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.
(July 14, 2023) "I was over the moon," says Joy Agrawal, the teenager who found himself on the Diana Award 2023 winners list. The 17-year-old from Nagpur is making a difference with Project Gyan, an initiative that was birthed in 2020 to help impart practical STEM education to underprivileged kids. Three years in, the changemaker is keen to revolutionise the world through space technology, global education, and global studies. "More than validation, Diana Award is a motivation for me. What we do is different and amazing, and I strive to find solutions through space technology, engineering, and policy," Joy tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_31874" align="aligncenter" width="562"] Joy Agrawal is the founder of Project Gyan[/caption] Project Gyan - that changed it all Project Gyan seeks to mentor students in STEM and help them develop curiosity and long-lasting interest in asking the big questions. Joy was all of 13 when he had an epiphany while sitting for the Homi Bhaba exam in 2019 - the underprivileged students have no access to practical labs. A thought that kept him awake for weeks. He understood his privilege of having access to all the resources, while the disadvantaged had no money to even order science
f 13 when he had an epiphany while sitting for the Homi Bhaba exam in 2019 - the underprivileged students have no access to practical labs. A thought that kept him awake for weeks. He understood his privilege of having access to all the resources, while the disadvantaged had no money to even order science kits. This problem found a solution in Project Gyan. "It's an effort to help quality STEM education reach the young minds through practical and application-based education, focusing on the underprivileged children," adds the changemaker.
But in the last year, Project Gyan underwent restructuring, making it the world's first decentralised STEM and entrepreneurship exploratory. "It's like a lab where you can go explore anything and everything," reveals Joy, for whom explorative education is the focus. He partnered with Padma Shri Dr Prakash Amte's Lok Biradri Prakalp and Bridge The Gap Foundation to help educate rural and tribal kids through workshops and unconventional experiments. "We have a different perspective on experimentation. We mostly use things that are available in the kitchen, making it easier for kids to understand things. We don't just focus on Chemistry but the Physics behind the experiment."
Along with STEM education, Project Gyan has expanded its mission to entrepreneurship by exposing the elderly in rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to practical entrepreneurial education and converting them into nano-entrepreneurs. Project Gyan is currently working with the Bharia tribe from Madhya Pradesh which still uses a barter system to make ends meet. "Since they are poor and don't use any currency, they log wood from the valley of Patalkot, thus negatively impacting the environment. So we intervened and now teach them sellable skills like painting, pottery, clay art, and candle making, thus helping them make products and sell them," adds the changemaker.
In partnership with Patalkot Tribal Community Welfare Organisation and Serendipity Lakes and Resorts in Tamia, Madhya Pradesh, Project Gyan is helping the women of Dhundi Shekhar, a village in Tamia, to make Kulhad Battis (candles in small pots), aiming to equip them with skills necessary to create and sell these candles. "The final products are sent to the Serendipity Lakes and Resorts where they are put on display for the visitors, who eventually end up buying the products, thus helping these women earn a livelihood," reveals Joy, adding that according to the 2011 National Innovation Report over one lakh, unique inventions were made by tribals across India, something that's still not known to the public. "I understood that rural and tribal people are jugaadu (make shifter) in India, and I wanted to empower such people through Project Gyan so that they learn to market and sell their innovations." He credits his core team - Gurleen Batra, Mehak Chokhani, Tanmay Agrawal, Prisha Prasad, Pranjal Prasad and Sonit Sisolekar - for their hardwork and determination in making Project Gyan a success.
Love for space tech
The Bareilly-born is a space tech enthusiast who has always been fascinated by the outer world. However, it was a telescope gifted by his parents that piques his interest. "For a year, I'd sit every day gazing at the stars or looking at the asteroids. But with time, it became less frequent. However, lockdown changed it as the sky was clear again," says the Centre Point School student who discovered two asteroids in 2021 as a part of Spaceport India Asteroid Search Campaign in association with Hardin-Simmons University Texas.
Making an impact through STEM
While the telescope turned out to be a game-changer for him in the world of space, it was a robotics course that made him fall in love with technology. Over the years, this led him to be selected by Peace First, the world's largest incubator for youth-led social change initiatives, for a project grant. "It's a mini-grant for projects along the lines of social change. I won $250 with which I started Project Gyan in 2020." Started during the pandemic, he initially needed no funds as live workshops for the underprivileged kids were happening virtually.
