Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveGame on: Rise of India’s young gamers in the global arena

Game on: Rise of India’s young gamers in the global arena

Written by: Team GI Youth

(January 6, 2024) Let me confess. Back in my growing-up days, if a youngster had expressed a desire to pursue a career in the gaming industry to their parents, a stern lecture would likely have followed. However, it’s remarkable how much has changed in just the last five years. India has emerged as a global leader in the mobile gaming market, boasting the highest number of app downloads.

A couple of years ago, the nation proudly claimed 421 million online gamers, and this figure has witnessed an impressive eight percent growth in 2023. What’s intriguing is that the driving force behind this surge is not solely composed of multi-million-dollar companies, but rather young teenagers. These individuals are not just participating in the gaming scene; they are actively shaping the future of the industry.

Representative image

According to a recent survey, over 80 percent of Generation Z has engaged in computer gaming in the past year, surpassing Millennials by 50 percent. Their commitment is evident in the staggering statistic that they spend nearly 80 hours per week immersed in gaming. Some of these young Indian gamers have not only played and live-streamed their gaming sessions but have also garnered millions of viewers on YouTube, achieving both fame and considerable wealth.

Global Indian turns the spotlight on some of the industry’s top players, highlighting how they are not only changing the game but also influencing the trajectory of the entire gaming landscape.

Akarsh Chaudhary aka Vivone

The youngest of this e-gaming army, Vivone is a seven-year-old gamer from Mumbai, who has not just participated in but also won several tournaments. The young kid began his gaming journey at four, after watching his father playing popular games such as PubG on his mobile. Having a huge following of 108K followers on Instagram and more than four lakh subscribers on his YouTube channel, Vivone has produced over 6000 live streams and videos. “I recently took part in the SkyEsports Streamers Showdown, where I played against several top gamers from across the country. I won the first prize of ₹15 lakh, even my opponents were impressed with the way I played in the tournament,” the gamer shared during an interview.

Earning an average of $6000-7000 per month through live-streaming games, Vivone is now gearing up to represent India in international tournaments. “When I started playing, I never thought I would have so many followers and subscribers. Now, my only goal is to dominate in international tournaments. Right now, I am looking for under-13 age group tournaments being organised mainly in the US, Europe, Korea, and China,” shared the young gamer.

Follow Vivone on Instagram and Twitter, or subscribe to his YouTube channel

Ajay aka Total Gaming

A YouTube sensation boasting an impressive 38.2 million subscribers, initially ventured into gaming by playing smartphone titles like Clash of Clans in 2015. The gamer then transitioned to Garena Free Fire, influenced by the game’s growing popularity among his friends in India. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that Ajay officially launched his YouTube channel, focusing on playing and streaming computer games.

Balancing his gaming pursuits, Ajay also works as a freelance “growth hacker” in Surat. In an interview, he revealed that his initial motive for diving into gaming was simply to make friends. “I started with the intent of making friends and playing games, and I was thrilled to see three to four people joining me in watching and playing,” he shared. Ajay has achieved notable success, winning several tournaments both in India and internationally.

Beyond his gaming achievements, Ajay holds the distinction of being the first individual in India to provide Hindi dubbing for an English game, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. Reflecting on this accomplishment, he mentioned, “People widely accepted and engaged with that series, and I am working on more such content to stand out in the gaming market.”

Follow Total Gaming on Instagram or subscribe to his YouTube channel

Ujjwal Chaurasia aka Techno Gamerz

Recognised as one of India’s premier gamers, Ujjwal has amassed a substantial following of 37.6 million on his YouTube channel. Originating from New Delhi, Ujjwal embarked on his gaming journey at a young age, fuelled by a childhood passion for video games. His inaugural gaming experience involved the classic Snow Bros, a game he first encountered at his brother’s residence. As he matured, Ujjwal’s interest shifted towards the immersive world of GTA: Vice City.

Reflecting on his introduction to the open-world genre, the gamer expressed, “I hadn’t played any open-world games before that, and it was a blast. The game lets you do everything from driving to fighting other people and stealing vehicles, and so much more.”

