Indian-origin Laiba Basit sets Guinness record as the youngest female author to publish book series
Written by: Darshana Ramdev
(November 28, 2022) Laiba Abdul Basit remembers the very first book she ever read. “It was 101 Stories for Girls,” she tells me. A prolific reader by the time she began school, the now eleven-year-old Laiba Abdul Basit entered the Guinness World Records in 2022, as the youngest female author to publish a book series in English, having brought out her second book at the age of 10 years and 164 days. The author of the Order of the Galaxy trilogy, Laiba broke the record held by Saudi Arabian author Ritaj Hussain Alhazmi, who was 12 years old when she published her series.
Laiba is a girl of few words, pausing to write in her book from time to time as she speaks with Global Indian. She appears stoic even about her Guinness achievement, admitting later, “I don’t know if I like being famous, really. I’m scared of cameras.” The family was away on a trip in Calicut when they received the news. – “We went back home, to my father’s ancestral home in Kerala and everyone was so happy. It was a very joyous night.” Media attention was plentiful, thanks in part to Laiba’s grandfather, who worked as a journalist in Qatar and talked about his granddaughter online.
Laiba Abdul Basit, Guinness World Record holder
A born wordsmith
Born in Kerala, Laiba grew up in Doha, Qatar, where her father, Abdul Basit, works in the oil sector and her mother, Thasneem Mohammed, runs a business. “I started writing through reading,” she says. “My mother taught me the alphabet and how to read before I joined school.” She’s still a prolific reader, listing Enid Blyton, JK Rowling and Roald Dahl as her favourite authors. Her grandfathers, KM Abdur Raheem and Mohammed Parakkadavu were cultural and social activists in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
By the time she was in the first grade, she began writing herself, scribbling short stories, ideas and phrases in a notebook, and even on pieces of paper that she stuck to the walls of her house. “I was in first or second grade when I decided to write my own stories,” Laiba says. “I showed my teacher some of the short stories and she told my parents about it. After that, my parents started taking an interest.”
Penning her success
When the first lockdown was imposed in 2020, Laiba switched to typing instead and finished her first book, ‘The War for the Stolen Boy’. It took her about a year and a half to write. The series tells the story of four siblings who go out on intergalactic adventures. “I was inspired by writers like Morgan Rice and JK Rowling to do my own thing,” Laiba remarks. “I had also developed an interest in astronomy at that time. Since I didn’t know much about space, I thought I would go with fantasy.
When The War for the Stolen Boy was complete, Laiba and her father approached a university press in Doha. Unfortunately, the publishing process had slowed down due to the pandemic. “I found out about Kindle direct publishing and three hours later, the book was ready.” The second book was taken up by Dr Sabrina Lei, Director of the Rome-based Tawasul Europe Centre for Research and Dialogue. “It took me about six months to write. I remember finishing it at 4 am and rushing to wake my father to tell him. He thought he was having a dream,” she laughs. The third book in the series, The Book of Legends, was published by Lipi Publications.
Looking ahead
Laiba was recognized by the Indian Embassy in Doha
The Guinness World Record holder is already working on her fourth book, an epistolic novel about two friends who live sixteen hours from each other. The story is told entirely through their letters and she is looking for international publishers. All this is made possible by her parents, who have been extremely supportive of their daughter. “They deal with all the documentation and everything required for publishing. They help me edit my novel as well,” Laiba says.
In her free time, she enjoys roller skating, these days inside the apartment as FIFA fever grips Doha. What does she want to be when she grows up? “Math is my favourite subject,” she says, thoughtfully in response. “I want to keep writing but I would also like to try something new.” Breaking into a grin and finally giving me a glimpse of the child within, she adds, “I want to be a leader when I grow up. I want to be President.”
(August 5, 2023) Growing up, he loved watching racing sports on his TV. Recognising his love for the tracks, his father would take him to go karting parks and in 2017, Yuven Sundaramoorthy made a shift from karts to cars. While it has just been six years since then, 20-year-old Indian American racer has been making waves in the world of racing cars. And now, embarking on his journey towards the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the young racer has inked a deal with Abel Motorsports, providing him with a golden opportunity to experience the INDY NXT by Firestone action while steering the No. 57 Dallara IL-15. The racer is all set to team up with Abel Motorsports for three INDY NXT events in the upcoming calendar. "I’m really excited to get the call from Abel Motorsports to drive the No. 57 Dallara in the INDY NXT by Firestone Championship. The team has really been coming on strong lately and showing that they have the pace to compete, so for me, this really gives me an opportunity to show what I can do in this series," the Global Indian said during a recent press conference. Inspired to dream Born in 2003, to
has really been coming on strong lately and showing that they have the pace to compete, so for me, this really gives me an opportunity to show what I can do in this series," the Global Indian said during a recent press conference.
