. This personalised approach ensures that students receive guidance tailored to their specific interests and needs.

YMP’s reach spans 20 countries, connecting over 3,500 students with more than 500 mentors. Its project-based curriculum emphasises real-world applications, encouraging students to create solutions that benefit their communities. “Our vision is to empower young people worldwide to excel in STEM through a four-step model of inspire, educate, create, and compete,” Nishka explained.

The platform’s focus on underprivileged communities sets it apart. By prioritising students from underserved areas, YMP has opened doors for those who might otherwise lack access to STEM opportunities. “We focus on areas where students wouldn’t otherwise have access to these opportunities,” Nishka emphasised.

Nishka Sharma

Through YMP, students have developed projects addressing environmental sustainability, artificial intelligence, and more. The organisation’s success has also attracted partnerships with major institutions, including the Society of Women Engineers, Apple, and the United Nations Science Summit.

Recognition With the Diana Award

Nishka’s groundbreaking work with YMP earned her the 2024 Diana Award, a prestigious recognition given to individuals who make an exceptional impact on their communities.

The Diana Award highlighted not only Nishka’s achievements but also the transformative power of mentorship. It underscored her commitment to bridging the gap between education and opportunity, particularly for students in underprivileged communities.

Speaking on the Global Stage

In addition to the Diana Award, Nishka has been recognized internationally for her leadership. In 2023, she became the youngest speaker at the United Nations Science Summit, where she presented YMP’s model and its global impact. Surrounded by CEOs, PhDs, and industry leaders, Nishka emphasised the importance of mentorship in shaping future generations.

She announced her initiative to lead the Youth Parliament for the 2024 UNGA Science Summit last year. This platform brought together young leaders from around the world to discuss advancements in artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies. “The goal is to ensure that youth voices are part of the global conversation on science and innovation,” Nishka said.

Indian American Teens in the Diaspora

Nishka’s story is part of a larger narrative of Indian-American teens in the diaspora who are redefining leadership. These young changemakers are not only excelling academically but also using their unique positions to address global challenges.

Indian American teens like Nishka are making waves in diverse fields, from technology and science to activism and the arts. By bridging their Indian heritage with their American upbringing, they are creating solutions that benefit both local and global communities.

A Vision for the Future

As YMP continues to grow, Nishka remains focused on expanding its impact. She is currently developing an EdTech platform in collaboration with global organizations to provide even more opportunities for students to connect with mentors and gain hands-on STEM experience.

Beyond YMP, Nishka is also a computational neuroscience researcher at Stanford University’s Schnitzer Lab, where she works on cutting-edge AI projects. Her dual focus on innovation and mentorship underscores her belief that science should not only push boundaries but also uplift communities.

Nishka Sharma’s story is a powerful example of how determination and vision can transform personal struggles into global solutions. From her early challenges in finding affordable mentorship to creating a platform that has changed the lives of thousands, Nishka has proven that one person’s efforts can make a lasting impact.

Follow Nishka Sharma on LinkedIn

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 22, Jan 2025

Share with

ALSO READ

Licypriya Kangujam: 11-year-old activist seeking climate action

(April 21, 2023) At COP27 in Egypt, 11-year-old Indian climate activist Licypriya Kangujam had an iconic moment when she determinedly questioned UK's climate minister Zac Goldsmith about the climate activists who were detained in the United Kingdom following protests against environment policies. This sudden confrontation made headlines, and Licypriya was praised for standing up to world leaders and asking pertinent questions. She might be just 11 but Licypriya has been raising her voice against the climate crisis since she was six. Hailing from Manipur, she saw the devastating effects of cyclones like Fani and Titli in Bhubaneswar at a young age, and this prompted her to take up climate activism. In few years, she has become one of the leading faces in the world of child climate activists, and the girl is not ready to stop anytime soon. [caption id="attachment_29429" align="aligncenter" width="680"] Licypriya Kangujam[/caption] Born in the carbon-negative state of Manipur, Licypriya's relocation to Bhubaneswar triggered her interest in climate change at a young age after she witnessed the destruction caused by two devastating cyclones Titli in 2018 and Fani in 2019, when they hit the eastern coastal region. "Many people lost their lives. Many children lost their parents and

she witnessed the destruction caused by two devastating cyclones Titli in 2018 and Fani in 2019, when they hit the eastern coastal region. "Many people lost their lives. Many children lost their parents and many people became homeless," she said during a TedTalk, adding that she couldn't sleep or eat for days. This emotion was exacerbated when she moved to Delhi a year later, as her life was completely "messed up" owing to the air pollution and heat wave crisis. All these incidents prompted her to become a child climate activist.

