Indian artist Sanket Jadia brings alive India’s past with his unique art form
Written by: Amrita Priya
(March 27, 2022) Sanket Jadia’s art is uniquely different: inquisitive and attempting to intervene into existing modes while also venturing into zones of uncertainty. This young Indian artist experiments with multiple disciplines in terms of both medium and form. A South Gujarat University alum, Sanket has developed a style that deals with history and events of conflict. Through his art, he attempts to explore how this depiction influences people’s perception of these images.
Sanket Jadia, artist
His unique art has earned him several recognitions. He made it to the Forbes India 30 under 30 in 2020, received the 2017 Inlaks Fine Arts Award in 2017 and was the Khoj Peers resident in 2014. The inquisitive artist admits in a conversation with Global Indian that while all recognitions are precious to him, he holds the Khoj Peers resident programme close to his heart as it was his first achievement. It also gave him the opportunity to display his work alongside the who’s who of Delhi’s art circuit. The Inlaks Fine Arts award, on the other hand, served as a milestone supporting his artistic endeavours monetarily.
Carving creativity out of chaos
The accomplished artist, who did his masters in visual arts from Ambedkar University, Delhi (2015) and bachelor’s in fine arts (painting) from VNSGU, Surat (2013), attempts to introduce contradictions within the usual scheme of perception, to interrogate reality. His choice of mediums like terracotta, clay, drawing, and digital design to convey his thoughts depends on the idea he is exploring.
Sanket’s approach towards art is an attempt to understand the way we situate ourselves in a particular context. He is an ardent fan of investigative images with an inclination towards forensic architecture as it looks at solving mysteries. He is intrigued with how documentation of historical events like war and violence creates a reference point. “As an artist, I keep exploring how narratives are created through images,” says Sanket, who focuses on India’s most significant post-independence events that caused a major shift in the country’s socio-cultural politics. The Babri Masjid demolition is one of them. This Indian artist has also been exploring different perspectives of the event, making sculptures around them.
Some of Sanket’s group participations were at 2020: A future under construction (2018), the Pune Biennale (2017), the Art Decade (2016), and the Indian Summer Festival (2016). The Peers Share (2014) and Degree Show (BFA – 2013) also showed his oeuvre.
Art, a way of life
“Since my childhood, I have been very interested in art and so decided to pursue it as a career,” says the Surat boy. He seems to have inherited his love for art from his late mother. “She had pursued commercial art and though I did not really see her practicing it, she was very supportive of my choice,” he says. Talking about his father, Rajnikant, who is an accountant, Sanket says, “He does not know how to measure the success of an artist, and as a logical human being, he associates it with finances. Seeing me earn steadily makes him happy and he is relieved at my choice of career.”
“I do not expect my art to fund my lifestyle,” says the passionate artist, who also works as a graphic designer and art teacher to earn a living. He loves to unwind over Netflix, documentaries and listening to music.
(December 21,2021) Recycling batteries for a better future Recycle My Battery has recycled over 145,000 used batteries Every day almost 15 billion batteries are purchased to power everyday objects, most of which end up in landfills. In Edison, New Jersey, a seventh grader works tirelessly to rid the world of battery pollutants, aspiring to make the world safe from fires. Interestingly, his campaign also started when a fire at a waste plant in California caused million of dollars' worth of damage. When Sri Nihal Tammana read about it on his tenth birthday, he realised the culprit was a discarded lithium-ion battery. That became a clarion call for the 12-year-old to start a campaign to rid the Earth of used batteries. It galvanised the community, and like-minded children to begin collecting and recycling all types of batteries. Most importantly to save the planet. The little boy founded recyclemybattery.org which has grown exponentially since it began in 2019. Collaborations with Call2Recycle, today there are recycle bins in 200 US locations, and the non-profit is also working with US school superintendents, covering over 200 schools (200,000 children). [caption id="attachment_8698" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Recharge My Battery founder Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption] "I started to learn about
[caption id="attachment_8698" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Recharge My Battery founder Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
"I started to learn about all types of batteries, and how chemicals cause pollution when they end up in landfills, poisoning groundwater and damaging the ecosystem. I realised that our entire world is powered by batteries, and they are only going to be more widely used. I founded Recycle My Battery to address this," says the pint-sized TEDx speaker, environmentalist, eco-hero and Point of Light honouree.
