Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveIndian American researcher, Harsh Patel, is developing advanced treatment methods for alternative water supplies

Indian American researcher, Harsh Patel, is developing advanced treatment methods for alternative water supplies

Written by: Team GI Youth

(April 15, 2023) The demand for water and energy is increasing at an unprecedented rate across the globe. Driven by steep population growth, urbanisation, and industrialisation, this increase in the demand has serious implications for the environment, as well as for economic development and social stability. While the world leaders are yet to find a solution for this urgent issue, a young Indian American researcher has come up with a potential solution for the rising water and energy demands.

A Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, Harsh Patel is working on establishing novel low water content membranes, which are capable of selectively removing targeted ions from aqueous solutions like seawater, groundwater, and brines. The young researcher recently received the prestigious American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) and United States Bureau of Reclamation Fellowship for Membrane Technology, along with a cash prize of $11,750. “I am extremely pleased to have received this honour,” the researcher said, “Especially knowing that successful work in this area will have direct implications on global problems like water scarcity as well as technologies needed to implement the research at a larger scale.”

For a noble cause

A curious kid, Harsh felt quite strongly about the water shortage issues faced by various parts of the world, since he was in the school. While he did work on several small ideas to save water at a local level, it was during his graduation years that the idea of developing a low water content membrane system that could distill even seawater. After finishing his school, the young researcher went on to obtain a BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and later joined the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, for his Ph.D.

Researcher | Harsh Patel | Global Indian

Harsh’s experiment showing differences in ion selectivity in varying water content membranes

Harsh’s work investigates establishing novel next-generation ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) capable of selectively removing targeted ions from aqueous solutions to meet the rising water and energy demands. The results of this research will allow the discovery of design parameters to synthesise desirable IEMs for various ion separation applications which are critical for industrial applications such as lithium extraction, water softening, and nitrate recovery.

Explaining about his innovation, the Global Indian said, “IEMs are polymeric materials that possess charged functional groups on the polymer and can facilitate the transportation of counter-ions, while effectively rejecting co-ions. Most commercial IEMs cannot efficiently discriminate between different counterions, which hinders the effective isolation of lithium or nitrate as the solutions containing these two species possess other monovalent and divalent ions in high concentrations.”

Harsh, after receiving the AMTA and Bureau of Reclamation Fellowship for Membrane Technology

His research, however, will be crucial for the advanced treatment of alternative water supplies. “My research will have significant potential to reduce the cost, energy, and environmental impact of advanced treatment of recycling waste water and seawater that would offer clean, safe, abundant, and cost-effective water supplies in arid western states and across the globe.” The researcher’s work is currently revolving around synthesising inexpensive IEMs with controlled water content and charge density over broad ranges, creating opportunities to tune ion selectivity by exploring molecular-level phenomena that affect the competitive ion transport in IEMs.

Harsh is also a part of the University-funded Kamcev Lab, a research group that aims to develop next-generation polymeric materials for water treatment and energy generation and storage applications.

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Published on 15, Apr 2023

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Prasiddhi Singh: The nine-year-old environmentalist who nurtured 19 fruit forests

“Ever seen a bird or squirrel swipe a credit card for food? Or an animal pay for clothes? Only humans pay for our existence on this planet. The reason many (might) give is advancement. But what kind of advancement is this?” laments Prasiddhi Singh, a nine-year-old environmentalist whose efforts to create a greener planet start with a call to action. Prasiddhi speaks about plausible solutions to climate change that she began by nurturing numerous fruit forests. Today, her initiatives and NGO have won many accolades and awards. The youngest recipient of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2021, her intrinsic connect with nature is remarkable. The eco-warrior from Tamil Nadu who began her “green activist” journey at just four, has 19 fruit forests to her credit, and is now on a mission to plant 1 lakh trees by 2022. “Each of us can make a significant contribution. But we need to try to create change. I have been close to nature since I was two, and I always knew that I had to do something for the planet,” Prasiddhi opens up to Global Indian in an exclusive interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT-52MWAh7o&t=251s A nature lover The Mumbai-born Prasiddhi was only 21 days old

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A nature lover

The Mumbai-born Prasiddhi was only 21 days old when she shifted to Tamil Nadu after her father, who is an automotive engineer at Mahindra & Mahindra transferred to Chengalpattu. Those new surroundings were the perfect catalyst in helping her form an unconditional bond with nature. “Since I was two, I have drawn inspiration from nature. The trees taught me to never give up, and grow in any condition. The bees taught me the meaning of collaboration, and from the sea, I learnt to celebrate all phenomenon - high tide or low tide,” says the student at Mahindra World School.