Ujjwal’s ascent to fame is credited to his captivating and dynamic storytelling style while playing games, a factor that continues to contribute to the consistent growth of his channel. Sharing his perspective, he stated, “My priority has always been to entertain the audience while playing games like GTA, and I strive to deliver unique and fresh content with each episode. Maintaining that level of creativity is the biggest challenge I face while making my videos.”

Follow Techno Gamerz on Instagram, or subscribe to his YouTube channel

Shagufta Iqbal aka Xyaa

A former software engineer turned prominent gamer, Xyaa has not only represented the country in numerous tournaments but has also established partnerships with major brands such as Intel, Logitech, and Loco for various events. Specialising in Valorant, Xyaa has been streaming on YouTube since 2012 – making her the first female online gamer in the country – amassing an impressive 285K subscribers. When discussing her current gaming preferences, she shared, “I am currently engrossed in CS: GO, Dota 2, H1Z1, and the Dark Souls series. However, I also have a deep affection for titles like Skyrim, the Witcher series, Rust, and Dying Light. I particularly enjoy casual streaming.”

Despite her success, navigating the gaming landscape as a female hasn’t been without its challenges. While Xyaa’s streams enjoy significant popularity, she has encountered instances of cyberbullying. Addressing this aspect of her journey, she remarked, “There are a few haters. As a female gamer, some may feel that I do not deserve to be on this platform. Ups and downs are part of the journey, but the support from my fans far outweighs the negativity.”

Follow Xyaa on Instagram or subscribe to her YouTube channel

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Published on 06, Jan 2024

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Sanjana Thakur: Winner of 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for her story ‘Aishwarya Rai’

(July 19, 2024) US-based author Sanjana Thakur is the winner of the prestigious Commonwealth Short Story Prize for her story, ‘Aishwarya Rai,’. The 26-year-old, who emerged victorious from 7,359 entries from Commonwealth countries around the world, has also received a cash prize of £5,000. She emerged victorious in a competition that saw 7,359 entries. Elated with her achievement, Sanjana tells Global Indian, “I was so overwhelmed! They had asked if I could hop on a video call to film some footage for the award ceremony. And I had this quiet tiny hopeful voice in the back of my mind saying - “What if?” But I never dared to say it out loud. The other regional winners’ stories were so strong and beautiful that I knew any of us could win and be deserving of the prize.” When on that video call, the chair of the judging panel, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, told Sanjana that she had won she was ecstatic. “All I could think, and all I still think now, is how lucky I am, and how grateful I am to have this platform and this community for my work.” ‘Aishwarya Rai’ The premise of Sanjana’s story, ‘Aishwarya Rai’ is intriguing.

erving of the prize.”

When on that video call, the chair of the judging panel, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, told Sanjana that she had won she was ecstatic. “All I could think, and all I still think now, is how lucky I am, and how grateful I am to have this platform and this community for my work.”

‘Aishwarya Rai’

The premise of Sanjana’s story, ‘Aishwarya Rai’ is intriguing. For her story, she imagined what ‘reverse adoption’ might look like – a scenario where a young girl adopts a mother, exploring the criteria and implications of such a case. Sanjana has always been fascinated with the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship, she says and this premise seemed like a fun way to examine various iterations of that relationship for her. “My initial idea was a store where you could browse different models of mothers and then buy them off the shelf. That idea evolved into a shelter where you could adopt and try out different mothers,” she mentions.

Talking about the idea of using a well-known Bollywood actor’s name for her story’s title, Sanjana remarks, “Aishwarya Rai (the actor) makes a cameo of sorts in my story, and exists in the protagonist Avni’s imagination as a representation of the perfect woman and a potential perfect mother.”

During the writing process, as the Bollywood actor made it into the story, Sanjana knew she had to be the title of it. For Sanjana the Bollywood actress is a perfect example of the quintessential woman, and an ideal mother, and that is why she chose her name as the title of her story. The writer looks at Aishwarya Rai as an embodiment of beauty standards, materialism, motherhood, daughterhood, and the experience of being a girl and woman in India and the world today, which her story explores.