His large, observant bespectacled eyes light up at the mention of science and sustainability. The winner of the NJ Governor’s Award and the Jefferson Award for his work, Nihal has a sensibility that defies his years.
The method to the research
The Woodrow Wilson student, Nihal researched on how to prevent batteries ending up in landfills, and it was a huge turning point that has been the guiding light that is slowly creating a change. "I started RMB to reduce the 15 billion batteries that are carelessly thrown away each year to zero. We have an amazing team of over 150 kids, and have achieved so much in the two years thanks to my team! We have recycled over 145,000 used batteries so far, and educated over an estimated one million people." Now, Nihal hopes to reach India with his campaign.
[caption id="attachment_8700" align="aligncenter" width="837"] Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
Always thinking ahead, partnering with Call2Recycle and Best Brains helped spread RMB’s wings across the US. Call2Recycle offered free battery bins while Best Brains helped right from initiation, advising on where to place battery bins in over 150 locations. Today, 145,000 used batteries have been recycled and the team has educated an estimated one million people on battery disposal, etc.
The 2009 March-born student has been STEM-inclined since he was a toddler, and thus math and science were his favourite subjects.
Infact, Nihal already had dreams of becoming a successful entrepreneur even though his parents were concerned that he was too young to start an organisation. He started it, anyway. At age 10, news of fires and lithium-ion batteries put him well and truly on this path. His younger sister is in awe while his parents who work in IT, and are extremely encouraging, especially his father, "He kept motivating me towards my dreams. Without him, I wouldn't have started my organisation!" says Nihal. Nihal loves speaking to his grandparents in Vijaywada, India, and often regales them with his stellar achievements.
From recycle to spreading awareness
The TedX speaker admits sheepishly to being extremely nervous on the podium, and it took two months of practice to prepare for his TedX speech. The Eco-Hero awardee is a 12-year-old who has only just begun tackling world problems. With the help of more than a 145 strong childrens’ team, today RMB has placed more than 250 battery bins across the US. "We have also won 15 plus national and international awards," chirps Nihal.
The PEYA Award is what Nihal cherishes the most, One in a Million Award, NJDEP Recycling Award, Citizens Award, Nihal is thankful for the acclaim and attributes it to team effort, and the partners who supported his dream.
If STEM subjects bring a glint to Nihal's eyes, he is also a proficient artist, and has won national awards for his distinctive drawings, one of which is shared below. "I have loved art and drawing since I was little. It was super creative and fun to draw, and impress everyone. I drew frenetically just to pass time - 100s of drawing, and I have gotten many awards," says the achiever who seems earnest and adult in demeanour.
The boy who has received appreciation from New Jersey state senators Bob Menendez, Sam Thompson, Patrick Diegnan and Vin Gopal, and Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey, exudes a wisdom beyond his years, and is grateful for their support which has furthered RMB.
As other children were gaming or playing tag, Nihal went CEO hunting to ask for support. That came in the form of kudos from Kevin Kassekert, COO of Redwood Materials, among many others.
Experience and impact has already given Tammana the depth to charter new paths in his life. His research-minded proclivity takes him forward, "I tend to do research to learn more about the environment, waste management, and recycling! When I see the battery bin is full, I feel very proud that people are using the bins that we place," says Nihal who still has ample amount of schoolwork to do, his first priority. After that comes RMB work, and of course, research.
[caption id="attachment_8702" align="aligncenter" width="772"] Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
Busy increasing RMB's influence across the US, the 12-year-old was also hired to research on waste management by an Indian firm. "I was recently hired as the youngest research lead at the Delhi-based EnviroVigyan (started by a professor and some PhDs). I want to do more research to learn more about waste management now," he adds. He also blogs for them.
