Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveKaran Jerath: Innovator develops solution to contain oil spills at their source

Karan Jerath: Innovator develops solution to contain oil spills at their source

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(June 23, 2024) It was in the spring of 2010 that the world woke up on the morning of April 20 to an environmental disaster – the largest marine oil spill in history – the Deepwater Horizon oil spill off the coast of the United States in the Gulf of Mexico. Seeing the natural disaster happening in his own backyard, was a wake-up call for the Texas-resident Karan Jerath. “The fact that it happened in my backyard woke me up to the true nature of the environmental damage this was wreaking. I had to do something about it,” he said in an interview.

Karan Jerath

Still a teenager, he’d spend nine-ten hours daily researching and coming up with a device that could shut down undersea oil spills. After months of experimentation, he developed a groundbreaking device which won him $50,000 along with Intel’s Young Scientist Award. The feat also led him to feature in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Energy list for inventing a device that contains oil spills at the source.

A genius in the making

Born in Mumbai to an artist mother and a mechanical engineer father, Karan moved to Kuala Lumpur when he was one. “Living in Malaysia and attending the International School of Kuala Lumpur, I developed as a global citizen-one who recognises the necessity of harmonising opposing perspectives and becoming accustomed to a lifestyle of contrasting cultures,” he revealed. It was in 2008 that the family shifted to Friendswood in Texas, US where Karan’s scientific acumen started to take shape as he became involved with the school’s Science Fair program. “My engagement with this program is where I first developed an interest in engineering and sustainability issues,” the Global Indian wrote on his website.

Karan Jerath at a Science fair

Moving to the US was an intimidating experience for Karan as they didn’t know anybody in this new country. But slowly he started adjusting to the new culture and environment. But it was during his high school that he started getting interested in science and curious about new things. Science fairs turned out to be the perfect platform that allowed him to continue broadening his perspective and challenging him to solve problems with no definite solutions. They empowered Karan to both serve his local community and protect the environment on an international scale.

Finding a solution

It was in 2010 that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happened that woke him up to the environmental crisis. “I wanted to think of a solution that addresses one of the biggest ongoing crises of the environment today, oil spills, that is systematically destroying our ocean environment. I started going to libraries and reading up on this, drawing different designs and coming up with blueprints,” added Karan, who later studied at the University of Texas.

With the help of his mentor, he engineered an innovative subsea wellhead containment device capable of capturing oil and gas escaping from a blowout well, separating the substances into liquids and gases, and storing them on a surface vessel. “The device is essentially a way to divert the spill from contaminating the ocean and keep it from devastating the marine life,” he added.

An advocate of STEM education, he has also participated in programs such as the HIVE Global Leaders Program at Harvard, and the MIT Global Entrepreneurship Bootcamp. “Both of these programs have allowed me to continuously diversify my experiences as a growing individual, a passionate researcher, and a contributor to society.”

Karan, who served as one of the United Nations Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has earned many accolades in his journey which are proof that nothing is impossible where there is determination, passion, and purpose. “Through my interest in science and engineering, I realized that if you want to help change the world, it doesn’t matter how old you are, where you’re from, or how much you know. It’s my goal to empower others to be interested in science and math, to want to make a difference by discovering new things, and most importantly, to give their time and talents to a cause they care deeply about.”

Karan Jerath’s innovation following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill exemplifies the transformative potential of visionary thinking in the face of environmental crises. By developing a groundbreaking device to contain oil spills at their source, Jerath not only addressed a critical challenge in oil spill management but also inspired a new generation of problem-solvers. His device, designed to capture and separate oil from the water directly at the point of leakage, represents a significant leap forward in mitigating the environmental damage caused by such disasters. His work underscores the impact that a single individual’s ingenuity can have on safeguarding our planet, reinforcing the critical role of technological advancement in environmental stewardship. His legacy is a powerful reminder that with determination and innovation, even the most daunting global challenges can be met with effective and practical solutions.