Mumbai – a muse

Sanjana grew up in India. She lived in Mumbai until she was 15, and that is why the city ‘exists most strongly, most specifically and concretely’, in her mind. “Mumbai is my city, and I want to tell stories that are situated in my city, that reveal and celebrate how wonderful and dissonant and strange and lovely it is,” she says adding, “Often when I write, I start by capturing a specific Mumbai setting that I am curious about. The city has so much character that it is an endlessly generous muse.”

In her prize-winning story too, Mumbai is an important setting choice. “Since it is the centre of Bollywood, which is one industry that spawns ideas of the unachievable ‘perfect woman’ in the public imagination,” she explains.

Living abroad

As her family moved to Dubai for a few years, Sanjana completed her high schooling there. She then moved to the U.S., first to Boston for graduate studies and later to Texas for her Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing. Sanjana had been a voracious reader since childhood and always had an interest in writing.

Attending an international school in Dubai with students from 85 different countries had brought her into close contact with diverse cultural identities, experiences of distance, and feelings of belonging and un-belonging.

When she joined Wellesley College for a major in anthropology, she started thinking about these issues even more deeply. “There I really started to examine what it means to be an insider versus an outsider, a participant observer versus an interlocutor. I thought about positionality, and how to make the strange familiar and the familiar strange,” Sanjana shares. “My anthropology classes have so richly fed my inner life and therefore my writing life. They have helped me make sense of the space and position I occupy in the world, as well as how that position is entirely contextual.”

A global outlook

Having spent 11 of her 26 years abroad and developed a global perspective, Sanjana feels privileged to be able to come back to Mumbai twice a year and to remake the relationship with the beloved city every few months. “The city changes so rapidly that it is never exactly the city of my memories, so I try to relearn it each time I return,” she remarks.

Grateful for the opportunity to have lived in in different cities, she says, “I feel privileged to be able to capture the various cities of my memories in the stories I write.” Apart from Mumbai being the setting of most of her stories, she also writes stories in foreign settings with Indian characters.

Fiction and future

Sanjana has just completed her MFA at the University of Texas’s New Writers Project. She loved the programme. “The New Writers Project was a gift. How lucky to be able to spend three years writing, and thinking about writing, and reading good writing, and teaching writing,” she says. “The MFA expanded my idea of what a short story could be.”

The youngster is all praise for her incredible teachers at UT Austin who helped her find her voice, develop her writing practice, and become a strong editor of her own work. “I made some wonderful friends. I wrote stories I am deeply proud of,” she remarks. The 2024 Commonwealth Prize winner 'Aishwarya Rai' is one of the short stories she wrote for her coursework.

Apart from looking for job opportunities, Sanjana plans to query agents on her manuscript of short stories – a collection of 15 short stories revolving around mothers and daughters. ‘Aishwarya Rai’ is one of those stories. The response to it has been so heartwarming, that it has made the award-winning writer even more excited to share her other stories with the world.

Follow Sanjana Thakur on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

Seher Taneja: The teen innovator on a mission to revolutionise healthcare

(June 7, 2022) For a young seventh grader, losing seven close family members to heart ailments within a year was a traumatising experience. Her grief soon turned into a quest to discover the root cause. The findings led to a startling revelation - the lack of heart donors. The obliviousness towards organ donation as a whole prompted Seher Taneja to start Abhigyata in 2018. "When I started researching, I didn't know much about organ donation, and I realised I wasn't the only one. On digging deep, I found that for every 50,000 heart transplants needed, we don't even get 10. It shook me, and I decided to create awareness," Seher tells Global Indian. What began as a dialogue with family and friends has now turned into a movement of sorts that has reached over 10,000 people. Her first presentation was at her school (Springdales, Delhi) to "plant the seed of organ donation in young minds." The 17-year-old believes that it's important to change the mindset from a young age. Calling the problem deep-rooted, the teen changemaker says that talking about death is almost considered blasphemy. "There is so much stigma around death that it isn't easy to make people open

[caption id="attachment_17787" align="aligncenter" width="433"] Seher Taneja[/caption]