But it was as young as five, that she first heard the terms 'climate change' and 'natural disasters' while accompanying her dad to raise funds for the Nepal earthquake 2015 victims that made her concerned about the environment. However, she refers to the United Nations Disaster Conference in Mongolia in July 2018 as a "life-changing event" as it made her start her own organisation The Child Movement at the age of six, to call on world leaders to take immediate climate action to save the planet. Over the years, it has become a people's movement for climate justice in India and abroad. "I travelled to over 32 countries as a part of my movement and spoke in more than 400 institutions on climate change," she said.

In February 2019, she protested outside the Parliament in the capital demanding three things - to pass the climate change law in the parliament as soon as possible, to make climate education compulsory in every school in India, and to ensure plantations of minimum of 10 trees by every student in India. Her efforts yielded result as Gujarat and Rajasthan have made climate change a compulsory subject in the school education curriculum, thus making India the second country after Italy to do so. "Climate education is very important if we really would like to fight the climate crisis. Adults are not doing enough already, and I don’t have much faith in them to come to the frontline and save our planet and future. The last hope is children. If we include climate education in schools, then we can fight climate change from the grassroots," she told the Harvard International Review.

The sixth grader at Ryan International School also encourages youngsters to plant more trees through her initiative Monday for Mother Nature that will help India become green in the next five-ten years. " India has over 350 million students. If they all plant a minimum of 10 trees every year, then we will plant 3.5 billion trees," she added.

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

Licypriya, who urged the world leaders to act on climate change at COP 25 in Spain, made headlines during the COP27 in Egypt when she confronted UK climate minister on the release of climate activists who are in prison because of protesting against oil and gas licenses across the UK. In an interview with WION, Licypriya said, "Instead of answering my question, he ran away but I followed him for a couple of minutes and repeatedly asked him the same question. Later he told me that he had no idea about it and that he can't do anything.”

However, this Global Indian is unfazed by these snubs, and continues to raise her voice asking for world leader to act. The girl, who likes to swim, paint and watch her favourite cartoon, Doraemon, in her free time, never misses a chance to accept invitations to speak at schools and conferences about climate change. Though she is only 11, she thinks age is just a number. "Many people told me that I’m too young to get involved in such activism, but … I strongly believe that children can lead the change. We need to keep speaking up about the climate crisis and … to hold lawmakers accountable for their political decisions," she told Washington Post.

Follow Licypriya Kangujam on Twitter

Reading Time: 4 min

Entrepreneur Anshul Gupta is making therapy more accessible for autistic kids

(January 11, 2024) Even though one in every 100 children has autism, the disorder continues to be one of the most ignored medical conditions in the world. As the world grapples with the rise in cases and a severe lack of caregivers, an 18-year-old college student has become a beckon of hope for several autistic kids across the globe. Diana Award-winning Anshul Gupta has emerged as a trailblazing social entrepreneur, co-founding 'AUesome', a visionary social enterprise dedicated to breaking down barriers in autism therapy accessibility. A bachelor's student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Anshul aims to bridge the digital and physical world of at-home therapy for neurodiverse children. "Our mission is to make therapy accessible and affordable," explained the young entrepreneur, adding, "At AUesome we have iterated hundreds of kit designs, which include instructional videos, and apps that simplify the at-home therapy process for parents of children with special needs. We hope to eliminate the physical and financial barriers to receiving therapy." The impact of Anshul's innovative approach is already evident, with the AUesome team successfully designing and distributing 17,500 therapy resources to fulfill 550 kit requests globally. Everything Is AUesome Born and brought up in the lush green

and financial barriers to receiving therapy."

The impact of Anshul's innovative approach is already evident, with the AUesome team successfully designing and distributing 17,500 therapy resources to fulfill 550 kit requests globally.