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Published on 23, Jun 2024

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Terrific at terrible two: Toddler Anvi’s painting glory

(May 3, 2022) At two-and-a-half years, Anvi Vishesh Agrawal from Bhubaneshwar has become a celebrated artist with a coveted place in the World Book of Records, London for creating maximum number of paintings (72) by a toddler at such a tender age. With invitations like presenting work at exclusive art exhibition in Delhi to inauguration of childcare product stores, the toddler artist has also wrapped up a meeting with Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, happy to receive chocolates from him. In fact, when she was approached by Global Indian, the little artist thought it would be the chief minister again to discuss her paintings. Though cheerful, she was not ready to disclose much, saying “You are not Naveen Patnaik”. [caption id="attachment_16020" align="aligncenter" width="619"] Anvi, award-winning little artist[/caption] The October 2019–born also found a place in the India Book of Records when she was just one year and nine months old for her exemplary vocabulary of 42 Spanish words, and knowledge of all the 42 phonic sounds. “This is an ability that children can display at three years of age but not as early as 21 months,” says her educator mother Anuradha Dalmia, adding that by then Anvi also knew the

e India Book of Records when she was just one year and nine months old for her exemplary vocabulary of 42 Spanish words, and knowledge of all the 42 phonic sounds. “This is an ability that children can display at three years of age but not as early as 21 months,” says her educator mother Anuradha Dalmia, adding that by then Anvi also knew the names of 26 birds, and 42 animals besides having started her abstract art journey at the age of 9 months.

Mom – the pillar

Armed with training in Montessori education and child psychology, Anvi’s mother Anuradha is the director of Indian Public School Sambalpur, a venture started by her parents, and also the director at her own venture, Little Harvard preschool in Bhubaneshwar. A strong pillar of support behind the little prodigy’s achievements, she has given her daughter the “freedom to explore and test her own limits.”

“We could observe that Anvi was keen on painting since a very young age. She used to go to the garden, come back and try to replicate the patterns of the leaves on paper. She knew all primary and secondary colours by the age of 21 months, and also knew how to draw shapes by the time she was 26 months old,” beams Anuradha with pride.

Anvi was given natural colours to experiment with in the beginning like beetroot mixed with flour, and the likes to create patterns. When it got ascertained that she is able to handle the liquid colours well without harming herself, she was introduced to market colours. “With the number of hours of exposure, and allowing to willingly practice, without any pressure; Anvi was able to reach this point,” tells Anuradha.

Born artist with a knack for experiments

Inquisitiveness and experimental persona of the little artist became evident when she started using many household objects to create interesting art pieces, much to the happiness and surprise of her elders. “When Anvi was gifted magnetic toys, she soiled them in colour, and rejoicingly informed, ‘magnet colour pulling’. In play, she discovered the non-brush form of painting. We later googled to find out that it’s a form of painting through which human geographical figures are created, and is quite popular abroad with people spending hours watching painters creating magic,” adds Anuradha.

Whether it was the water gun that was given to the toddler around Holi, or her mom’s hair dryer, or the icing cones for cakes being baked at home, or the kitchen wipers, Anvi applied basic science to create beautiful abstract paintings; analysing and experimenting on her own without much adult intervention. This led to stunning revelation by her parents, who upon some research found that similar forms of art with fluid colours were practiced by established artists across the world. “When she is painting, she doesn’t want to be disturbed, and even puts her play time on hold till she is finished,” says the doting mom.

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She seems to have acquired her love for the art from her grandmother, who has been into Tanjore painting with some exhibitions in Bhubaneshwar to her repertoire.

The little artist’s father, Vishesh Agrawal runs Vibha press which has been printing the Times of India and The Hindu Bhubaneshwar editions. The Delhi branch of the press has found a place in the Limca Book of Records for publishing newspapers in 42 different languages.

In-born intelligence

The keen observations of the little artist are not just confined to her world of paintings but she is also perceptive about everyday things around her. “Since she is taken to the garden quite often to water plants, if lemons in the salad are left unused, she points out, ‘it takes one month to grow, we should not waste it,’” says the proud mother.