Personal tragedy led to a mission

Born to a paediatrician father and an anaesthesiologist mother, Seher comes from a family of doctors. However, the tragedy that struck home led her on a mission to create awareness on organ donation. "I knew I needed to be well-read and well-versed on the topic, I couldn't misstate facts. That's when I came across a program by Dr Smita Mishra," reveals Seher who calls Mishra her mentor as she helped her understand the myths and the statistics around organ donation. "I started with high school students between 9th and 12 grade. But by 2019, I wanted to create a ripple effect, that's when I came up with a proper plan to reach out to different schools in Delhi," says the changemaker, who began building a team with an army of volunteers. Covid-19 took Abhigyata online to a larger audience in 2020. "Our first webinar had Vasanthi Ramesh, the director of NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation), and Pallavi Kumar of MOHAN (Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network) as the speakers. The session was aimed at helping youngsters clear their doubts and also to bust myths around organ donation," says Class 12 student who also collaborated with various NGOs during that time. "With the pandemic taking a toll on mental health, the webinar was a blessing in disguise as it helped me channelise my energy into something productive," says the teenager who won the Student Leadership Award 2020 by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics.

Innovator | Seher Taneja | Global Indian

Empowering youth during the pandemic

The initiative led her to win the Diana Award in 2021 along with the Tale of Humankind. Started in 2019 to engage and empower the youth, it has worked on 10 campaigns so far ranging from mental health to climate change to menstruation and gender equality. "We are bridging the gap between where we are and where we want to be, with the help and guidance of experts from their respective fields. We want to bring a sense of purpose in youngsters with our initiative," says Seher, who has learnt to be more empathetic in the process. The innovator adds that the years have made her more accountable for her actions toward the planet.

Innovator at heart

The social changemaker is an innovator at heart. A STEM girl, Seher has a handful of innovations to her credit including the mobile toilet - a sensor-based automated technology to improve sanitation in an eco-friendly manner. But it was SWAR - smart gloves that convert sign language into text and voice - that earned her a spot in the Top 20 at the ATL Tinkering Marathon 2019 and was later selected for Atal Incubation Centre's Student Innovator Program 3.0. Again, SWAR was conceptualised at home where she witnessed her grandfather struggling with hearing loss. "He was retreating into a shell and was uncomfortable making any conversation. To help him, I started researching more on it and found startling facts in 2018. India is home to 18 million people with hearing impairments with only 250 interpreters. Since the majority doesn't understand sign language, it creates a divide," explains Seher who wanted to bridge the gap with her prototype. "The sensors on the gloves help convert sign language into text and speech by using a smartphone," describes the teenager who has filed for the patent.

The idea didn't just impress commerce and industries minister Piyush Goyal, it also found her a place in Startup India. "I am reaching out to corporate companies. SWAR will be launched in the market soon," says an excited Seher who is moving to the University of Pennsylvania to pursue the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. With an aim to revolutionise the healthcare sector, she plans to launch her startup in near future. "It's time we stop blaming the people in power and become a shareholder in bringing about change," says the innovator, who loves chilling with her parents and friends.

Follow Seher Taneja on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 5 min

Shriya Bopanna: From Miss India America to Forbes 30 Under 30

(October 4, 2023) Miss India America 2020, Shriya Bopanna who is also an activist, author, and on-air personality has been named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Austin list of 2023, "I am honestly still shocked and incredibly grateful for making to the list," Shriya told Global Indian. "There is a certain amount of validity I feel in being authenticated and it has been a dream of mine to make it to Forbes 30 Under 30 since I was 16," she added. The multi-talented changemaker who also works as a project manager and business analyst at Accenture in the United States, looks at the Austin list as a stepping stone to eventually making to the entire North American list of Forbes. [caption id="attachment_33374" align="aligncenter" width="473"] Shriya Bopanna[/caption] In the world of pageantry Right from her school days, Shriya Boppana had been passionate about advocacy, and deeply involved in raising awareness and funds for causes like anti-sex trafficking. She would do whatever it took to achieve her goal – show up at community events to hand out flyers, volunteer, do community service, and more. “Over time, these community spaces weren’t big enough for some of the initiatives and in college, I

om her school days, Shriya Boppana had been passionate about advocacy, and deeply involved in raising awareness and funds for causes like anti-sex trafficking. She would do whatever it took to achieve her goal – show up at community events to hand out flyers, volunteer, do community service, and more. “Over time, these community spaces weren’t big enough for some of the initiatives and in college, I stepped on the Miss India DC stage as an ambassador for the Save our Stars Foundation to raise money for an HIV clinic in Nepal,” Shriya says. This turned out to be a great turning point in her life.