Everything Is AUesome

Born and brought up in the lush green locality of San Jose, California, Anshul started volunteering at various organisations a quite a young age. An alumnus of Archbishop Mitty High School, the young entrepreneur was also the president of his school's Computer Science Club. It was, however, his personal experience of receiving therapy and working with neurodiverse individuals, that motivated Anshul to establish a company that uses technology to make educational and therapeutic resources more accessible to children with autism.

[caption id="attachment_35175" align="aligncenter" width="556"] Anshul delivering kits to elementary and KIPP schools[/caption]

Talking about the ground reality of autism, the entrepreneur said, "According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are one in 44 children having autism spectrum disorder in the US alone, and about half of those with severe ASD only have access to school-based treatment. Of these kids, about 17 percent have no access to any treatment whatsoever, with these numbers growing drastically. While I and a few of my classmates were working with individuals with special needs, we recognised the inaccessibility, lack of continuation, and low parental involvement for autism therapy services. And that is what became our motivation to establish AUesome."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OodlnvwI3Kg

So, what is it that AUesome does? "We improve upon existing therapeutic constraints by reimagining the therapy process through the utilisation of a therapy kit, augmented by a digital guidance platform and app," shared the entrepreneur, adding, "First, we curate clinically proven therapy tools and activities used by therapists – such as flashcards to train communication skills and clothespin activities for fine motor skills – into a therapy kit, delivered to parents and educators. Next, the kits are paired with an instructional platform, where parents can access guidance resources for each activity to educate themselves on how to conduct therapy with their child. Finally, after three iterations, we developed an accompanying app, which provides cognitive games and instructional videos that accompany the activities in the physical kit and recommends a daily schedule, quizzes, and ideas for customisation.

Road to expansion

The entrepreneur has distinguished his company through a unique pricing strategy. Rather than conforming to market trends, the company determines product prices through a combination of production costs and thorough market research. With costs as low as $10-15, AUesome provides an economical alternative to existing therapy systems, which can often demand upwards of a quarter-million dollars for individuals between birth and age 18.

[caption id="attachment_35176" align="aligncenter" width="552"] Fundraising initiative by AUesome[/caption]

"One of the key parts of our daily work is to receive user feedback. I believe they embrace both positive and negative input to improve our product continuously," shared the Global Indian, adding, "This market is worth $2.01 billion and is projected to grow 7.9 percent in the next couple of years. So, even from a business perspective, there is an emphasis on the importance of seizing opportunities as students and building a network of like-minded individuals who can support and contribute to their projects ensuring the sustainability of such innovative ideas."

Aside from therapy kits, AUesome has also initiated chapters. These chapters provide high school and college students with materials for leadership, networking, advocacy, and spreading awareness about neurodiversity and the necessity for therapy. So far, the organisation has 17 chapters around the globe. "We’re also hoping to expand more across the world through our global outreach initiative,” Anshul shared, "We’re currently working with the Brazilian government, Ukrainian hospitals, people in Canada, India, and beyond, to make a bigger impact beyond just in the United States.”

Follow Anshul Gupta on LinkedIn, GitHub, and his website

Reading Time: 6 mins

Jeremy Lalrinnunga: Lifting the weight of 1.4 billion hopes

(November 17, 2022) As he stood back up after receiving his gold medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, the world could see his eyes glittering with tears. But even as billions of Indians celebrated his victory back home, the 19-year-old weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga was still "not satisfied" with his performance. "I am happy after winning the gold medal but not satisfied with my performance. I was expecting to perform better but winning gold for the country is a proud moment," the champion said while addressing the media after winning the gold medal. [caption id="attachment_24293" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga after winning the gold medal at CWG 2022[/caption] Passionate about representing India on the international stage, Jeremy is the country's first athlete under the age of 25 to win a bar of gold - and our youngest Olympian thus far. A shy kid from the state resting in the laps of mountains - Mizoram - Jeremy has made India proud on numerous occasions, including the 2018 Youth Olympics. "We have the World Championships at the end of the year and then the start of the qualification period for the Paris Olympics. That’s my target now," the young weightlifter recently said

including the 2018 Youth Olympics. "We have the World Championships at the end of the year and then the start of the qualification period for the Paris Olympics. That’s my target now," the young weightlifter recently said during a media interaction.