The gifted child is already proficient in the nursery syllabus orally and her vocabulary is “fantastic”, sometimes using untaught but relevant words in the middle of conversations, to the surprise of her parents. “Either this generation is very smart or she is picking up faster,” wonders her mother, quickly adding that the reason could be her mini library of 200 books that are full of illustrations. Reading four or five of them daily is a part of her routine, refusing to go to sleep if she has not finished the day’s quota. The toddler has the tendency of repeating her favourite sentences from the books and one of those as spoken by her favourite teddy character is – “I am not tired, let’s play instead.” She merrily uses different versions of it too like, “I am not tired, let’s paint instead,” making life interesting for people around her while being completely unaware of the accolades she has already earned!

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Indrani Das: Indian-American STEM girl pioneers new treatment for brain damage

(December 15, 2022) A rebellion put Indian American Indrani Das on the path to research brain injuries, something that led her to win a quarter-million-dollar at the Regeneron Science Talent Search award as a 17-year-old. While most Indian parents coax their children to become doctors when they grow up, Indrani's parents weren't the same. With their roots in Kolkata, the banker couple had warned their daughter against opting for science. They even told her to not be a doctor. "Don’t become a doctor, it’s long and expensive. So, I decided I wanted to be a doctor,” she said. This passion led the Harvard University graduate to a medical-oriented project that focuses on her new approach to neurological damage. Always fascinated with brain injuries after learning about their irrevocable and devastating effects, she decided to learn more with her full-fledged project. As a senior at the Academy for Medical Science Technology in New Jersey, she explored how brain damage occurs and examined ‘astrogliosis’, a process that can lead to the excess production of a toxin that can damage neurons. She was keen to understand the nuances of how brain damage occurs and if she could figure out a way to slow

re out a way to slow or reverse the process. "My work centers on repairing the behaviour of supporting cells to prevent neuron injury and death. It was really that shock of what it can do to a person that pushed me to work," she explained.

[caption id="attachment_25387" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Indrani Das is an Indian-American young scientist[/caption]

This very work led her to win $250,000 at the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search, which is nicknamed the Junior Nobel Prize. "These diseases are so prevalent, so debilitating, it matters to me that I continue to work on this," she added. Her purpose is to treat traumatic brain injury which can lead to stroke, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. "In all these injuries, there is an insult to brain tissue which on the one hand causes neurons to die, but on the other hand causes supporting cells to calm these neurons. In my model, I found one of the problems which contributing to the disease condition, and then I also helped to treat it," she added.

The New Jersey resident was only three when she heard about the Regeneron Science Talent Search, as her love for science began blossoming at a young age. Seeing her fascination for dinosaurs and discovery at a young age, her parents suggested she submit her fossil findings to the competition. Years later, she not just applied but also took home the top prize for promoting neuron repair. But it wasn't a cakewalk for the Indian American who went through a process of reading scientific literature and running small experiments over many years to finally work on the subject.

[caption id="attachment_25388" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Indrani Das won the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search[/caption]

It was at the beginning of her high school as a 14-year-old that she began working on the project with only a rudimentary understanding of biology. The lack of in-depth experience with molecular biology and neuroscience was one of the biggest challenges for Indrani, which was exacerbated by the absence of "any one source for basic information." "What set the tone for my work was the learning curve I went through in the following months and years. I spent hours each day reading research journals to come to an understanding of the problems in a brain injury that I wanted to study, and used my growing knowledge base to help me conduct more and more refined experiments," the Global Indian said in an interview.

Being educated at the Bergen County Academy for Medical Science Technology, one of New Jersey's top public schools, she would often push her limits by conducting her research projects. That's when she wanted to focus on the brain. "Neurodegenerative diseases ruin a person's quality of life, they take away from (a person's) basic humanity. It was that impact I wanted to understand and to study and to try and repair,” she told CNN. With the help of mentor-cum-biology teacher Donna Leonardi, she embarked on her research journey, and began learning how cells lived and died by growing and manipulating cell cultures. She's also a member of the Stevens Lab at Boston Children's Hospital, where she works on synaptic pruning, a critical process in brain development.