Little did she know that she would end up participating in the competition and also winning the first runner-up title. “After that, I had no plans of competing in the nationals of Miss India America 2020 until some friends encouraged me to show up. I won completely accidentally – no training, no planning, no preparation,” says the youngster. “That crown catapulted me and my advocacy into the media limelight overnight and I got featured everywhere from ABC to the Wall Street Journal,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_29357" align="aligncenter" width="451"] Shriya Boppana[/caption]

Opportunity to host her TV show

After her win in the Miss India-America contest, Shriya’s popularity caught the eye of producers at Fox 5 Plus/GTV who offered the youngster her segment on-air, Becoming a Voice with Shriya Boppana.

“My show has hosted popular voices from political candidates such as Deja Foxx of the Kamala Harris Campaign to Maria Thattil, Miss Universe Australia, all the way to Jared Isaacman of SpaceX’s Inspiration4, and reached more than six million households. My efforts in educating the public on gender-based violence got hugely successful,” Shriya says.

After doing a season of the show the youngster stepped down to work for Nickelodeon and AwesomenessTV in talent casting. By that time, Shriya already had more than twelve years of experience in theatre acting under her belt.

“I guess the opportunities that I got after winning the crown were a ripple effect of my win. I had only planned to do two things in life – acting and advocacy,” she says. The unplanned foray into the world of pageantry and subsequent win turned out to be a game-changer, helping her reach her goals more easily both in advocacy and acting.

“I received a lot of love, support, and attention from the media and audiences. I cannot thank everyone enough for consistently believing in me and providing me opportunities to grow,” she adds.

These days, Shriya has a nine-to-five at Accenture, while continuing to film season 2 of her Fox 5 Plus show with GTV. “I have incredible guests lined up for the new season, it's so exciting!" she shares

Acting - a passion

As a schoolgirl, Shriya was deeply interested in theatrical arts, musical and films. She has won awards for her performances in short films like Love is Louder, which was a semi-finalist at the All-American High School Film Festival. Shriya was also cast in a full-length feature film, Water with a Slice of Lemon, which debuted in DC theatres in 2018. In 2020, she starred in the Chinmaya Mission-sponsored short film, ‘Been on Sale’.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBXxhGMDkUk[/embed]

Her interest in performing arts has led to several achievements in the sphere of dancing as well. Shriya has competed nationally for her premiere collegiate Bollywood fusion dance team – Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Sahara, winning multiple trophies for her alma mater. As much as she likes competing, the youngster loves to organise events. She has been the youngest board member of the National Bollywood Dance Championship, Legends in the US. Her academic training in marketing helped her in taking up the role of the Public Relations chair at the non-profit, Desi Dance Network Inc for two years where she raised awareness about South Asian performing arts.

The multifaceted beauty queen

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Shriya majored in business administration with a double concentration in marketing, and leadership and organisational effectiveness with a minor in psychology.

At the CMU campus, her advocacy was in full swing. She worked for minority, religious, generational, and socioeconomically weaker communities to strive for equality on the campus against battles supporting sexual assault victims, LGBTQ+ members, immigrants, international students, and ‘everyone in-between’.

[caption id="attachment_29356" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Shriya at one of the Carnegie Mellon University's functions[/caption]

Always a good student and multi-tasker, Shriya has represented CMU as the vice president of communications in their chapter of the American Marketing Association and volunteered as the vice president of marketing for the Carnegie Mellon Business Association, and vice president of internal affairs for CMU Women in Business.

“I am in the midst of applying for an MBA programme with the aim to elevate my social impact organisation - ‘Becoming A Voice’ into an official non-profit,” she shares.

Continually striving to achieve new milestones, Shriya is preparing to apply for the role of the 13th official US youth over server to the UN. “With all my work with the UN Foundation over the years, I aim to contribute in the national policymaking on child rights and sexual safety if appointed,” she remarks.