An early start

Growing up, Jeremy's bedtime stories were not those of fairies and heroes. Instead, he heard stories of his father winning a national junior boxing championship in the early 1990s, and going unbeaten for six consecutive years. Inspired, Jeremy started training locally with bamboo sticks and water connection pipes at a very early age.

[caption id="attachment_24294" align="aligncenter" width="653"] The Lalrinnunga family[/caption]

The weightlifter was merely nine when he was first spotted by Zarzokima, one of the weightlifting coaches with the Army Sports Institute (ASI). The coach was on a break in Aizawl and during a morning walk saw a small, old gym, which was not in good shape. Curious to know who used the gym, he walked in to find a young Jeremy sitting on the floor listening very carefully to his trainer's instructions. Zarzokima was so impressed, he contacted the weightlifter's parents and asked them to enroll him in the Boys Sports Company, a programme for promising young athletes jointly run by the Sports Authority of India and the Indian Army. And soon, a 10-year-old Jeremy found himself standing face-to-face with his new coach at ASI, Pune.

Sharing why he chose weightlifting, the Global Indian told Sportstar Magazine, "I thought it would be fun. It seemed like something men should do. I didn't know anything before I came to Pune. I only spoke Mizo. I couldn't even speak to anyone."

[caption id="attachment_24295" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Jeremy with his childhood coach Malsawma Khiangte after winning Youth Olympics 2018[/caption]

Slowly, the trainers in Pune groomed the young boy into a champion, who was ready to represent the country internationally. And when his moment came, Jeremy didn't disappoint. In 2016 he won silver in the 56 kg division at the World Youth Championships, another silver at the 2017 World Youth Championships, followed by a silver and a bronze at the 2018 Asian Youth Championships, and then finally, the historic Youth Olympics gold in Buenos Aires, 2018.

Rising and shining

Soon after the Youth Olympics, the weightlifter was selected by the committee to represent the country at the 2019 World Weightlifting Championships. Although he finished in 21st rank at the Men's 67 kg event, the youngster didn't lose heart and dedicated himself to training for the Tokyo Olympics. Despite all his efforts, destiny had other plans. In early 2021, a cyst in the back of the knee needed surgery. He returned without a medal from the 2021 Asian Championships and the Junior World Championships, and couldn't qualify for the Tokyo Olympics either.

[caption id="attachment_24296" align="aligncenter" width="611"] Jeremy with other CWG medalists[/caption]

As the weightlifter was still recovering, another challenge hit him hard. While attempting a deadlift at training in February this year, Jeremy felt a sharp streak of pain along his spine. It was diagnosed that he had a bulged spinal disc. And this could mean that the champion would have to sit out during the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022. "It was a little disappointing because I had to completely stop training for a month. I only did therapy work and strengthening. It was very frustrating," Jeremy said, during an interview.

But, he had a very unique way to help him recover. The weightlifter downloaded the image of the CWG medal on his phone and made it his wallpaper. During the recovery and therapy sessions, whenever he would have a moment of self-doubt, Jeremy would take out his phone to look at the glorious medal he would get if he survived the painful sessions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAzo0GECgRg

"Injuries are difficult. But the hardest thing is staying away from my family. I’ve been training away from them since I was nine. The last time I went home was in July 2020. I’ve not attended my brothers’ weddings, and I’ve not celebrated Christmas at home since 2017. I miss being with my mom. I am now used to eating North Indian food. I’ve adapted so I can live anywhere. But I always think about eating my mother’s food. I miss eating her pork curry and the boiled vegetables," he informed Sports Star.

Training hard for the upcoming championships, Jeremy feels that it's time to change his phone's wallpaper. "It’s going to be the Olympic rings," the weightlifter shared.