Higher goals, ahoy
Egged on in no small measure by parents in IT, Nihal now has a clear goal in mind - of studying at an Ivy League like Stanford, and learn about environmental science, business development, science, space science and math.
For budding STEM students, his advice is, "Always go after your dreams and never give up! Failure leads to success!"
Having the right mentors opened a whole world of learning and opportunities, and Nihal is grateful for the guidance of Professor Dr Madigosky, Call2Recycle ex-CEO Carl Smith and his dad who "has guided and supported me throughout my journey to bring down the 15 billion batteries thrown away each year to 0!" he smiles.
It's not all work and no play, with doodling giving him the space to rejuvenate, playing and developing video games adding some fun, yet on any given day, reading and researching touts all else.
[caption id="attachment_8696" align="aligncenter" width="541"] A doodle by Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
"I practice martial arts, and recently got my black belt in Taekwondo. I love to learn about space. My dream is to become a space scientist. I hope to learn lessons from space to help us improve life on Earth," says the boy who has his own YouTube channel Learn with Nihal, where he educates through videos.
"In my spare time I draw and have also won some national awards for my work. I like to develop and play games on Roblox with my friends," smiles the boy who recently came third at a school geography competition, the GeoBee.
The world is his oyster, and Nihal is already thinking ahead, about how alkaline batteries help grow corn (which even the author did not know), and, a hopeful wish, "I want to start another company that can develop clean batteries in the years to come."
(December 20, 2023) She was all of 14 when Ohio-born Maanasa Mendu made it to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, making her the youngest person ever to achieve the feat. But behind this recognition was an invention that could be a potential answer to the global energy crisis. The same innovation won her the grand prize in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and $25,000. It all began when she first visited her grandparents in rural India for her summer break, and witnessed persistent blackouts. Seeing children huddled over a single kerosene lamp made her sit up and take notice of the grave issue at hand, and decided to make a difference. That's when she designed Harvest – an energy harvesting device that combines piezoelectric effect that harvests energy from sun, wind and precipitation. [caption id="attachment_34746" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Maanasa Mendu[/caption] The trip to India played an pivotal role in helping her search for answers. Upon her research, she spent hours at length digging deep into information and found that 88 percent of the energy supply comes from non-renewable sources, which are not only harmful to the environment but also depleting. A renewable source was the answer. However, its
ation and found that 88 percent of the energy supply comes from non-renewable sources, which are not only harmful to the environment but also depleting. A renewable source was the answer. However, its high cost played a spoiler. That's when Maanasa decided to design an "inexpensive and potentially globally application energy solution."
"Imagine a place where life ends after dark, where there are no electric lights for school work or refrigeration for perishables. This is not part of some dystopian society – it’s a part of our world today. Over 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity," Maanasa said in TedX talk.
When she was 11 years old, she learned about something called the piezoelectric effect, which is when certain materials create electricity when pressure is applied. She discovered this while reading about a railway station in Japan with floors that produce electricity from people walking on them. This got her excited about finding a renewable energy solution.
After a year of researching and reading, she got the idea for a device shaped like a leaf that could harness energy from the wind and rain. The inspiration came to her while watching tree branches sway during a storm. These branches looked like piezoelectric materials to her—tiny devices that generate power through vibration. This motivated her to start working on her first design.
Initially, she wanted to focus only on using the wind for power, but she ended up creating a prototype that can harness energy from both the sun and the wind, as well as the vibrations from raindrops. Her device has three solar "leaves" that act like solar panels but also move with the wind and rain. She built the prototype using recycled materials for only $5. Her design won her the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.
"The issue with the energy crisis lies not in the fact that we lack ideas or solutions to solve it, but rather in the fact that we are unable to get these solutions to the people who need it the most,” said Maanasa.