[caption id="attachment_16486" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Prasiddhi Singh planting trees with her eco-army.[/caption]

The nature enthusiast started planting saplings after witnessing the devastating loss of tree cover in the 2016 Vardah cyclone. “So many trees were uprooted, and it felt like they were crying. It made me sad. I knew I had to do something,” she recalls. So, she rolled up her sleeves, and got her hands dirty, literally. At age four, she participated in plantation drives around her neighbourhood, engaged with NGOs and like-minded folk. She now pledges to plant 1 lakh trees. “Till now, I have been successful in creating 19 fruit forests and planting 23,000 trees,” reveals the proud environmentalist. Located in in Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Puducherry, Kanyakumari and Chennai, the fruit tree forests bear mangoes, amlas, jamuns, guavas, jackfruits and custard apples.

Stepping up for a cause

Giving nature a chance to breathe again, the little girl with big ideas started the Prasiddhi Forest Foundation in 2018 in Chengalpattu with an intent to increase green cover, nurture biodiversity and make recycling a way of life. “I formed an unconditional bond with nature and this has helped me understand my power. Like a 4 mm seed grows into a 100 feet tall tree, I know that I should never underestimate my power even if I am just a child. I can make a significant contribution in creating an impact,” says the TedX speaker.

How she funds these initiatives give you a hint of her resourcefulness. Prasiddhi has formed an eco-army of individuals who source funds – Selling bookmarks, pencils and grow kits, Singh has also done it all. “During the pandemic, I raised funds by taking online webinars and sessions on how to become an impact creator. The prize money I received from Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar was donated to my NGO. I contribute every single penny I receive,” enthuses Prasiddhi.

The girl who met Prime Minister Narendra Modi when she won the award is also a deep thinker. “They say with great power comes great responsibility. The award made me more conscious about my responsibility. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji made me take three sankalpas (promises). Be regular in whatever tasks I do and persevere, keep my promise of working for the nation and be humble,” says the youngest fruit forest creator.

[caption id="attachment_16491" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Prasiddhi Singh creating awareness about conservation of trees.[/caption]

Having received the highest civilian award for children is no mean feat, and she is already an impact creator. “Trees never eat their fruits or rivers don’t drink their water. Nature has made me understand the meaning of service,” says the Class 4 girl with a vision that takes one aback.

An environmentalist with a cause

Her G3 project - Generate your oxygen, grow your food and gift the community, she hopes will help create a sustainable environment by connecting with people through online or offline sessions, and providing eco kits to help them connect with nature.

[caption id="attachment_16488" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Prasiddhi Singh with her G3 project eco kit.[/caption]

Prasiddhi loves to skate, do yoga, doodle and cycle. She has also represented the country at the Harvard World Model United Nations. “It was inspiring as I was the youngest keynote speaker. It made me realise that people want to create an impact by contributing to society but at times, they don't know what to do. The new generation is aware and feels responsible. Today, we just form 25 percent of the population but we are 100 percent of the future. Our actions matter,” Singh believes.

Prasiddhi, who found her biggest cheerleaders in her guru Swami Niranjananda Saraswati and her maternal grandfather, is deeply inspired by Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women as it helped her understand the need to stand up for change. “I learnt that despite struggles and challenges, these women brought (about) change. I realised that I don't need to be a grown-up to make a change,” adds the daughter who was influenced by stories about her parents’ childhood amidst nature.

[caption id="attachment_16489" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Prasiddhi Singh planting a sapling.[/caption]

Today, Prasiddhi wants everyone to take small steps towards creating a healthy planet. “The murmurs of discontent of the motherland have gone unnoticed for a while but now we have to address reality. The world is undergoing a climate crisis. Rather than looking up to the government and leaders, we should focus on the actions we can take to make a change. It can be as simple and small as - saving water, planting trees, or saving electricity. Every action counts and can create an impact,” she signs off.