Winning along the way

The youngster loves participating in contests. In 2018 she won the Deloitte Start-Up Case competition bagging the third position. She was the only CMU freshman chosen to compete that year. Along with her team members, Shriya took her BusyBus business idea into the world of real-time technology and was even nominated for Forbes 30-under-30 in the consumer technology category.

The multifaceted beauty queen also dabbles in the freelance design and marketing world when time permits. “I kick-started my content creation career after winning Miss India America and have partnered with many incredible brands like Amazon Prime, Bumble, Handshake, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Adobe, Tangle Teezer, Mugler, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few,” she says.

[caption id="attachment_33382" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Shriya Bopanna[/caption]

Love for India

Shriya moved to the US with her parents when she was just five and a half years old, but her tie with India is strong. “I visit India at least once a year for a month at a time, minimum. It’s important for me to stay in touch with my extended family,” she says. “I was raised in Indian culture for a good portion of my developmental years and find joy in mixing both the American and Indian identities as much as possible. Whether it’s the clothes, the media, the food, or the religion, I partake in all aspects of my daily life to keep my roots strong and home-grown,” the youngster shares.

Significant collaborations and initiatives

In 2021 Shriya Boppana joined the Obama Foundation and Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance partnership.
As STF Global Youth Ambassador advocating for girls’ rights, she teamed up with famous actress, Brooke Shields to raise awareness for sexual health education of girls for the #GirlsGetLoud campaign.
She has partnered with the popular beauty brand, Bobbi Brown, for their ‘Pretty Powerful’ campaign.
Shriya holds sexual assault clinics in partnership with Bachpan Save the Innocence in India. In their partnership, they have sensitized above 6000 individuals at more than 320 orphanages, schools, slums, and colleges with over 10 different programs like safe and unsafe touch, consent and puberty, digital safety, cybercrime, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
The Indian American youngster conducted light-hearted discussions about mental health and relationships, and self-health as a radio jockey on Radio Zindagi, reaching more than one million listeners in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Indo-Caribbean community.

Follow Shriya Boppana on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and her website

Reading Time: 5 mins

Footprints in the sand: UN Young Leader Udit Singhal breaks the ‘glass’ ceiling

(February 3, 2022) “Be mindful,” Udit Singhal implores in a TedX Talk. It is that same mindfulness that saw him solve the glass menace in Delhi. The UN Young Leader for sustainable development goals is a sum of many parts - social entrepreneur, youth leader, finance and tech enthusiast, artist and golfer. Primarily, though, he is a student at University College London (BSc in management science), and proactive on world issues. The 20-year-old was one among 17 selected by the United Nations for his contributions in 2020. Udit now hopes to galvanise the youth to work towards SDGs. The UN Young Leader, Udit founded Glass2Sand at 16 to address the glass dumping problem – it was the result of the glass bottles he encountered piling up at his home. “I asked why. I found that the collection of glass bottles for recycling is unviable due to dropping demand, large storage space requirements and high transport costs. Empty glass bottles are not segregated anymore, and have started to be dumped in landfills,” reveals Udit Singhal in an exclusive to Global Indian. The then enterprising teen uncovered the silent glass waste crisis, channelising his solution-driven mindset. “I founded Glass2Sand, an environment-friendly zero-waste

isis, channelising his solution-driven mindset. “I founded Glass2Sand, an environment-friendly zero-waste ecosystem and ‘no glass to landfills movement’ which stops glass bottles from being dumped in landfills by crushing them into commercially valuable sand, and repurposing it for sustainable construction. It is plugging a major gap identified in recycling of such materials,” says the young visionary.

Singhal also got a special grant from the New Zealand high commissioner in India, which aided in formalising an understanding with Kiwi patent-holders, “This helped me import technology from New Zealand that crushed glass bottles in under a minute,” smiles the university student.

The boy who saw too much waste

What gives Udit a decisively better understanding about problem solving evolved from a “family of trailblazing entrepreneurs.”

“My parents pioneered in setting up the market for international wine in India 25 years ago, when wine was relatively unknown. My father (Rajiv Singhal) was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite by the President of France – the second highest civilian honour. My brother, a wealth manager, was inducted into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne,” Udit reveals. Not giving up in the face of adversity, and to think about the bigger picture is what his family has ingrained in him.