Inspired to dream
Born in 2003, to a young Indian-American couple in Wisconsin, Yuven was quite an enthusiastic child, who loved to be more outdoors than indoors. His family relocated to China and resided there for six years before returning to the United States, settling in upstate New York. When he was back in the US, the young racer would visit the go-karting parks, but shared that he didn't venture full-time into the sport until his teens. "I actually started fairly late compared to most racers my age. I didn't start racing cars until I was about 13 years old - which is still young, but many racers start before that age,” said the young racer.
However, the road wasn't an easy one. His parents had to walk the extra mile to support this young racer pursue his passion. "My dad had to make several sacrifices to get me on the tracks. He was in a corporate job, and to support me he quit his job. He would take me to various races and keep up with my schedule - especially when I was too young to go anywhere by myself. He had been my pillar of strength throughout my journey. My mother is still working hard to keep the finances going, supporting not just me but my entire family. I am pretty sure that I wouldn't be where I am today without my parents supporting and nurturing my dreams," the racer said during a recent interview.
But if you were thinking that racing is the only sport this champion excelled at, you couldn't be more wrong. Growing up, Yuven was a part of several teams at his school, and wouldn't shy away from taking part in various sports competitions during any event. Despite having a very busy schedule, the racer still finds time to indulge in other sports he loves. "When I am not on the racing track, I am always snowboarding. In fact, I am a snowboarding instructor, and love being up on the mountains," Yuven shared.
Going beyond his dreams
After shifting karts to cars in 2017, the young racer was quickly picked up by Pabst Racing. His real breakthrough, however, came in 2021, when he was moved up to compete at the Indy Pro 2000 Championship with Pabst Racing. In that season, the racer had three podiums and end up finishing 10th in the standings. Speaking about this change from karting to racing cars, he said, "The car that I am driving now is about three times heavier than what I am used to. I am very thrilled though, and hoping to make some progress soon enough. Communicating with my pit crew and driving instructor hasn't really been different from what I used to do. But I am having so much fun here. I am used to not being able to see more than two corners on the track, so it’s really great to be able to see the whole track from one spot."
Currently competing at the ongoing 2023 USF Pro 2000 Championship with Exclusive Autosport and in the 2023 Indy NXT with Abel Motorsports, the racer is looking to broaden his horizon beyond his dreams. " I know the learning curve is going to be there switching to a bigger car with more power, but I think having the teammates I do with me at Abel Motorsports will help shorten that curve. I can’t thank S Team Motorsports LLC, One Motorsports Management, and OMP enough for their help and partnership in making this happen," he recently said after finishing the podium at Indianapolis.
While many in his place would have already set huge future goals for themselves, this humble champion believes in building his empire one stone at a time. Working on getting the techniques correct, the racer is focussed on setting short-term milestones to ensure his future victories. "My aim, right now, is to just work on my skills and improve. I want to explore my opportunities. I am very young in this career and have some room to move and various ways to guide my journey. So, I really want to see where I stack up," the racer explained.
(June 19, 2024) Growing up in Bengaluru, Jeya Malhotra often saw children with intellectual disabilities being mocked or bullied in her apartment complex. The sight was painful as these kids couldn't defend themselves, but what she found daunting was the lack of sensitivity towards these children. This led her to start Khwahish, a venture dedicated to supporting children with intellectual disabilities. "I want young kids to be sensitised about children with special needs so that the world can become more inclusive," the young changemaker tells Global Indian. The 15-year-old is dedicated to supporting SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities by creating an inclusive world. She recalls a memorable campaign in New York City where people were served dirty water on the streets. "Confused, they questioned why they were served contaminated water and learned that it is a daily reality for people in certain cities, countries, and continents around the world due to lack of access to clean water. It was a way to sensitise people on what's happening in certain parts of the world. Similarly, I want to sensitise people to the experiences of children with special needs so that they understand and see things from a lens of
se people to the experiences of children with special needs so that they understand and see things from a lens of empathy and understanding," says Jeya.