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Reading Time: 7 min

Teen innovator Varun Saikia’s AI-driven Makara rids water bodies of plastic

(March 1, 2022) The sight of a gasping pilot whale washed ashore in Thailand in 2018 left a 12-year-old Varun Saikia heartbroken. “I followed the news, and found that it died of starvation as her belly was full of plastic waste. It shook me. I knew I had to come up with a solution to help protect marine life,” Varun tells Global Indian in an interview, of the whale that had consumed 80 plastic bags. And he did. The 16-year-old innovated an AI-driven device Makara to clean polluted water bodies. It won him a special award at the Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science 2021. His prototype also got a nod from the Gujarat Innovation Council, with a grant of Rs 1,86,000 to create a bigger prototype, set to be launched this year. [caption id="attachment_11605" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Varun Saikia with his AI device Makara[/caption] Understanding the workings of gadgets Born in Vadodra in 2005 to parents who own an advertising agency, Varun loved dismantling toys, especially remote-control ones. This inquisitiveness to understand its functioning led the teenager to become an inventor and innovator at a young age. “I used to pick things easily available at home, and come up

rn in Vadodra in 2005 to parents who own an advertising agency, Varun loved dismantling toys, especially remote-control ones. This inquisitiveness to understand its functioning led the teenager to become an inventor and innovator at a young age. “I used to pick things easily available at home, and come up with new ideas,” says the boy who at the age of eight made a water harvesting system using plastic bottles and pipe. Cutter in hand, he was always pottering on inventive ideas. This often invited the fury of his mother. “She was concerned about my safety, but she also always supported me in my innovations,” smiles Varun.

At 12, things took a serious turn with the news of a pilot whale on the shores of Thailand. “After a few days, the whale succumbed. The incident nudged me to come up with a solution,” says the Navrachana School student.

How Makara came to life

The Class 11 student knew he had to get rid of plastic waste that was making many species of fish extinct. He designed a low-cost machine that helps clean water bodies. “After discussing the problem with my mom, she encouraged me to work on the prototype which took three months. Post several trials, I came up with Makara, a fabricated prototype using plastic bottles that worked on a battery, and could be operated by remote control,” reveals Varun who conducted 11 test runs in local ponds and collected 33 kg plastic waste.

With each experiment and test run, Varun improvised the prototype. “Initially, I had added a basket at the tail of the prototype to gather waste. I soon realised that a lot of plastic waste is deeper. So I added a tail net that collected waste in a larger capacity,” adds Varun who pitched the idea to the Gujarat Innovation Council, and won a grant in December 2018.

In July 2019, Varun began working on the bigger model, Flipper, that's 20 feet in length, fully automated, and it can fish out 150 kg waste in one swoop. The teenager claims the innovation doesn’t affect marine life as the ultrasonic waves transmitted from its sensors keep fishes at bay. “Fish don’t come to the surface. The tail net bin is only 10 inches deep, and can be customised up to 1.5 ft depending on the water bodies,” says the young innovator, adding that floating waste is later segregated on land.

This passion for protecting the environment led to the launch of his startup Ocean Cleanerz in 2021. “After working on Makara and Flipper, I realised the need for a company that focuses on finding a sustainable solution to environmental problems,” says the teenager.

[caption id="attachment_11615" align="aligncenter" width="626"] Varun Saikia working on Makara[/caption]

Project Flipper bagged the IRIS 2021 award instituted by the American Meteorological Society, Massachusetts in the category of environmental engineering. “Because of Covid-19, the awards were held virtually. It feels great that my innovation is getting attention, and resonating with people,” adds the teen innovator.

Varun, who calls his mother Ruchira his mentor, has found a perfect support system in her. “She has always had faith in me. She funded my first prototype, that says a lot about her,” adds Varun, who is glad that his parents have been the wind beneath his wings. “I am grateful that they have allowed me to pursue my innovations,” says the boy who wants to study environmental engineering. “I want to get into MIT, and make a difference with my engineering,” adds Varun, who loves going on long walks with his dog.

Starting up as a teen

The teen innovator never misses a day to work on his startup, despite a tight study schedule. “I devote an hour each day to my work as I am passionate about it,” says Saikia who likes exploring tech websites and learning something new each day.

[caption id="attachment_11616" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Varun Saikia working on Flipper[/caption]

The boy who relentlessly follows up on his innovations, advises “never give up on any idea as someday it might materialise into something concrete.” He has been working on Flipper for two years, and is keen to launch it in the next few months. “I would want to use the device to clean lakes of every city and later help to clean river Ganga. Since my device is scalable, it can be used to clean the Indian Ocean too,” concludes the little visionary.