[caption id="attachment_25389" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Indrani Das with her parents[/caption]

Indrani, who aspires to be a physician-scientist, is grateful to her parents for letting her follow her passion. "I’ll never forget my parents’ stories of how they worked full-time day jobs while securing additional degrees by night, and saved religiously for over a decade before my birth to provide me with the most comfortable life possible. I wouldn’t say that I’ve chosen a different path from my family, but that my choices reflect the evolution of theirs. We’re living the American dream," she added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVRNZzQZezQ

Indrani, who has plans of wrapping up her Ph.D. program in the next 10 years, advises youngsters to not be limited by their circumstances and to break bigger goals into small steps. "At the end of the day, it’s not who you know, how much you know, or what you have that determines whether you achieve your goals – it's how much you are willing to go through. If you aren’t losing your drive to excel, you’re winning the game."

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Teen equestrian Ananya Settipalli is making waves in the US

(March 1, 2024) In November 2023, 16-year-old equestrian Ananya Settipalli realised a long-time dream - she made it to the United States Dressage Finals, competing with the best young riders in America. At her first junior nationals in 2019, which she entered at the age of 12, she landed multiple podium finishes, including a silver in show jumping. Ananya made it to her second junior nationals just before the pandemic and came home with a team gold in dressage and a team silver in jumping. Ananya Settipalli was born in Boston and discovered a love for horses when she was around four years old. "My parents put me in my first summer camp in North Carolina when I was seven, at a barn called MacNairs," she tells Global Indian. Nobody in her family had been into the sport or ridden horses, but her mum, who was a national-level track athlete, was an early inspiration. Ananya would listen to her mum's stories and wonder what it would feel like to compete at a national level. She would watch equestrian events on TV too, and remembers watching the Olympics over and over. "The way Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester was mesmerising to

obody in her family had been into the sport or ridden horses, but her mum, who was a national-level track athlete, was an early inspiration. Ananya would listen to her mum's stories and wonder what it would feel like to compete at a national level. She would watch equestrian events on TV too, and remembers watching the Olympics over and over. "The way Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester was mesmerising to me. They were the equestrians I looked up to the most growing up."

When she was nine, the family moved to Hyderabad, where Ananya began riding consistently. She started at the Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club but soon switched to Nasr Polo, where she competed at my first show at HRPC under Nasr.

[caption id="attachment_36295" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Teen equestrian Ananya Settipalli[/caption]

Training with KCS Reddy

She moved back to the Hyderabad Polo and Riding Club to train under Hyderabad's only competitive coach at the time, KCS Reddy. "His methods of training were quite different from others," Ananya recalls. She learned her basics on retired thoroughbreds (ex-racehorses), which can be very challenging to ride compared to the more traditional, docile warmbloods. "I learned most things related to riding the hard way. With off-track thoroughbreds, you have to control every action you make when you're on them," she says.

It was a challenging way to learn. At Nasr Polo, the polo horses were well-trained and easy to handle. The ones at HRPC, however, were fresh off the race course and had received a few months of training from KCS Reddy and his assistant. "It was a rough experience since the horses were so green, but I wouldn't trade it for any other," Ananya says, adding with a smile, "And if I hadn't, I wouldn't have met Princess."

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Meeting 'Princess'

On her 12th birthday, Ananya got her first horse, Princess, as a present. When she rode her for the first time, Princess, who was “as grumpy as a mare could get,” threw her off right away, leaving Ananya with a concussion and “a giant red mark” on her face.” A few months later, when Ananya was at her first show, Princess threw her again, and this time, she fractured her arm. "Nobody thought I would come back to riding. Nobody thought I would keep Princess. But I did both because the most important thing to understand with a horse is that it's never their fault," she says. Instead, Ananya learned patience, and began building a real relationship with the horse she would soon call her best friend. She would head to the stables at 5 am and spend three hours with Princess before school. "It was the best experience I ever had. On weekends, I would spend the first half of the day with her, I would bathe her, hand graze her, groom her and just sit in her stall to spend time with her. She was very sensitive but she just needed some love and a girl who had all the love in the world to offer to her." Their bond only grew, and ultimately, Ananya went on to qualify for the nationals riding Princess.

Competing in India

By this time, Ananya was going back and forth between Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where she was now training under Ashish Limaye at the Embassy International Riding School. She rode with Limaye to try horses to compete in her first Equestrian Premier League at the Embassy to qualify for the nationals. "I loved the place immediately," she said. "They had incredible facilities; everything was so well organised and everyone was extremely friendly and the horses were well taken care of." At the Embassy, she was also looking for horses to ride at the EPLs and ended up riding four, three of which came from the Embassy: Qurt, Dejavu, and Obligado. The fourth was a mare named Zala, whom she leased from the United Rider barn.