A Tinker Champ in the making
Born in Delhi, Jeya Malhotra moved to Bengaluru at the age of five. An introvert with not many friends, she spent most of her time surrounded by books. "Nothing like a good read. I have always found myself drawn to the world of books," says the teen whose favourite author is Sudha Murty. But it was in Grade 7 that she first discovered Atal Innovation Mission. "It began with a message that landed on my WhatsApp school group about a Tinkerpreneur encouraging students to teach their peers about entrepreneurship. This got me intrigued," says Jeya, who began exploring the field and soon prepared a masterclass on digital skills. "Teaching students about basic PowerPoint or Excel was the beginning of my journey as a Tinker Champ." Now a Class 10 student, she create resources like boot camps, YouTube lives, and workshops to teach students from Class 6 to 12 on digital skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, and business through peer mentoring. Till now, they have impacted over 5000 students.
Supporting children with intellectual disabilities
Over the years as a Tinker Champ, she noticed a gap: the lack of attention to intellectually challenged children. "Instead of just focussing on the resources for the intellectually challenged children, the bigger problem is the stigma around them." It's something that she witnessed firsthand in her apartment. "Such children are often mocked and made fun of. From the bird's eye view, the bigger issue is the stigma and not the resources they lack," she adds. This motivated her to start Khwahish with a mission to support children with intellectual disabilities by addressing the societal stigma and providing them with necessary resources.
"I found lack of education to be the root cause as many people have no idea about intellectual disabilities, which often leads to insensitivity," explains Jeya. She began by creating a website to share her mission and vision, and started reaching out to specialists in the field. That's when she found Dr Anamika Hui, an audiologist and speech-language pathologist who works with children with intellectual disabilities, and confirmed that stigma is a huge issue. Meanwhile, Dr Anamika also cautioned her that it's a close-knit community that isn't open to the idea of collaboration. "She told me even if I intend to empower them, I will face some resistance. I took her advice seriously and started connecting with more special educators and special schools in Bengaluru to build trust," informs Jeya.
SDG 10
While interacting with one such school - Buddhi Special School - the teenager had an epiphany that to shift the perceptions of children with intellectual disabilities from sympathy to empowerment, she needed to display their talents well and "make people know what they have to offer". Inspired, she conducted an art activity and collected their artworks for a virtual reality art exhibition. "Seeing people's surprise at the children's talent was eye-opening and confirmed that there was genuine interest, which led me to conduct my first awareness session with the help of Dr Anamika." By showcasing the talents of children with intellectual disabilities, Jeya aims to create an inclusive world. "My focus is on SDG 10 - reducing inequalities by creating an inclusive world, which can be achieved by sensitising people and changing their view on other people, who might be a little different from them."
Soon interest grew, and she began organising more awareness campaigns in residential areas as well as schools. Through Khwahish, she wants to support special schools and children and work on providing accessible learning resources and guides for parents and guardians. In just a few months, she has already impacted over 120 students. "I often ask children to picture a child with an intellectual disability, and they usually imagine someone helpless or vulnerable. This is the perception I want to change," she emphasises.
A long journey
Her journey hasn't been easy as the 15-year-old had to face a lot of criticism initially with many doubting her qualifications to work with or raise awareness about children with special needs. "I was told that working with specially-abled children or even spreading awareness about them required a certification. And I had no authority to speak on them. But I stood my ground and told them that one needed passion and the drive to conduct awareness campaigns more than certifications." Many adults dismissed her effort as a mere project due to her age and she even found many students indifferent to the cause. "Since special schools and regular schools are different, not many meet children with special needs daily. Hence, it's hard for them to understand them or know how to behave or react." She often uses the example of braces to make children understand the concept. "I tell them that if they had never seen braces before, they might mock a friend wearing them. But it’s just something normal. The same logic applies to children with special needs. However, changing perceptions takes time," adds Jeya, who believes early intervention is crucial as young minds are easy to influence as they are still far away from rigid beliefs.