Follow Varun Saikia on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min

Photographer of the Year 2021, Pubarun Basu’s lens evokes emotions, creates stellar imagery

(March 16, 2022) Crammed into a narrow alleyway in the backstreets of Kumortuli in North Kolkata, a sculptor is sculpting the face of goddess Durga ahead of Pujo. That stunning photo by young photographer Pubarun Basu speaks volumes of his love for the craft. Yet, it’s only one among his many stellar photographs. Another photo turned the tide for this muse-seeking shutterbug – a 2020 photo titled No Escape from Reality that won him the Youth Photographer of the Year 2021 at the Sony World Photography Awards. Basu was the first Indian to achieve the feat. “My photo was selected among 3,30,000 entries from around 29 countries. It was a very humbling experience,” the 20-year-old tells Global Indian in an interview. [caption id="attachment_12664" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Pubarun Basu[/caption] Snapshot happy The 2001-born Kolkata lad got inclined towards photography at age four when he picked his first camera, thanks to his photographer father. Being in the company of the best of gadgets, the Bengali boy was fascinated by the dynamics of photography. That first DSLR camera he held, and the photo he clicked seemed to activate a passion that has only embellished itself. “I vividly remember my father handing me his camera.

picked his first camera, thanks to his photographer father. Being in the company of the best of gadgets, the Bengali boy was fascinated by the dynamics of photography. That first DSLR camera he held, and the photo he clicked seemed to activate a passion that has only embellished itself. “I vividly remember my father handing me his camera. Since I had seen my dad click photos, I somehow managed to take a picture by imitation,” says Pubarun who took his first photo at the Khoai Fair in Shantiniketan.

Seeing his father “in action all the time,” he learnt the tricks of the trade. Getting access to a good DSLR so early, was a blessing that proved fortuitous. “I understood the tonality, correct exposure and framing. My father had a home lab where he would develop. In time, my taste evolved and so did my understanding of photography,” says the English literature student at the University of Calcutta.

At age nine, he was gifted a Nikon point and shoot camera. “I began clicking photos of the birds in our vicinity – bulbuls, tailor birds, kingfishers, I’d capture them all on my lens,” reminisces Pubarun who later got fascinated by street photography. “I love capturing sunsets and portraits. Over the years, I developed this style of photography, which has now become my signature," adds Pubarun.

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When he won the Youth Photographer of the Year 2021, it augured more acclaim. In July 2020, Pubarun submitted his award-winning photo - No Escape from Reality – (theme composition and design). “The brief was to look for an unfamiliar setting within a familiar setting, and what better place could it be than our home (during lockdown). One evening, I was in my parents’ bedroom when I noticed sunlight seeping through the windows, and the iron rails created quite a stunning shadow. It gave the illusion of a cage. I asked my mom to stand behind the curtain, stretch out her hands to touch the curtain. The idea was to represent the feeling of being trapped in a moment, or in one’s reality,” says Pubarun who used a Nikon D800E for the shot.

[caption id="attachment_12665" align="aligncenter" width="858"] No Escape from Reality by Pubarun Basu[/caption]

All this gave his photography career a major boost. “Winning that title remains unmatched. It took me a while to let it sink in. Many aspiring photographers started approaching me to inquire about the process of selection for the title and my technique,” gushes the young photographer who is “still in disbelief” that Sony exhibited his photo across the globe.

The urge to explore

The award-winning photo was exhibited in Japan, France, Switzerland, and Italy. Later, he bagged the Indica cultural photography grant 2021 to work on a project on the tribal communities of North-East India. “I pitched the idea as northeast is a hidden treasure and the tribes of that region haven’t been explored much. Eight photographers from the country were selected for the project. I was the youngest,” says Pubarun whose project will be published as a coffee table book soon.

The young photographer is keen to capture stories that create an impact. “I want my voice to be heard through my art. My photography has evolved with time, and I wish to put forth a constructive narrative,” says the documentary filmmaker who took up online photography course from the Museum of Modern Art, New York during the lockdown, which he says was “an enriching experience.”

A father’s legacy

Basu loves Steve McCurry, Dorothea Lange, and Raghu Rai’s oeuvre, yet, it’s his father Pranab Basu who is his mentor. “I have learnt everything from him. Whatever I create, he is often the first person I show my work to. He is my biggest cheerleader and biggest critique,” reveals Pubarun who has an equal support system in his homemaker mother. “She has been a shield, protecting me against the taunts of my relatives who questioned my unconventional line of work,” says the young photographer.

Today, Pubarun, still so young, is a photographer to reckon with. “The idea to be original” he feels helped him set sail. He adds, “When you are young, you love to imitate the works of people you admire. But in the process, you start to live in their shadow. Creativity thrives when you have an individualistic style.” Which he sure does.

[caption id="attachment_12668" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Pubarun Basu[/caption]

For aspiring shutterbugs, he advices, “be open-minded and keep experimenting different styles before settling for one,” yet he cautions not to get influenced by social media.