When she started designing the device, she was only thinking about using the wind for energy, especially in cities where traditional wind turbines don't work well. However, as she worked on it, she realized that there are other sources of untapped energy around us, like the sun and rain. She thought, "If my device only depends on one specific thing, the amount of power it produces might change throughout the day. But if it depends on multiple things, like how sunny it is, how fast the wind is blowing, and whether it's raining, all these factors together could make a more steady source of power with more energy."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEDvTJT5o7Q
Maanasa reveals that Harvest can power a 15watt LED bulb after three hours of charging. It took her three years to come up with Harvest, that has the potential to be the answer to the global energy crisis, and she says that it was curiosity that led her to the solution. Currently studying Neuroscience and Global Health and Health Policy at Harvard College, Maanasa is an aspiring physician and public health researcher. Apart from developing a renewable energy device to address energy poverty, she is also identifying video-based biomarkers for delirium, exploring heart-brain neural circuits in zebrafish, and studying cancer incidence among people with HIV in Botswana.
(May 23, 2023) While people her age were busy making trending reels on TikTok, a young teenager from Illinois was busy getting inspired for her next project on the platform. A student of University High School in Normal, Sirihaasa Nallamothu's spirit was ignited by a serendipitous encounter with a TikTok video. She then embarked on a profound journey to research about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) - which is a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue - and its elusive association with syncope prediction, including when the patients might faint or blackout. After several weeks of research and study, the Global Indian was able to make a breakthrough, winning the prestigious Cutler-Bell Prize in High School Computing, which empowers students to pursue computing challenges beyond the traditional classroom environment. Sirihaasa, who has also received a cash prize of $10,000 for her project, is the first person to undertake such a groundbreaking initiative, which in her words, "propelled her into uncharted territory by amassing invaluable human subject field data from individuals afflicted by POTS." But, that's not all that the young student
" rel="noopener">Cutler-Bell Prize in High School Computing, which empowers students to pursue computing challenges beyond the traditional classroom environment. Sirihaasa, who has also received a cash prize of $10,000 for her project, is the first person to undertake such a groundbreaking initiative, which in her words, "propelled her into uncharted territory by amassing invaluable human subject field data from individuals afflicted by POTS."
But, that's not all that the young student has achieved. Sirihaasa also founded Girls Who Code and Dream Coders clubs at her Middle school, for the other young girls who wanted to have a career in the software industry. Fueled by an unwavering passion for coding, she embarked on a transformative journey, not only as a dedicated instructor but as a visionary architect of a comprehensive coding curriculum that propelled her peers into the realm of technological prowess.
A science prodigy
Born to Telugu immigrants from Andhra Pradesh, Sirihaasa has always been the top student in her class. While she was always inspired by her software engineer parents, it was a school friend, who first introduced the young student to computer science and she was immediately enthralled by the subject. However, a disheartening reality came into focus for a young visionary, making her aware of the major lack of support for girls who wanted to learn to code.
Thank you @NCWITAIC and @BankofAmerica for an amazing award weekend. I’m so honored to have received the national award and represent the @IllinoisCS NCWIT chapter. I’m grateful to have met so many inspiring people! A truly awesome community of women in #tech! pic.twitter.com/4A06Scthbe
Not the one to give up, Sirihaasa embarked on a remarkable journey, delving deep into the intricacies of coding languages and processes. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python became her companions as she honed her skills, unveiling the boundless potential that lay within her. The young student realised the urgent need to create a programme that would empower young girls in their middle school years, inviting them to explore all facets of computer science. Teaming up with her local library, the student started a groundbreaking computer science programme.
Through the sheer force of her passion, the student undertook the role of a mentor extraordinaire, guiding her eager students along the winding path of coding. Drawing inspiration from the world around her, she orchestrated captivating coding classes, serving as a beacon of knowledge, and illuminating the minds of these young girls. But her impact extended far beyond the confines of the classroom. Interestingly, her programme didn't just impact the other girls, but also their parents, who joined her classes eventually.
The Dream Code Project
In 2021, Sirihaasa started another programming course - the Dream Code Project - teaching girls in grades 5-11 across the country Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Java. Aiming to simplify complicated programming languages into easy-to-understand simple lessons, the young student met with the participants once a week for around one-and-a-half to two hours. "I encouraged the girls to reach out to me even after the programme session ended," shares the student, adding, "They asked me various computer science questions and code bugs/errors."