Follow Jeremy Lalrinnunga on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

Reading Time: 6 mins

Laalitya Acharya: The Indian American raising awareness on global water crisis

(October 16, 2022) A family trip to India was nothing short of an eye-opener for the Ohio girl Laalitya Acharya, who was a witness to the glaring water gap and the lack of access to clean drinking water and its implications. Seeing the damaging impact of contaminated water on health - leading to stomach flu and other ailments - made her dig deep into the statistics. In 2017, nearly 75 million people in India had no access to safe water. The startling numbers made her think hard, but after she fell ill from consuming contaminated water despite taking precautions, Laalitya knew it was time to make a change. "When I returned home, I found that this is a global crisis that affects billions all across the world. I decided that I wanted to find a solution to this problem and thus the foundations for The Nereid Project were born," the changemaker tells Global Indian. Nereid - a low-cost device that can detect water contamination within seconds using Artificial Intelligence - made Laalitya bag the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes recently, for making a positive impact in people's lives and communities. In the last few years, the Nereid Project has

aking a positive impact in people's lives and communities. In the last few years, the Nereid Project has grown by leaps and bounds, and Laalitya calls it an organisation that "aims to raise awareness for the water crisis through research, advocacy, and policy." They are now working on implementing Nereid in Ohio, India, and Morocco.

[caption id="attachment_23046" align="aligncenter" width="415"] Laalitya Acharya developed Nereid[/caption]

Foundation laid by curiosity

While Nereid has put this Indian-American teen on the global map, Laalitya's interest in technology and science began at a tender age. The Bengaluru-born grew up in a suburb of Ohio after her parents moved to the US in search of better opportunities. Being a first-generation Indian American, "the importance of education was constantly emphasised," and she naturally gravitated toward scientific experimentation. It was in high school that her passion flourished as she found herself participating in scientific research and science fairs. "My high school did not have a traditional research program, so I decided to do 'at-home' independent research instead. This was where the basis of my research, Nereid, began," the changemaker reveals.

It was creative thinking that led her to explore scientific research, something she calls "crucial" to her journey. While most think science and creativity are separate entities, Laalitya begs to differ. "People tend to believe that science is not for the creative but I could not think that falser. All of the research and novel developments that we have, are born out of creativity, not in spite. The Nereid device, for example, utilises an intersection of biology, computational science, and artificial intelligence - it required unique thinking to create a unique solution," she elucidates.

[caption id="attachment_23047" align="aligncenter" width="501"] Laalitya Acharya recently won the Gloria Barron Award for Young Heroes[/caption]

Making an impact with Nereid

So, what exactly is Nereid? It's a portable device that works as a microscopic camera that takes images of a water sample which are then analysed using AI technology to determine if it's safe or contaminated, thus helping to alleviate the global water crisis. Such is the feasibility of the device that it can be easily integrated into a water system. "The coming months will help me to gather real-world data to hopefully implement Nereid globally," adds the changemaker. Not just this, the Nereid Project also expands to hosting STEM education programs and water summits which "are conferences centred around ways each of us can mitigate the global water gap." Along with it, they are working to use the legislative arm of policy to ensure access to this global necessity for all.

A STEM champion

Laalitya, who is currently majoring in biomedical engineering at Columbia University, is keen to work at the "intersection of STEM and public policy" to create legislative changes that incorporate science-based solutions. A STEM champion, she calls it the need of the hour to solve issues such as climate change or reform US healthcare. The 19-year-old is happy to see girls "crushing the game" in STEM. "The growth that I have seen even in my career of the science fair, and research has truly shown the power of women in science. I've also worked to create educational programs for young girls interested in science through The Nereid Project. Seeing their excitement and being able to support them on their STEM journeys has always been immensely gratifying for me," adds Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021 finalist.

The young changemaker is taking baby steps to cause a tectonic shift in the world through her work, and is keen to see "a world where people have access to their basic human rights and necessities." Knowing that the world is in crisis right now, she says, "it is our job to fix it."

[caption id="attachment_23048" align="aligncenter" width="625"] Laalitya Acharya with US Senator Chuck Schumer of New York[/caption]

"The United Nations defined their Sustainable Goals (SDG)s as due in 2030. We are less than 8 years away from this and I truly hope that we can continue our exponential growth in solving these global crises. I am doing my part to close the water gap and I aim to help the UN reach SDG #6 (which regards clean water access)," adds the changemaker, who was a Casework Intern for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in May where she worked with the constituents of New York to resolve any issues they were facing.