Being the vice president of the Interact Club at his school, Joy came in touch with the Rotary Club and zeroed in on an institution that has many underprivileged kids. "I began with a 1–2-hour class every Saturday wherein I performed experiments and explained concepts. Later, I expanded Project Gyan to four more schools in Nagpur and two tribal schools in Maharashtra," adds the changemaker who provides kits to schools for students to get hands-on experience in science practical. "I love science, and I understand its potential. I want these kids to explore their potential through Project Gyan," says Joy, who is now working with a team that looks into distribution and planning, maintaining the website, social media, and creating videos.
What was earlier a two-month program has now turned into a year-long curriculum, thanks to the overhaul of Project Gyan - which now includes STEM education and entrepreneurship. "We wanted a holistic approach." Having seen his mom always helping people, this feeling of giving back was inculcated in Joy at a very young age. For him, Project Gyan is very personal since it's named after his grandmother. "Another reason I ventured into it was guilt. Seeing others who don't have enough resources eats me up, while we have so many opportunities. I want to bridge that gap."
Joy, who is currently in Class 12, has plans of pursuing a double major in computer science and international relations or public policy from the Ivy Leagues. "Working with the UN is my dream. But at some stage, I would want to launch my start-up in space tech," says the teenager, who calls himself a "changemaker who wants to create an impact through STEM".
At 17, Joy is busy creating social impact, and the teenager advises youngsters to "not follow the herd. Instead, explore your niche. Don't replicate another person's journey. Do your thing and only then you will be able to make a difference."
(July 10, 2022) Many of the Indian classical dance forms have a legacy of over five thousand years. Their emotive power and graceful moves have always managed to mesmerise the audience, not just in India but also abroad. Unfortunately, in the past, these dance forms, and their exponents, went through a period of regression due to the changing socio-political scenarios of the nation. However, over the years many Indian dancers have worked tirelessly to put these forms back on stage. Today, many young Indians are not only training in various Indian classical dances, but also taking it to the international platform, and garnering much-deserved praise for it. Global Indian puts the spotlight on young artists, who are taking Indian classical dances to new heights. Remona Evette Pereira She was only three years old when Remona Evette Pereira's mother first took her to a Bharatanatyam class. Although she wasn't sure if her daughter would enjoy it, Ramona fell in love with the sound of ghungroos quite instantly. Such was her passion that Ramona went on to learn several other classical, semi-classical, and western dance forms - including Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Yakshagana. [caption id="attachment_19110" align="aligncenter" width="608"] Remona Evette Pereira, Bharatanatyam dancer[/caption] In
In the last thirteen years, Ramona has done countless stage shows and bagged hundreds of trophies and mementos in innumerable competitions. The Mangaluru resident recently won the coveted Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022 for her outstanding contributions in the field of art and culture. While giving her the award, during a virtual session, PM Modi said that young people like Ramona are the way forward for the country. During her interaction with the Prime Minister, Ramona shared that she owed a lot to her mother and family.
Currently pursuing her first year of pre-university studies at Nanthoor Padua PU College, Ramona is training under eminent classical dancer and guru, Shrividya Muralidhar. The youngster, who comes from an economically weaker family, wants to keep performing on national and international stages and spread the richness of Indian classical art.
Shrinika Purohit
Soon after the eminent Odissi exponent Minati Mishra finished her performance during the 2013 Odissi International to thunderous applause, the stage was taken over by a three-year-old. A beautifully-dressed Shrinika Purohit, mesmerised the audience, receiving a standing ovation. After Shrinika's performance, Minati Mishra exclaimed that the child was "God’s gift to Odissi."
Today, 10-year-old Bengaluru-based Shrinika has performed on various prestigious stages, including the India International Dance Festival and International Odissi Festival organized by eminent journalist and art critic Shyamahari Chakra. Not just in India, the young danseuse has done several shows in Singapore, Japan, and the USA, where she is more popularly known as the "wonder kid of Odissi". Although she wants to continue dancing and perform on various other stages, the young kid aspires to become a scientist when she grows up.