One can easily picture Udit as a child looking for places to hide and seek, and encountering heaps of bottles - wondering where he and the bottles could hide in tandem. “When I stumbled on the menace, it birthed the concept of Glass2Sand,” says the entrepreneur who hopes to leverage the Kiwi technology to continue the good work.

The former IB student at the British School, New Delhi, threw himself into learning with a two-week programme within sustainable development and social entrepreneurship at Yale in 2019. Incidentally, his father is also a Yale alum.

Emulating a family of achievers

Having role models at home, he has taken the learning a notch higher as a UN Young Leader. For the young preppy youngster, serious mindedness and self-belief are key, and now he wants the youth to muster the courage to manoeuvre through hurdles. “Seeking support is a step in that direction and finding a ‘good’ mentor will leave you in good stead,” smiles Udit. His most memorable experience was, “A meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in November 2020 which left a lasting impact. The opportunity to present Glass2Sand and mobilise strategies to drive the SDG’s forward offered me new perspectives.”

Turning glass to sand, responsibly

Seeing wine being swirled and its terroir as a normal conversation at home was undoubtedly a push to launch the “Drink responsibly, dispose responsibly” campaign to raise awareness about the silent glass waste crisis, in association with the ambassador of Hungary to India in 2019. “Till date, Glass2Sand has crushed 25,600+ bottles into 15,300+ kilograms of sand, and we now have over 350 volunteers and 18 partners (institutions and diplomatic missions) active on the Glass2Sand network,” says the proud UN young leader.

Young people are calling to be able to #LearnForOurPlanet!

On Friday, tune into #COP26 as @UNESCO puts #ClimateEducation in the spotlight 📚
@YAGClimate member @pcopaloma & 1 of our #SDGYoungLeaders @_uditsinghal will also join 🙌

🕐 12 pm EDT
➡️ https://t.co/dyeYadI8bv pic.twitter.com/QEGVwWVFPz

— UN Youth Envoy (@UNYouthEnvoy) November 4, 2021

The learning continues even as he juggles classes, connects with the other young leaders, and finds impressive solutions to global challenges. “Covid has made collaboration difficult, but we have come together at speaking engagements,” he adds.

Singhal also worked closely with Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s envoy at the youth office. “The best part of my appointment as a UN Young Leader for SDGs was being able to synergise and strategise closely with various UN organisations for effective youth climate action – a key learning was in taking initiative to create impact, rather than waiting for things to happen,” says the boy who is at heart a forward thinker.

A UN youth leader who is artsy too

Not many know that Udit is an artist, a gene he admits having inherited from his mother. “ I have been creating art since I was incredibly young. Despite being colour blind, I express myself through my artworks – paintings, sculptures and sketches. My passion for art got intertwined with my interest in the ever-evolving world of technology, manifesting in my first ever NFT Collection, Fabled Minds,” says the creator, revealing that it was a vividly curated collection of mystique paintings, photographs and sketches - powered by blockchain.

The UN young leader also loves to code and develop websites, in fact, he is most excited about a bid-based e-art gallery he developed to empower budding artists by monetising their artworks.

‘Putting’ the responsible forward!

On a sunny day when London weather complies, a bit of golf can do Udit a world of good. He calls himself a “scratch player” who started training formally at eight, having gone to the golf course as a tiny two-year-old.

Having delivered 25 plus keynote addresses so far (G20 side-event, UNRIC, UNITAR, UN75, etc.) and a sustainability podcast for Dell India in January 2021, the UN young leader looks for inspiration in life, music and golf, of course.

Art is a self-expression which Singhal has over the years embraced. His studio stems from this urge to create, “USStudio is a creative I founded that focuses on uplifting and enhancing the image and presence of brands through web development. It also spotlights creative portfolios - initiatives, photographs and artworks,” he adds.

His philosophy in life is about being initiative-taking, and he spurs others on, “You can’t just wait for something to happen – take a proactive stance – because unless you’re Newton, it’s unlikely that an apple is going to fall on your head. Opportunities don’t appear magically. You have to lead them your way,” avers the UN young leader.