Despite the challenges, Jeya Malhotra has found support from a few people who have become her collaborators. "They believed in me and the cause and were always ready to help," she says. However, she acknowledges that changing perceptions is a long journey. A crucial moment in her mission was her visit to Buddhi Special School in Bengaluru, where an interaction with the coordinator, Mrs Rekha, deeply impacted her. "She told me that these kids have no idea how much stigma they will face the moment they step out into the real world. Most kids are mocked and bullied. Some kids, who need special care, are separated from their parents and stay in the premises all the time since their parents don't have the training or the skillset to take care of them. That's why special schools become important." Realising the challenges that these children might face in the real world, Jeya wants to step in and pull the plug on this by creating as much awareness so that these kids feel equally safe in the outside world. "I want the awareness impact to go into thousands for neurotypical people, especially children so that the world becomes more inclusive."
Jeya Malhotra, who calls herself a bibliophile, calls awareness a two-way learning process. "When you are spreading awareness, you are in turn learning a lot in the process," says the teenager. She began Khwahish with a passion for working for children with intellectual disabilities and is on a mission to make a more inclusive world. "It's important to go with the flow, and have a growth mindset where you do not quit."
(October 11, 2023) "My activism doesn't come as a choice. My activism doesn't come as a hobby. It's a survival tool for my community," says Kevin J Patel, a Los Angeles-based climate activist, who is the founder of OneUpAction International, an organisation empowering marginalised youth by providing them with the resources they need to be changemakers. Being one of the youth voices on the climate crisis, Kevin currently serves as a 2020 National Geographic Young Explorer. It was at the age of 12 that a health issue led Kevin to become aware of the environmental damage caused by the many oil refineries in the surrounding area. He is one of the two million California residents who live within 2,500 feet of an operational oil and gas well and are prone to health issues. Born to immigrant parents who moved to the US in search of better opportunities, Kevin grew up in a space where they grew their own food. However, he lived in a community in South Central Los Angeles where food scarcity was common, and it was in his first semester of sixth grade that he became aware of the issue. "I realized my community wasn’t getting access to
community in South Central Los Angeles where food scarcity was common, and it was in his first semester of sixth grade that he became aware of the issue. "I realized my community wasn’t getting access to healthier foods; I really wanted to do something about it. I started teaching my peers to grow food. Many did not know that food comes from farms and they can grow their own foods," he said in an interview.
However, things amplified in the second semester of his sixth grade when one day sitting in his classroom, he felt a sudden chest pain. He was fit, played sports, and had no high blood pressure, but ended up being diagnosed with arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart beats at an irregular rhythm. Confused, he started looking for answers as to why this might have happened to him and he found the answer in the location he lived. "South-Central Los Angeles was classified as a 'sacrifice zone' — places where residents, often low-income and/or people of colour, live close to freeways, factories, and oil wells. That's where environmental inaction and damage have resulted in arrhythmia-stoking levels of smog. So, I started protesting. I led marches, petitioned government officials, and demanded climate justice from anyone who would listen," he said.
While getting actively involved in activism, Kevin didn't see many people who looked like him, especially in the youth climate movement. In 2018, more than 85 percent of staffers in over 2000 environmental nonprofits were white. This nudged him to start OneUpAction International in 2019 to create a platform for young individuals who were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). "I consider myself an intersectional climate activist, and one of the millions of people across the world who are already victims of the climate crisis. I didn't see a home for people like myself."
Over the years, OneUpAction translated into more than just giving voice to BIPOC, it turned into an organisation that supports and empowers marginalised youth to become changemakers, and to tackle the climate crisis within their local communities for a regenerative future. "Now we're an organization that is helping young individuals across the globe implement and accelerate solutions within their communities."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmBUTxqkREw&t=19s
Kevin, who is pursuing Political Science at Loyola Marymount University, has over the years collaborated with the community to create a one-of-its-kind Youth Climate Commission in LA County to amplify youth voices. "The power of young people is crucially needed. I also think we just need to intergenerationally work together to really make sure that we're solving these issues."
The young climate activist is into hiking and photography, and is keen to get more young people equipped with the resources like monetary aid, membership and all "to implement solutions and drive action within their communities." "We need more young people at the table, and this is where OneUpAction is currently focused. Youth will drive the change our planet needs."