She’s fifteen and already making headlines. Vriti Gujral, an eighth-grader from New Delhi, is a Kathak dancer, who has won the hearts of many maestros. Although her journey as a dancer started when she was only six, it took a major turn in 2016, during the auditions for World Cultural Festival. Over 37,000 artists performed in Delhi during this festival, however, it was Vriti who grabbed the attention of Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj. She was invited to give a solo performance at the Vasantosav festival. Many great maestros of the Kathak fraternity noticed Vriti's seven-minute-long solo performance and the young dancer was later asked to perform on several national and international stages.
Her perfection of mudras and facial expressions earned Vriti a scholarship from the Centre of Cultural Resource and Training (CCRT), India. In 2020, the youngster received the Global Child Prodigy Award, for her exceptional dancing talent in Kathak. Dreaming of becoming a professional dancer, just like her idol Pt. Birju Maharaj, Vriti wants to take Kathak to a level where today's generation can not only enjoy it but also aspire for it.
In an industry dominated by women, Gaurav Bhatti is an emerging Kathak artist, who recently won the first Dr. Sunil Kothari Award for his graceful dancing style. A kathak dancer with the Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company - The Drishtikon Foundation, Gaurav's tryst with dancing started as a teenager. However, for several years, the Punjab born artist couldn't share his aspirations to become a professional dancer with his family.
Encouraged by his parents to pursue a career in science, Gaurav took up a course in visible arts in Canada. It was here that he started training under Saveeta Sharma in Ottawa, and later with gurus Lata Bakalkar in Mumbai and Aditi Mangaldas in Delhi. While he has given several stage performances, Gaurav aspires to keep innovating and discovering new methods of expression in kathak.
(March 17, 2024) In the scenic mountains of Himachal Pradesh is a river valley - Kangra - home to warm Himachali people who cherish their language and customs. The beautiful language extends its influence to Northern Punjab - where Delhi teen Navvye Anand has his familial roots. Though his family settled in Delhi, his connection to his culture and heritage remains strong through the Kangri language. Upon discovering that Kangri language was among UNESCO's list of 10 endangered languages, he felt called to take action. "I started to look for ways to revitalise the language, and focused primarily on leveraging the oral medium. Recognising the dearth of written literature in Kangri, I turned to ASR (Automated Speech Recognition) - which converts human speech into written text," he tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_36635" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Navvye Anand[/caption] Traditionally, linguistics would spend hours engaging with local people to manually transcribe oral traditions, often encountering bottlenecks due to the enormous amount of time and effort required, along with scope for human error. "ASR can be used to streamline the transcription process. Recent advancements in AI made it possible to use ASR at a much higher level than before," adds Navvye, whose project, Cross-Lingual
ttlenecks due to the enormous amount of time and effort required, along with scope for human error. "ASR can be used to streamline the transcription process. Recent advancements in AI made it possible to use ASR at a much higher level than before," adds Navvye, whose project, Cross-Lingual Automatic Speech Recognition for Endangered Languages won him The Spirit of Ramanujan Grant, worth $4800. Each year, the University of Virginia and the Templeton World Charity Organization jointly award a grant to high school students who demonstrate exceptional talent in mathematics and science.
With the grant, Navvye attended the Wolfram High School Summer Program in the US. "I learnt from Dr Steven Wolfram, who is a pioneering computer scientist and a linguist, and I had the opportunity to refine my linguistic abilities and learn more about linguistics," says the teen, who also attended Euler Circle Program on number theory. "I used the grant to support my education."
Love for words and languages
Growing up with a grandfather who was a polyglot fluent in seven languages, Navvye was attracted to words and languages like a moth to flame. "My love for languages is inherited, it played a crucial role in my upbringing," says the teen, adding, "We bonded over our common love for language, and every time I found a new Pandora's box in an unknown language, I'd walk up to him and discuss. I loved talking about languages with him. We'd often fixate upon certain peculiarities of a language - such as resemblance between shakkar (jaggery) - an Urdu word and sugar in English. My love for linguistics was innately embedded in me."