Urging humans to address climate change as a collective problem, Udit says this is a make-or-break decade for the planet and instead of imagining a mythical entity to solve problems, get a solution-driven mindset.

Working from the ground up, Udit’s activism is real, not just “about optics and acoustics.” Not wanting to be another “nodding head in a numbered strike or draw attention through ‘blank’ signposts,” he wants to afford real solutions. And in that regard, he has already made great strides in cleaning the world of waste glass.

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Lara Rajagopalan: The Indian-American teen artist makes it to K-Pop band KATSEYE

(January 7, 2023) In recent years, the global phenomenon of K-pop has undeniably taken the world by storm, captivating audiences with its infectious beats, dynamic performances, and charismatic artists. Notably, the craze for K-pop has reached even the vibrant and diverse youth of India, where a significant fanbase has emerged. Among the enthusiastic admirers is Lara Rajagopalan, a talented musician of Indian origin based in Los Angeles. Breaking barriers and embracing the K-pop wave, Lara has achieved a remarkable feat by securing a spot in the final lineup of the six-member girl group, KATSEYE. Launched by HYBE, the K-Pop entertainment company that gave the world BTS, KATSEYE is set to release their debut album in 2024. [caption id="attachment_35103" align="aligncenter" width="505"] Lara Rajagopalan[/caption] 17-year-old Indian-origin Lara Rajagopalan, a musician based out of Los Angeles, started singing and dancing at the age of four. But she didn't keep her talent restricted to just dance and music, and even tried her acting chops by making an appearance in NBC's The Blacklist. That wasn't all, she featured in Michelle Obama's Global Girls Alliance video, and even participated as a model in Macy's 2017 campaign and co-hosted the 'Go Red For Women' campaign for the

cklist. That wasn't all, she featured in Michelle Obama's Global Girls Alliance video, and even participated as a model in Macy's 2017 campaign and co-hosted the 'Go Red For Women' campaign for the American Heart Association.

It was in 2023 that Lara submitted her entry for the audition program - The Debut: Dream Academy - that's garnered over 120,000 submissions, from which a final list of 20 contestants was meticulously selected. Of them, six made it to KATSEYE, which showcases a diverse lineup representing four different countries: the Philippines, the USA, South Korea, and Switzerland.

[caption id="attachment_35104" align="aligncenter" width="829"] K-pop band KATSEYE[/caption]

A huge fan of K-Pop, Lara was keen to make a mark in the world that justifies her singing and dancing talent. For someone who describes herself as "passionate, real and confident," she was ready to take that leap and put herself out in the audition program that has now made her a finalist in the KATSEYE.

The six girls will be trained for a year, and their journey will be the subject of an upcoming untitled Netflix documentary series. Directed by award-winning filmmaker, Nadia Hallgren, the series is set to premiere in 2024.

THE ACE OF #HYBEXGEFFEN NEWGG DEBUTS TODAY... LARA RAJ DEBUTATION 🔥#LARA #DREAMACADEMY

pic.twitter.com/70k8FJB4WS

— ᓚᘏᗢthea⁶ (@larajgirl) November 17, 2023

"Each candidate is incredibly talented, dedicated, and driven, making this an exciting moment for music fans around the world," John Janick, the chairman and CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M said in a statement.

K-pop's global influence has transcended borders and cultural barriers, captivating audiences worldwide with its melodies, performances, and charismatic artists. This phenomenon has reached even the vibrant and diverse youth of India, as evidenced by the rising trend of Indian talents venturing into the K-pop scene. With artists like Shreya Lenka and Aria gaining spots in K-pop bands, the genre has become a cultural bridge, fostering a cross-cultural exchange that goes beyond geographical boundaries. The fusion of Indian and K-pop elements in these groups not only showcases the versatility of the genre but also underscores the universal appeal of music that speaks to the hearts of people across the globe.

In a fantastic blend of cultures and talent, Lara Rajagopalan, an Indian-American artist, has become a rising star in the K-pop world by joining KATSEYE. Getting ready to capture the hearts of K-pop fans with her singing and energetic performances, Lara's journey shows the strength of following your dreams with passion, determination, and embracing diverse cultures. She is proof that pursuing your dreams knows no boundaries.

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