(January 24, 2024) After a tough selection process with over a thousand applicants from across the country, NLU Delhi’s Ayan Gupta is among the five scholars selected for the Rhodes Scholarship 2024 to study at Oxford University. “Oxford is a brilliant place to study at and who wouldn’t want to,” remarks Ayan as he speaks to Global Indian. While applying for the scholarship, he drew inspiration from a past NLUD graduate who had been successful in getting the scholarship from the Rhodes Trust. A fifth-year NLUD student, Ayan has a keen interest in matters related to sentencing and punishment with a focus on the complexities surrounding the death penalty and prolonged incarceration. At Oxford, Ayan aims to explore the fields of criminology and criminal justice. [caption id="attachment_35405" align="aligncenter" width="667"] Ayan Gupta[/caption] He is of the belief that in the sphere of criminal justice, the system does not lay enough emphasis on empathy. “Hopefully, I would get to contribute to reforms that lead towards a more empathetic criminal justice system,” he envisions after graduating as an Oxford scholar. Passionate about education, Ayan aspires to shape criminal justice education as an academic, and has also garnered experience as a research and teaching assistant
1-1024x718.png" alt="Indian youth | Ayan Gupta | Global Indian " width="667" height="468" /> Ayan Gupta[/caption]
He is of the belief that in the sphere of criminal justice, the system does not lay enough emphasis on empathy. “Hopefully, I would get to contribute to reforms that lead towards a more empathetic criminal justice system,” he envisions after graduating as an Oxford scholar.
Passionate about education, Ayan aspires to shape criminal justice education as an academic, and has also garnered experience as a research and teaching assistant at NLU Delhi. Currently serving as the editor-in-chief of NLUD’s Journal of Legal Studies, Ayan oversees the publication of scholarly papers authored by students, faculty members, and practicing lawyers.
The Rhodes scholarship
“After getting selected for the scholarship by the Rhodes Trust, one still has to go through the application process of securing admission at the University’s master’s course but with the kind of support that the trust provides, the process becomes more comfortable with lesser anxiety surrounding it,” Ayan shares.
Rhodes Trust would be providing scholarship between £30,000 to £50,000 per annum, depending on the course and institution that one enrols into. Additionally, there's a stipend of approximately £20,000 per year, ensuring that all that the scholar needs to do is to focus on the studies, without being concerned about food, lodging, or recreation expenses.
“This opportunity is truly life-changing, and I feel immense gratitude and excitement. The master’s programmes at Oxford spans two years, with an option for a third-year extension under certain circumstances and for specific courses fully funded by the Rhodes Trust,” shares Ayan.
Law with an empathetic lens
During his third year of college, Ayan served as a death penalty research fellow on Project 39A - an NLUD organisation dedicated to death penalty litigation founded by the NLUD Professor Dr Anup Surendranath. The project draws inspiration from Article 39-A of the Indian Constitution, which advocates for the equal justice and equal opportunity, and the importance of addressing disparities that intersect and exclude large segments of our society from effectively seeking justice due to economic and social barriers.
Reflecting on his experience of working on the project, Ayan mentions, “I got introduced to the fact that criminal justice goes much beyond criminal law. Many of the problems that plague the criminal justice system are ingrained in the system. Often, the law is adding to the problems,” he says. “We need to think much harder about what it is that we punish, how we punish, and who are the people we punish. I hope to explore these questions in my master’s programme at Oxford.”
The humane perspective that Ayan wishes to explore may have played a role in his selection for the scholarship. “There is often limited consideration given to the complexities of punishment, and there seems to be a prevailing trend towards stricter punitive measures. However, adopting an empathetic perspective is crucial to recognise that crime is a societal issue,” he says. Ayan is of the opinion that crimes are often rooted in societal, socio-economic, and psychological factors. Addressing these underlying circumstances requires more than just punitive measures. It should involve understanding the reasons behind the crimes and taking an empathetic approach for effective reduction of crime rates.
Talking about his association with Project 39A, he mentions, “I am happy that I was able to discover my area of interest through the project and glad that I would be able to explore it further at Oxford. I am thankful to Dr Anup Surendranath for being a wonderful mentor along the way.”
International law with a comparative lens
Ayan’s interest extends to international law as well. “From international law, it has evolved into more transnational or comparative law,” he remarks.
The scholar’s interest in international law underwent a transformation from an initial focus on environmental law during a moot. This shift led him to critically assess the shortcomings of environmental law. Over time, this curiosity developed into a passion for comparative law, prompting him to explore how different nations address shared challenges.