After his grandfather passed away in 2022, Navvye decided to pay him homage by working towards revitalising a dialect of his native language. Moreover, his visit to the Kangra Valley region in 2018 made him fall in love with the warmth of the people. "They always had some folklore or a story to tell and were proud of their culture and heritage. I thought it was paradoxical that Kangri was an endangered language because these people love their culture and heritage. I thought if I could unite their love with advancements in AI, then that would be a great project to start," he reveals.
Using AI to preserve Kangri
This led him to read papers from past researchers who had used ASR for other languages. One particularly intriguing study was by Emily Prud'hommeaux, an assistant professor at Boston College, who attempted to revitalise Seneca - an endangered language in the US. "Her research papers helped me understand the methodology and how researchers use ASR." Later, he reached out to Dr Shweta Chauhan, a researcher at the National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, who had curated a text corpus for the Kangri language. "She invited me to intern at her lab, and ever since she has been an invaluable mentor."
The innovation in ASR allows linguists to record conversations in their natural environment and to capture their essence without manually digitising any oral medium. Explaining the process, Navvye elaborates that a regular mic can be fed into the ASR model which helps give an accurate transcription. The audio is being converted into text via ASR. "Currently, the accuracy stands at 85 percent, and over time, my aim is to gather additional data and enhance the system to achieve a target accuracy of 95 percent." The project operates on two fronts - one, where Navvye personally collects data by recording conversations using ASR, and second, where he connects with local translators who send audio transcriptions to him using ASR. "This allows me to build a robust audio repertoire. Additionally, I'm partnering with the Indian government through their Bhashini program, leveraging their resources to collect more Kangri data. I'm looking forward to expanding the audio repertoire as it will provide vast dataset to further fine-tune the model with improved accuracy."
When Navvye started he was only 15, but his passion to translate his dream into reality kept him going along with the support of his parents and the people of Kangra. However, along the way he encountered some technical hiccups in his journey, primarily related to data collection, cleaning, model selection and fine-tuning. "After experimenting with other models, I settled for Open AI's Whisper, which is the state-of-the-art speech recognition model. It is difficult to bring a simple idea to fruition but when the cause is noble, people will support you," he adds.
In the last two years, Navvye's work has empowered various translators by connecting them to MNCs operating in the Kangri domain. "I've helped a couple of translators gather the requisite information to contact Lenovo, created their LinkedIn profile, and filled out technical documents for them," says Navvye, who is also creating awareness about the importance of the Kangri language among school children. Ask him the potential reason behind Kangri being an endangered language, he promptly replies, "More people are now speaking Hindi as compared to Kangri as they are dissuaded from speaking their native dialect due to globalisation. It's not considered cool enough - something we need to counter," says the teen.
Proud to be preserving his ancestor's fading language, Navvye says the fruit of labour has been immense but the job isn't finished yet. "There is a long way to go but I'm happy with the way it's been going. I'm honoured to join the efforts to the preservation of my language which is a rich amalgamation of history and discourse," adds Navvye. As he plans to join the California Institute of Technology this fall, he wants to stay committed to the project, confident in his ability to utilise the power of technology to further work towards the project remotely. "I will have a proper support system to enhance my knowledge. I already have a new idea about classifying dialects using embeddings which can help clusters different dialects and identify them," reveals Navvye, adding that it can be used as a model for other languages.
Imparting advice to fellow teenagers, Navvye asks them to stop being afraid of taking the leap of faith. "Being afraid of failure is a sign of failure itself," he says, adding, "Don't worry if it will work out or not, you will find your way. In case, it doesn't work out, you will learn something new in the process. Maybe you can tweak it so that it works better in the future."