Challenges and learnings

However, this journey came with its share of challenges, and COVID was especially a tough time. But Laalitya was able to see a silver lining in each of her difficulties. "A lot of what The Nereid Project did was dependent on in-person camps/summits. Overnight, this changed and we were forced to move to a virtual format instead. But this shift led us to engage with more people outside of my local area. We worked with students from across the world and helped them kickstart their scientific journeys. Today, in a post-pandemic world, we have decided to keep our online format and return to in-person events - thus allowing us to expand our reach," the changemaker says.

A voracious reader, she loves to devour historical fiction and memoirs. "I also play the violin and run as I find both activities to be very soothing. It helps me to take care of my body and mind which is crucial in this line of work," says the changemaker.

[caption id="attachment_23049" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Laalitya Acharya encourages kids in the space of STEM[/caption]

The last few years have been a learning curve for Laalitya as she extends some pieces of advice to youngsters looking to make an impact. "It's okay to be a one-person-show," she suggests, adding, "It can be super scary to put yourself out there as an 'organisation' when it's just you wearing 5 different hats at the same time. But in reality, we all start small, and even the smallest changes can cause a ripple effect." However, she emphasises the importance of finding one's niche. "Go narrow and deep. Delve into a few sectors that you are particularly fond of and then you can expand as you grow," adds Laalitya, who believes in building a network and finding a community - in terms of family, mentors, friends, advocates, and or organisations. But her biggest learning was understanding that the way to a 'yes' is through many 'no'. "You will face negative comments, criticism, and other not-so-fun conversations on your journey. But the best way to think about it is that every 'no' gets you closer to a 'yes'," signs off Laalitya.

Follow Laalitya Acharya on Linkedin and her website

Reading Time: 6 min

Indian mountaineer, 12-year-old Kaamya Karthikeyan is working towards being the youngest to complete the explorer’s grand slam

(January 4, 2022) In early 2020, Indian girl mountaineer Kaamya Karthikeyan travelled halfway around the world to reach Mendonza in Argentina -- the base town for Mount Aconcagua. Accompanied by her father, an Indian Navy officer, the mountaineer was to obtain a special permit from the Aconcagua National Park to scale the highest mountain peak of the Andes mountains. Yet, within hours of her arrival, she was confronted by a mountain of challenges, not just the permit. As a minor, the authorities wanted a resolution from the court. "Will a 12-year-old be able to climb this mountain peak?” the court enquired, ordering a series of medical tests. Stranded for 14 days, experiencing red-tapism on foreign soil, finally luck favoured Kaamya. The judge went on leave, was replaced, and he fortuitously was a mountaineer himself! He swiftly went through Kaamya's credentials and granted her a permit. Challenges overcome, Kaamya made India proud by becoming the youngest in the world to summit Mt Aconcagua. [caption id="attachment_9220" align="aligncenter" width="470"] Kaamya Karthikeyan at the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro[/caption] The 14-year-old Indian mountaineer “Whenever I felt tired, I did not look at how much more was left. I looked back at how much I had climbed and put one step in

" height="627" /> Kaamya Karthikeyan at the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro[/caption]

The 14-year-old Indian mountaineer

“Whenever I felt tired, I did not look at how much more was left. I looked back at how much I had climbed and put one step in front of the other. I was right in front of the pack, happily chatting with the guides ,” smiles Kaamya Karthikeyan in an exclusive chat with Global Indian.

Born in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) in August 2007, Kaamya was barely three when she started accompanying her parents on trails in Lonavala, where her father Navy commander S Karthikeyan was posted. By seven, she was trekking the Himalayas. Her first expedition above 6,000 meters to Mount Stok Kangri in August 2017 made her the youngest girl in the world to have scaled a peak at those dizzy heights. “Scaling this peak three days short of my 10th birthday was special. I had been to the base in 2012 when my dad was climbing it, and had wondered when I would climb it too. There I was, after five years,” says Kaamya, now 14, and a class nine student at Navy Children’s School in Mumbai.

[caption id="attachment_9222" align="aligncenter" width="596"] Kaamya Karthekiyan with her parents at Mt Stok Kangri[/caption]

Her father had completed his mountaineering courses and was training in and around Lonavala. Both Kaamya and her mother would accompany him on easy trails, and that is where her love for the wild was cemented. Once her Navy father started leading expeditions, his daughter wondered why mountains attracted her father so much to leave the family for days on end. She asked her mother, and “she told me to find out first-hand. So I did my first Himalayan trek in Uttarakhand,” says Kaamya, whose mother Lavanya Karthikeyan heads a Kindergarten school.