Eventually, the student managed to expand the community and impart the invaluable knowledge of coding to more than 250 young girls, fostering an enriching environment that sparks their intellectual growth. The community also organised bonding sessions, where the participants shared their stories, hobbies, interests, and more. Sirihaasa also exposes girls to role models in STEAM through the Sisterhood Spotlight, so they can see trailblazers in STEM. The youngster received the prestigious Get Involved Award for her initiatives in 2021.
Sirihaasa started researching the POTS in 2022, and after doing substantial research was able to write a Python script to extract the 15-minute window signal data of heart rate, blood volumetric pressure, EDA, temperature, and accelerometer data. According to the Cutler-Bell Prize statement, the young student's research, "is providing a starting point for future research into real-time prediction and integration into a smartwatch, which will help millions who experience vasovagal syncope research a safe and comfortable position before fainting." After finishing her project, Sirihaasa plans to work toward creating a consumer product and pairing her algorithm with a smartwatch.
(June 21, 2024) Known as the ‘Cyclone’ for a reason, Puja Tomar has stormed her way to the top of the Indian martial arts circuit. This month, she made history as the first Indian to claim victory at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the United States. Hailing from Budhana village in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar, Puja broke barriers last year by becoming the first Indian woman to secure a contract with the UFC, the prestigious mixed martial arts promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. A former national Wushu (Chinese martial arts) champion, she has showcased her skills in international Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) action-packed competitions like Matrix Fight Night and ONE Championship. On June 8 this month, Puja secured a monumental victory by defeating Brazil's Rayanne Amanda dos Santos, marking India's first-ever win in the UFC. This achievement comes more than a decade after the UFC officially opened its doors to women fighters in 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juh-9k4DjAc Overwhelmed with happiness, Puja burst into tears when her name was announced as the winner. "I want to thank my Lord Jesus Christ. It’s because of Him that I am here," she said, her voice trembling with emotion and tears welling in
happiness, Puja burst into tears when her name was announced as the winner. "I want to thank my Lord Jesus Christ. It’s because of Him that I am here," she said, her voice trembling with emotion and tears welling in her eyes. "I am very excited and want to declare that Indian fighters are not losers. We are going all the way up. We will not stop," she said amidst cheers from the crowd in Louisville, Kentucky.
Persistence in the face of failures
Puja’s journey has not been without its setbacks. After enduring four consecutive losses in the ONE Championship, she competed at the Matrix Fight Night (MFN) in 2021, where she triumphed in four bouts. From there, her position in the Indian martial art circuit started to soar. For her recent championships, she trained at the Soma Fight Club in Bali, Indonesia.
“I have faced judgments about my body, with people saying it resembles a male physique. However, mindsets are gradually shifting as mixed martial arts gains recognition,” she remarked in an interview.
Starting young
Puja began her martial arts journey at the age of 12 after the loss of her father. Growing up with two sisters, she took inspiration from Jackie Chan movies and learned Karate initially to protect them.
However, the rules of Karate were restrictive, and she sought a more physically demanding sport. "I needed something rough and tough, so I chose martial arts," she explained.
During her teenage years, Puja represented India in the World Wushu Championship before turning to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) in 2013, following her victory at the MFN Strawweight Championship.
As far as the techniques of the fights are concerned, she prefers the Heel Hook for grappling and the SideKick for striking her opponents. She immersed herself so deeply in the game that her aggression had started becoming strongly evident, prompting her coaches to work on toning it down over time.
Going the extra mile
From a young age, Puja had always aspired to achieve something extraordinary. "My mother has been my strongest supporter, pushing me to strive for greatness, despite her initial tears seeing me injured when I took up Wushu as a child," Puja shared.
She dedicated her recent UFC victory to her mother, acknowledging, "My mother fought against all odds to help me reach where I am today."
Recognised as one of the top female fighters in the Indian circuit, Puja Tomar received a hero’s welcome upon returning to India and during her visit to her village, Budhana in Uttar Pradesh.