(January 4, 2024) At 24, Arya Giri showcased her work at the New York Fashion Week 2022, achieving what countless designers dream their whole lives of doing. What’s more, this was a mere 10 months after she had launched her own, eponymous brand. The child who once sat admiring her mother’s Kanchivarams is now taking giant strides in the fashion world, buoyed by her own global upbringing and her royal lineage. Arya Giri sits down with Global Indian to recount her journey into global couture. [caption id="attachment_35006" align="aligncenter" width="367"] Arya Giri[/caption] A childhood passion Seven-year-old Arya sat close beside her mother as she showed her latest handloom Kanchivarams to her dear friend, Meena. Arya sat eagerly, eyes darting to take in every detail, enamoured by the sun’s beaming reflection off the glistening, pure gold zari. She scuttled across the warm Singapore house, hopped over steps of a polished wooden staircase, leaving a sudden silence in her wake. Her mother and the friend sipped on their chai and waited, sure of what she had planned this time. A moment later, Arya rushed back inside with a heap of 7 x 7 in glossy Origami papers, much to her mother’s amusement. Arya
hopped over steps of a polished wooden staircase, leaving a sudden silence in her wake. Her mother and the friend sipped on their chai and waited, sure of what she had planned this time. A moment later, Arya rushed back inside with a heap of 7 x 7 in glossy Origami papers, much to her mother’s amusement. Arya sat next to Meena Aunty and began. “See this, Aunty. It’s a parrot green body with purple designs and I know this sari will look so pretty on you!” and Meena Aunty played along. “Hmm yes baby, this is beautiful, but do you have anything in pink?”
This game was a common occurrence for Arya’s mom and her clients. “I suppose you could say that’s where Arya Giri was born,” Arya Giri says. Arya’s story is one constructed across numerous longitudes and latitudes, Missouri, California, Singapore, Chennai, and more. Having moved around so much through her formative years, Arya's understanding of her cultural roots and identity came to her through fashion. She went on to major in Fashion Media and Industries at Lasalle College of the Arts, and started her label, Arya Giri.
Fashion First
She runs Arya Giri (AG), a luxe prêt label that combines playful self-expression and evocative poetry with powerful emotional links. By incorporating narrative into the fabric of AG, they creatively bring disruptive hand-embroidery to the forefront. AG debuted at New York Fashion Week SS23 and Paris Fashion Week SS24, and is represented by Evoluzione Chennai and Delhi, Pernia's Pop-Up Shop, Flying Solo New York City and Paris, and AG e-commerce. Bindu Giri, a handloom sari brand is her mother's brand. “The brand's collection of magnificent Kanchipuram sarees online is as one-of-a-kind as it is pure, with authentic handlooms taken from Bindu Giri's royal heritage. Bindu and Arya collaborate closely with weaving communities to handcraft Kanchipuram silk saris that are meticulously handcrafted from start to finish with excellence using original ingredients and processes,” she explains.
[caption id="attachment_35007" align="aligncenter" width="518"] From the Sher-Rani collection by Arya Giri[/caption]
AG's USP is interwoven into a dual-purpose statement, is at the core of the label’s philosophy. First, is to lead the charge in presenting craft in a humorous yet poignant way. The rate at which artisanship is accepted and supported around the world is growing, but it is not keeping up with the rate at which craft communities are contracting, Arya says. “By the end of the next ten years, AG hopes to dispel the myth that good quality always comes at a premium cost and become affordable for the public. The second goal is to support a multicultural community of people who are interested in reflecting on their cultural tangibility.” The AG individual, in Arya’s eyes, is “majestic, inquisitive, and effervescent, who values quality, history, and defying convention,” and the brand intends to enhance everyday items with a touch of high culture.
Fashion Week
Ten months after she launched her label, she was invited to show her collection at the New York Fashion Week. This was her chance to establish India’s fashion footprint internationally, and to “provide a crucial platform for the story of her collection, Sher-Rani, the Tigress Queen.” The collection tells the tale of the phool wali, or flower garland maker, and how she becomes the local Tigress Queen or Sher-Rani by weaving flower garlands together. In a more contemporary interpretation, the Sher Rani shattered the glass ceiling to provide her children with a brighter future. “The combination of strength, grace, dignity and ferocity is what makes Indian women so remarkable,” Arya smiles. And flowers play an important role in every step of an Indian’s life, too, from birth to cremation.
Since then, Arya Giri has started selling merchandise in Paris and given fashion week showcases. They have interesting surprises in store for next year as well as additional ways for the public to engage with their work as part of their expansion plans for the USA.
Admitting that challenges are baked into the journey of a startup and the title of entrepreneurship, she consciously strives to continually remind herself that these are moments for learning and change. “I think maintaining a growth mindset is imperative since the beauty of the job is its dynamism,” she admits. Being an entrepreneur involves a wide range of skills, and Arya has learned on the job, teaching herself everything, from production management and marketing, to expansion strategies.