Stetson International Moot Court competition
In the third year of his college, Ayan participated in the Stetson International Moot Court Competition, which primarily focuses on environmental law. Due to COVID-19, what was initially planned as an in-person event in Florida transformed into an online format. The competition featured more than 20 teams from across the world. Ayan’s team managed to become the semi-finalist in the competition. He was able to bag an individual prize for being the second best oralist.
To get an opportunity to participate in the global competition, Ayan and his team of five members had first competed and emerged as national champions in the India national rounds which saw participation of around 25 teams from across the country. Ayan had emerged as the best oralist in the final round as well the best oralist, overall in the national competition.
Talking about the global competition, the youngster remarks, “The fascinating part of it was that we were arguing with lawyers from different jurisdiction and countries and all of them had their own ways of looking at things and ways of presenting the case depending upon their cultural backgrounds. To experience that diversity was very interesting.”
Learning from experts
While studying at NLUD, Ayan has also served as a research assistant of some academicians. The experience has broadened his intellectual horizons and fuelled his aspirations to become a law faculty in future. Collaborating with Dr Anup Surendranath of NLU Delhi, Dr Aparna Chandra of NLS, and Dr Mayur Suresh of SOAS, London was an extremely rewarding experience for him.
“Working directly with academics as an intern, instead of organisations, provided me with insights into their unique thought processes. Difference in their approaches to handle research exposed me to diverse perspectives of looking at a problem,” he says. This firsthand experience with such experts has polished his ability to contemplate on relevance, critique, and utilise reasoning in academic research.
Personal observations on Rhodes scholarship
Significance of personal essay
“Given the high volume of applications, receiving a call for an interview seems a bigger achievement than actually making it through the interview,” Ayan remarks with a smile. Hence, personal essays play a crucial role as they determine whether one will be selected for an interview and also serve as the foundation for the questions posed during the interview.
In his essay Ayan delved upon his observations and experiences during his involvement as research fellow in Project 39A. He talked about impactful stories of people on death row that struck him hard. He also wrote about his aspiration to be a future law academic to challenge and rectify societal perceptions of criminality, and how his teachers especially Professor Anup, the founder of Project 39A made a huge impact on his life at NLUD.
Misconception around sports
“There's a prevalent misconception that being exceptionally skilled in sports is a prerequisite for earning a Rhodes scholarship. While this may have been somewhat true in the past, it is no longer the case in the present scenario,” says Ayan emphasising that the trust just seeks to understand the multifaceted components of an individual’s personality.
Involvement in sports can simply be a part of one's life. “During my interview, I made it clear that I watch tennis tournaments and play tennis just as a means of relaxation, and have never participated in the sport competitively.”
Before joining NLUD, Ayan studied at Amity International School, Gurgaon. His father is an Udaipur based neurosurgeon while his mother is a former Hindi and Sanskrit teacher. The youngster loves playing ukulele in his free time.
(June 10, 2023) The global epidemic of drug consumption continues to cast a dark shadow, infiltrating societies across continents and leaving devastating consequences in its wake. What’s worse is it impacts the most vulnerable and stigmatised populations. In fact, according to he Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), between January 2021 and June 2021, about 1,150 youngsters aged 14 to 18 died from drug overdose in the US, and about 47 percent of adolescents started consuming illicit drugs upon graduation from high school. Trying to devise a solution for this pervasive crisis, is a young economist, Dhruv Gaur, who is delving deep into the study of drug use, homelessness, housing insecurity, poverty, and inequality through the lens of economic and epidemiological inference. The recent recipient of the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, Dhruv is working with various communities to raise awareness about the growing overdose epidemic and advocate for overdose prevention policy. An ambitious, pre-doctoral research fellow at Harvard University, the young economist is currently chasing the causes of inequalities in health and higher education in the USA. "I actively engage in studying the US overdose crisis, lending my expertise to the critical work of
"I actively engage in studying the US overdose crisis, lending my expertise to the critical work of generating research and shaping policies aimed at safeguarding individuals who use drugs from the perils of overdose and other drug-related harms," shares Dhruv, as he connects with Global Indian for an interview, adding, "I also play a crucial role in the maintenance and management of PreventOverdoseRI.org, a dedicated website specifically designed to combat the overdose crisis. I am determined to contribute to the collective mission of putting an end to the devastating impact of drug overdose in our community."