Reflecting on her recent triumph minutes after the win she remarked, "Walking into the championship arena with the Indian flag just before the tournament, filled me with immense pride and gave me goosebumps. Walking with the Indian flag felt like a bigger moment than the win itself."
(August 23, 2024) "Resilience is the only way to survive your changemaker journey," says Vidhi Yadav, founder, Beyond the Bounds. "You're going to feel that things aren't working - take a break but don't give up. They will question you, they will question your age, ability, gender and your qualifications. But you just keep going. It's okay to not be okay but don't give up." Her organisation has had over 1000 volunteers since it was founded in 2019, and impacted many more across India, Malaysia and Australia, where she currently lives. Through workshops, awareness programmes and events, Beyond The Bounds address mental health for Gen Z. In 2022, a World Health Organisation study estimated that one in eight people around the globe suffers from a mental disorder. Indians between the ages of 15 and 24 have the highest suicide rate in India, more or less in keeping with the international rates for the same age group. In India, that accounts for 35 percent of recorded suicides. It propelled Vidhi Yadav to address the problem and found Beyond The Bounds, an organisation that provides advice on mental health and well-being to the increasingly stressed out Gen Z. "I'm a shy person,"
"I'm a shy person," Vidhi says. It's surprising to hear, all things considered - she's active in the advocacy scene and the cause she supports through BTB involves interaction and communication by default. "I was very quiet growing up, quite a nerd, actually. I would go to school, come back home and study. My aunt noticed that I was shy, that I had a point of view but wouldn't speak up. After that, my teachers nurtured me, and I was put into public speaking events, until I went on to win an election and become school captain." In an interview with Global Indian, she recalls her nervousness in those days, every time she was due on stage. "Over time, I learned how to hide my nervousness. I struggled but once I learned, I became unstoppable."
[caption id="attachment_29579" align="aligncenter" width="562"] Vidhi Yadav, founder, Beyond The Bounds[/caption]
Getting past schoolyard bullies
In tenth grade, she encountered her first big pitfall - and this one would transform her life. As board exams approached, she struggled to juggle school work with extra-curricular activities. Her family was always supportive, as were her friends, but still, the anxiety was overwhelming. "My grades slipped, and that was a terrible thing to happen because my school was academically rigorous. I also put on a lot of weight because i was neglecting my mind and body, so I faced body shaming too."
It was a culture of toxicity that had pervaded into daily life. Nobody questioned the rampant bullying, the bullies couldn't see the harm they were causing and the victims had nowhere to turn. Vidhi recalls an old classmate, who had just moved back to India from the US after his father lost his job. "He had clinical depression and was on therapy and medication. He was bullied so much, people refused to help him and made fun of his accent." Although the school had a counsellor, there was no conversation around bullying, or mental health.
In 2018, Vidhi graduated with top grades, earning herself a place at the prestigious D.G. Ruparel College of Arts, Science and Commerce, one of Mumbai's most critically acclaimed colleges. A year later, in 2019 she began building Beyond The Bounds, holding the organisation's first event that June. "I decided it was time to stop overthinking my problems and to think of others instead. What about all those who didn't have support from school or at home? There aren't many organisations that focus on youth mental health and there are so many myths surrounding the matter."
Building BTB
After conversations with counsellors in her college, her Psychology teachers and other mental health organisations, she decided on an advocacy programme. "I was rejected from 50 places," Vidhi says. "I still remember that number. She was told she was too young, and not qualified enough. "Focus on your studies," she was told, dismissively. Vidhi even heard things like, "You're too smart and too pretty to do this kind of work." Finally, it was her Psychology teacher who came to her aid, connecting her with a counsellor who agreed to help.
As she did her research, Vidhi realized that Gen Z needed help. People weren't able to find the right support, and were cowed down by societal, relationship and family pressures." Those who dared to speak up were quickly dissuaded from talking about it. Conversations were slowly starting up on social media, but these were very nascent.