A movie buff, his creative spirit meanders into tabla playing, which he has been practising since he was six. Now, he plans to study photography abroad after graduation. “Photography is my passion and I want to pursue it as a career. My vision is to create a community of artists who do projects that speak about contemporary issues,” adds Pubarun who is currently in Varanasi to shoot a musical documentary on the holy city.

Follow Pubarun Basu on Twitter and Instagram

Reading Time: 6 min

From gully cricket to playing for India, Smriti Mandhana’s journey is remarkable

(July 15, 2022) India’s star opener, Smriti Mandhana, comes from a family of cricketers. The 26-year-old, who watched her brother play in district tournaments and would save his newspaper clippings as a child, has carved a glorious career for herself. Today, she ranks as the only Indian batter in the top ten list of women’s One Day International (ODI) player rankings. Moreover, she was awarded the Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Trophy for being the best female cricketer of the year, not once but twice - in 2018 and 2021. Even the BCCI named her 2018 Best Women's International Cricketer. [caption id="attachment_19302" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Smriti Mandhana, Indian cricketer[/caption] The left-handed batter has also been awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award for her accomplishments. "Proud to call myself an Indian. I still fondly remember the day I got the (first) chance to represent my country, a feeling beyond words," reminisced the cricketer in one of her tweets. Global Indian turns its spotlight on India's record setting player. Rise of a star It was in 2013 that her budding cricketing career took a quantum leap when she clinched two centuries in a one-day game. The Mumbai-born cricketer was playing for Maharashtra against Gujarat, scoring an unbeaten 224 in 150 balls in an under-19 tournament at Vadodara. She reached another milestone in

my country, a feeling beyond words," reminisced the cricketer in one of her tweets. Global Indian turns its spotlight on India's record setting player.

Rise of a star

It was in 2013 that her budding cricketing career took a quantum leap when she clinched two centuries in a one-day game. The Mumbai-born cricketer was playing for Maharashtra against Gujarat, scoring an unbeaten 224 in 150 balls in an under-19 tournament at Vadodara. She reached another milestone in 2016 by scoring three half centuries that led her team to win the Women’s Challenger Trophy. She became the tournament’s top scorer with 192.

Her international debut was in 2014 test match against England at Wormsley Park. In 2016, during the Australian tour, Smriti made a mark - scoring her international career’s maiden century. That year, she was the only Indian player to be named in the ICC Women's Team of the Year. She has been representing the country and displaying her excellent cricketing prowess in tournaments like the Women’s Cricket World Cup, Women’s Twenty20 Internationals, Women’s One Day Internationals and Women’s Cricket Super League.

[caption id="attachment_19311" align="aligncenter" width="704"] Smriti Mandhana with Indian women's cricket team members[/caption]

The year 2019 was a significant year for the ace cricketer as she became the youngest captain of India's women Twenty20 international squad for the three-match series against England, at the age of 22.

"Heartiest congratulations on yet another magnificent year in international cricket. Keep giving your best and keep scaling new heights," lauded cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, when she received the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award this year.

A Rajasthani girl raised in Maharashtra

Born to a Rajasthani family in Mumbai, she did her schooling at Madhavnagar. Seeing her father and brother play cricket at the district level, she was instantly attracted to the game during her growing up years. She would often accompany her brother to see him play, and knew that someday she would be scoring runs like him. It was her father who started training her for cricket. She was so good at the game that she was selected in Maharashtra’s Under-15 team when she was just nine. This initial nudge made her father confident that Smriti had a future in the sport. She soon started training under a junior state coach, Anant Tambwekar. At eleven, she made it to the Maharashtra Under-19s team.

Though she spent most of her time on the field, studies never took a back seat for the cricketer, who is a graduate in commerce from Chintamani Rao College of Commerce, Sangli.

Life other than cricket

Though the pandemic put a screeching halt on her game, the cricketer made her presence felt off the field with her popular talk show, Double Trouble. Featuring Smriti and cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues as hosts, the show gave an insight into the world of Indian sports stars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbIzuZkma-U

The star cricketer, whose net worth is close to $3 million, calls her family the wind beneath her wings. Her father, Shrinivas, a chemical distributor by profession, still handles all her cricket schedules, while her mother, Smita, manages her diet. Apart from her glorious cricketing profession, she has also stepped into entrepreneurship with SM18, a café and restaurant in her home town, Sangli. However, cricket is something that is closest to her heart. "Whenever I go out to bat, my only responsibility is to look at the scoreboard and think what India needs from me at this moment," said the cricketer in an interview.

Follow Smriti Mandhana on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

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

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