A curious cat
Even though Dhruv was born in the USA, the youngster shares that his family ensured that he grew up knowing and learning about his roots. "Both my parents are doctors, and they came over to the United States of America after finishing med school in India. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where my parents were completing their medical training. We later shifted to a town in Northeast Georgia," says the young economist, adding, "I grew up around a very tight-knit and supportive Indian community. My parents were quite keen on instilling Indian values in me and my brother, so over weekends, they would drive us to Balvihar, which is a Hindi school."
[caption id="attachment_30931" align="aligncenter" width="637"] Dhruv with his family[/caption]
As brilliant as he was, the economist shares that he was also quite a curious child, who not only loved to learn new things but also to pass on the knowledge. "I loved to read, just about anything that I could get my hands on," he shares, adding, "During my high school years, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer at Balvihar as a teaching assistant. Little did I know that this experience would ignite within me a deep passion for teaching and mentoring. It was during those moments spent guiding and supporting others that I realised my aspirations to pursue a career as a professor. The impact of that experience has remained with me, shaping my path and fueling my dedication to education and the profound influence it can have on shaping lives."
A true changemaker
After finishing school, the youngster enrolled at Brown University to study economics and public health policy. Driven by the devastating overdose crisis plaguing his hometown, Dhruv became a part of the People, Place, and Health Collective, contributing as an undergraduate researcher. He actively published academic articles that shed light on crucial aspects of the crisis, providing valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.
The economist also played a pivotal role in maintaining real-time data resources, serving as a foundation for Rhode Island's informed and evidence-based response to the overdose crisis. Through his dedication and contributions, Dhruv has become an instrumental force in the ongoing efforts to combat the overdose epidemic and promote effective policy interventions.
"I held the role of an outreach team leader and finance chair for Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE), an organisation driven by students that focuses on direct service and advocacy for homelessness. With HOPE, I led a dedicated night-time homeless outreach team every week, striving to address the immediate needs of individuals experiencing street homelessness and ensuring they are connected to essential resources. I also engaged in advocating for housing policies at both the city and state level in Rhode Island, aiming to effect positive change and promote equitable access to safe and stable housing for all," the economist shares.
The power of giving
But Dhruv's journey hasn't been all about books. In 2018, the economist made his mark on the television show Jeopardy! College Championship trivia tournament, emerging as the victorious contestant and securing a substantial prize of $100,000.
Wait, that's not all... The following year, he returned to the Jeopardy! stage, capturing the attention of the entire USA for a profoundly heartfelt reason. Answering host Alex Trebek's Final Jeopardy question, Dhruv put his heart on his screen, writing, “We (heart) you Alex!”, showing his support for the host who was battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The gesture moved Alex to tears, and he could only manage to say, "That’s very kind of you."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BNH7UTaL-M
Seizing the opportunity to make a difference, Dhruv utilised the platform and the immense public interest to launch a national fundraising campaign dedicated to pancreatic cancer research and successfully raised over $100,000, leaving an indelible impact on both the fight against pancreatic cancer and the power of compassionate unity. "While I was at the show, Alex took a moment to visit the contestants in the green room. It was quite evident that he wasn't doing so well," shares the youngster, adding, "Later, when I stepped onto the stage, fully aware that winning the game was an unlikely outcome, I thought I could use this opportunity to support someone in need."
Interestingly, the economist grabbed the attention of well-known American television host, Ellen Lee DeGeneres, who called him to be on her show a few days later. Impressed by his efforts, Ellen too donated $25,000 toward pancreatic cancer research.
Miles to go
Currently, Dhruv working as a pre-doctoral research fellow alongside esteemed economists Raj Chetty, John Friedman, and Nathaniel Hendren at Harvard University. The young economist is focused on studying the profound inequalities that exist within the realms of health and higher education. Driven by an unwavering commitment to understanding the root causes and far-reaching consequences of severe marginalization, such as drug overdose, homelessness, and poverty, Dhruv aspires to pursue a doctoral degree in economics.
"Through my research pursuits, I strive to unearth valuable insights that have the potential to shape transformative policies, uplifting individuals from these challenging circumstances and fostering a society that is both equitable and inclusive. I aim to contribute to the collective effort of building a brighter and more just future for all," he expresses.
Ayan Gupta[/caption]
Ayan Gupta[/caption]
Dhruv with his family[/caption]