“It has been a truly humbling and rewarding journey. If I were to share one lesson that comes to mind, I would say it’s the fact that no matter how difficult it can be, feed your creative mind first and then your commercial mind. When you are in the startup headspace, often it can be challenging to straddle the tightrope of saleability vs. experimental creativity. Finding that sweet spot is imperative,” she says. Outside work her stress buster and emotional outlet is dance. “There is so much in the pipeline for AG, BG, and otherwise and I look forward to sharing more with you. You can expect more dynamic collections, more places to find our work, and exciting immersive experiences,” she concludes.
(November 26, 2023) Only two percent of humanitarian aid goes towards education - this was something that Connecticut-based Ishaan Patel found out at the age of 11 after having learnt about her aunt's volunteering to teach impoverished children in Jaipur, India. Getting to know about schools where children were eager to learn but lacked the essential tools, they needed to do their work left Ishaan shocked. "She showed me pictures and told me stories about underfunded schools. The students attended class with no desks, no pencils, and no books. I was amazed and thought about all of the things available in my school. At the private school I attend (Kingswood-Oxford School in West Hartford, Connecticut), lessons are taught on smart boards, and assignments are completed on laptops. When I saw the pictures from India, I wanted to help," the Indian American wrote in Childhood Explorer. This passion for helping children led to the birth of Planting Pencils, a charity that raises money and collects school supplies for underserved and underfunded schools in the US, India, and Africa. [caption id="attachment_25046" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Ishaan Patel launched Planting Pencils[/caption] Growing up in Connecticut, his doctor parents who emigrated from India in their childhood
Growing up in Connecticut, his doctor parents who emigrated from India in their childhood told Ishaan of the hardships they faced in India as children, and always encouraged him to help others. And he found the first window of opportunity, he couldn't help but take a leap of faith. Coming from a privileged background, he understood its meaning and knew that he needed to make an impact. "We are the next generation and I see it as the job of privileged students to help those who are not privileged," he added.
After hearing the stories of children in impoverished schools in India from his aunt, the Global Indian was keen to help. But how was still a big question for him, as he thought he was too young to make a difference? However, a summer in 2015 spent at a leadership conference at Stanford University and a financial camp on Wall Street turned the tide for him and made him understand that he had the power to make a difference despite being young. That's when he began researching and was surprised to find out that more than 700 million adults in the world are illiterate and do not have the skills or awareness to improve the living conditions for themselves or their families.
[caption id="attachment_25047" align="aligncenter" width="714"] Ishaan Patel with his mom who helped him with the launch of Planting Pencils[/caption]
The startling facts nudged the Indian American enough to start Planting Pencils in 2015. He began by designing a website, and creating a permanent collection site at a Staples store in West Hartford to ensure steady donations of pencils, pens, crayons, rulers, used calculators, and computers. His mom helped him to raise funds by setting up donation boxes in different locations and through fundraising events. "ReBoot Computers in my home town agreed to collect and refurbish donated old computers so we can give them to students who cannot afford to buy their new ones. In honor of Read Across America Day on March 2nd, we delivered the charity’s first donations to two non-profit schools in Hartford, Connecticut," said the Indian American.
In just a year, Ishaan's work was recognised by the Milan Cultural Organisation in Hartford, and later, the Syracuse University Graduate Student organisation chose Planting Pencils as the beneficiary for its annual weekend fundraising MBA Olympic games. In a few years, Planting Pencils have helped underprivileged children across the US, India, and Africa by providing them with supplies.
Ishaan, who is currently an undergraduate student researcher at Baylor University, plans to build a school in India sometime where he will provide food and water. "I believe that if students are healthy and comfortable, they will benefit even more from the internet access and computers I plan to provide for them. If we provide food and water in the schools, students wouldn’t have to worry about those needs during school or back home. If people are educated, they’ll be able to be self-sufficient," he added. The Indian American believes that the Chinese proverb "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day but teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime" illustrates that education is a priceless commodity, and gives one the power to change one's destiny. "I believe that we can make a difference - one pencil, one book, one child at a time."
From the 
Ishaan Patel launched Planting Pencils[/caption]
Ishaan Patel with his mom who helped him with the launch of Planting Pencils[/caption]
Ishaan Patel[/caption]