She explored beautiful treks across Chandrashila, Kedarkantha, Roopkund, Brighu Lake, Har-ki-dun and Sar Pass. In May 2017, she trekked to the Everest base camp. After climbing Stok Kangri, the Indian girl mountaineer asked her father what next. He questioned whether she even realises that she had climbed a peak higher than the highest peaks in five of the seven continents!

Mission SAHAS

“That is when we got the idea of Mission SAHAS,” informs the teen. Under the umbrella of Mission SAHAS, Kaamya climbed the highest peaks of Africa (Mt Kilimanjaro), Europe (Mt Elbrus - where she set the world record for being the world’s youngest to ski descent from the peak), Australia (Mt Kosciuszko) and South America (Mt Aconcagua). “I also climbed Mt Mentok Kangri in Leh in 2019, summitting my second 6,000 metres plus peak as a practice climb prior to climbing Aconcagua,” informs Kaamya, who is an avid runner, cyclist, skier and scuba diver.

Conquering Aconcagua has brought laurels her way - The Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for her remarkable feat, and she was the first to virtually interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2020. “I was elated. The PM advised me to treat this award as a stepping stone for future accomplishments and not as an achievement by itself,” says the girl whose newfound interest is debating, and has tried to get into the national debating squad, and is also the first runner-up at Mindwars -- a debating TV championship.

Training hard, and long

Training for such expeditions is tough. Kaamya would run over 10 km or cycle for 20-25 km four days a week. On other days, she would do indoor exercises or climb stairs at her 21-storeyed apartment complex in Mumbai (helped train her muscles). And on weekends, a trek on the Sahyadri mountains helped with balance training.

Gulmarg has been her winter training ground for the past six years. “In early 2021, I had the opportunity to train with the Army’s High Altitude Warfare School where I practiced techniques like walking with trekking shoes, skis and sledge pulling,” informs the hardworking girl who has also participated in the junior national skiing and snowboarding championship in Gulmarg.

In the tough terrain of Arunachal Pradesh, she also did a basic mountaineering course from the National Institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports.

The future is bright, and peaking

Kaamya’s schedule is packed in 2022-2023. “I hope to climb Mt Denali (the highest peak in North America), Mt Vinson Massif (highest in Antarctica) and ski to the South Pole. That would leave Mount Everest and a ski traverse to the North Pole for me to complete my mission and become the youngest in the world to have completed the Explorer’s Grandslam at just 15,” she pipes.

Before her expedition to Mt Elbrus, she had the opportunity to meet legendary naval mountaineer Captain MS Kohli, the leader of the first successful Indian expedition to Everest in 1965. “He told me whenever I felt tired on a mountain, I should always look back instead of looking ahead -- advice that has greatly helped me,” says Kaamya who is also learning Bharatnatyan, and is a grade 2 and grade 5 pass piano player (Trinity College of Music).

The will to succeed

“I enjoy the journey, not just the destination. I love being in nature’s lap and pushing myself. I like the competition within - it keeps me going,” says the girl whose mother was her trekking-partner early on, and now with climbs getting tougher, treks with her father. She thanks her school for being supportive too.

Mountain climbing has its own perils, and Kaamya recalls an avalanche hit her group during her recent expedition on Mt Trishul in October 2021. “Sadly, we lost a few close friends but thankfully we returned safe. It has made me more respectful of the mountains, and more determined. Mission SAHAS is my way of paying tribute to the lost souls,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_9226" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] Kaamya Karthikeyan training in Gulmarg[/caption]

Not sure how she finds time for normal girly activities amidst peak hunting, she loves reading adventure/crime thrillers, the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton, and Agathe Christie. Her idea of a birthday celebration is to take her friends for a hike! “The path to the summit is not easy. But if I can do it, so can you,” smiles the mountaineer who always carries a small idol of Lord Krishna, and always bring down something special from each expedition as a souvenir.

Follow Kaamya Karthikeyan on Instagram

Reading Time: 7 min