Vidhi began by reaching out to her peers, asking them to volunteer. There, the idea was very well-received. Students looking to enhance their CVs took to the cause, its uniqueness appealed to them. So, every day after class, BTB members would reach out to schools in Mumbai - it often meant visiting them in person. They requested permission to conduct workshops and seminars. "Those are formative years, when the personality develops. That's where we wanted to extend our efforts," Vidhi explains. Schools were on board with this, asking Vidhi's team to conduct workshops on how to manage stress and anxiety for students gearing up for tough competitive exams.
Mental health during the pandemic
A year later, the pandemic hit and the lockdown was imposed. That year transformed society and people suddenly understood the importance of mental health. It was around the time they received their first round of funding from Kids Rights, an organisation in the Netherlands. “We used the funding to expand our online reach, build a website and use technology to conduct our workshops online,” she says.
Life wasn’t easy but tech-savvy urban kids had it easier, Vidhi believed. What had become of India’s villages, and the children who lived there? She wanted to explore rural India, and approached another youth organisation, Global Changemakers, asking them to fund an offline programme. That led to the launch of BTB's Rural India Programme, in November 2020. Three members went to rural Haryana, to conduct a series of workshops there, tiptoeing past Covid-19 restrictions. The first camp was for kids who were due to appear for board exams. The second camp was on self-reliance during the pandemic and was held for women. The third workshop was for men, many of whom had lost their jobs in the heavily agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana.
The experience taught her a valuable lesson. If she had pictured a society weakened by circumstance, she found the opposite. "People told me, the pandemic doesn't matter. There will always be hardships in life, so you need to be resilient. And you need a family who will support you. These people had a lot to be stressed about but they were content." These people living quietly in the rural hinterlands understood that life is full of ups and downs, that our ability to deal with it matters most of all. "My grandmother would always tell me that to some people, an idol meant a piece of art. To others, it was about faith. I understood her words after I spent time in these village communities."
Expanding abroad
As restrictions eased, Vidhi, who was doing her master’s course online through Curtin University, already found there was no mental health club on campus, or in any university in Australia, for that matter. In fact, there wasn’t a single one on any university campus. She started a BTB chapter in Malaysia, where she moved in 2022, to study at their Curtin University campus. "I spent time with advisors, teammates and learned a lot about Malaysian culture through that experience," she says. When she eventually got to Australia, she began BTB’s operations there too. Her efforts earned her a Curtin Extra Recognition, a very select campus award.
"Our aim is to bridge the gap between students and counselling services," Vidhi says. "And we want to do this through unconventional events." This includes a pet therapy session in Malaysia, where they collaborated with an animal shelter and allowed participants to adopt an animal with which they felt a connection. Art therapy, with activities like mindful drawing and painting are also right up their alley. "We try to keep it light-hearted because our academics can be very heavy," she says.
With over 1000 volunteers so far, BTB has also released a self-help guide, which they released online as a resource to UNHCR. "A student from Kenya reached out to me through Kids Rights and we made the guide accessible to UNHCR and students living in refugee camps in Kenya," she says. In Indonesia, they did awareness workshops on the negative effects that social media can have on mental health. Vidhi was also chosen to present her work at Act2Impact, an initiative by Harvard University.
Vidhi’s takeaways for young changemakers:
"Don't start a cause just because you're a wannabe founder," Vidhi says. "Only do it if you really believe in it.
Resilience, she believes, is the only way to survive the changemaking journey. People will question your age, ability, gender and qualifications. But you just keep going.
Understand the meaning of leadership - it's not about dictating. If you can address a problem and solve it as part of a community, you're a leader.
"I'm not a work-life balance person," Vidhi admits. "But it's okay to take breaks. After I moved away from home, I learned how important it is to take care of one's mental and physical health."
Finally, she remembers her grandmothers' words of wisdom through the years. "Always respect people around you. Show courage and kindness, even to those who don't respect you."
Recharge My Battery founder Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
A doodle by Sri Nihal Tammana[/caption]
Puja Tomar[/caption]
Puja Tomar[/caption]
Vidhi Yadav, founder, 