Her most special bond, however, was with Obligado, who was around 20 years old when she began riding him. "He's a thoroughbred but he could jump the 130s with ease and even when he was 19, he could jump the 115 cm classes without breaking a sweat. When I first rode him I barely knew how to jump. I couldn't even get around a course without falling off but he's an angel. He rarely misbehaved and taught me the basics of jumping."

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By this time, the pandemic had hit. However, the Embassy allowed Ashish Limaye's students to stay at the riding school and continue to train. Ananya, her friends, and Ashish lived at the school for six months. "He was the most influential coach I had the opportunity to train with," Ananya says. They would ride in the morning, go to school, ride again after, and in keeping with Ashish's rule for his students, work out after riding. "Under Ashish, I competed at two Junior National Equestrian Championships in India," she says.

[caption id="attachment_36301" align="aligncenter" width="426"] Ananya Settipalli with Ashish Limaye at the Embassy International Riding School[/caption]

Back to the US

In a stroke of bad luck, Ananya came down with a fairly severe case of Covid 19 in 2020. At this point, her parents decided to go back to the US, this time to Texas, partly for the good schools and also because they had found Ananya a great coach, Kai Handt.

In 2021, Ananya began riding under Handt, who is also one of the top coaches in the US for para-equestrians, at the North Texas Equestrian Center. Then, in 2022, she bought her current horse from Kai, NTEC Classico, a seven-year-old gelding "with impeccable breeding lines and amazing scope in jumping and dressage," Ananya says. That year, she competed at her first regional championship in 2022.

She attended her second regionals in 2023, this time on another of Kai Handt's best horses, the NTEC Falstaff. This time, the idea was to qualify for the United States Dressage Finals. They qualified and made it to the event in Lexington, Kentucky.

A different ecosystem

Being an equestrian in the US, Ananya says, is a very different experience from being one in India. For starters, the average level is much higher - the best riders in India struggle to even qualify when they first arrive in Germany or the US. "It's much more competitive in the US because it's a much more popular sport," she says. Shows also work differently and it took some adjusting to at first.

"After I bought NTEC Classico, it became easier because consistency is key. Having a horse to ride five days a week definitely helps when you compete with that same horse." Another difference is that riders in the US are expected to do a lot more for their horses. "In India, in HRPC and Embassy, they would know what time I would be there and have the horses ready to ride and take care of them afterward. But in America, at most barns, you tack up your own horse, untack them, and take care of them when you're done riding," Ananya explains. "It's a very different experience, but I like taking care of my horse better because it allows you to build a connection with them."

[caption id="attachment_36294" align="aligncenter" width="492"] Ananya and her father, with NTEC Classico[/caption]

The ties that bind

In dressage, a strong bond between horse and rider is key, where everything is about trust, respect, empathy, and teamwork. That's why Ananya focusses on spending consistent time with her horse, not just during the training but also by doing everyday activities like grooming and so on. "Communication is huge, I try to be clear and consistent with my cues so my horse knows what I'm asking for and I make sure to give plenty of praise and maybe a treat here and there." There are challenges of course, as with any relationship. "But I've learned to approach them with patience and understanding. It's not just about winning ribbons in the arena; it's about having a true partnership with your horse."

Ananya hopes to keep winning but says it's more than just about accolades. "It's about deepening my understanding of horses and enriching their lives through thoughtful training and care." She also wants to continue training, saying, "I aim to compete at higher level competitions and hopefully international ones as well."

(October 24, 2022) Dhruv Advaith is a young man of many talents. The 12th grade student at Chinmaya International Residential School is a national level tennis player, an environmentalist, a climate counsellor and a travel enthusiast, who has visited over 15 countries already, and is looking forward to studying abroad soon. When the world went into the lockdown mode in 2020, Dhruv, like many others, spent time listening to music, on OTT streaming platforms, reading books or indulging in social media for recreational purposes. While he was at it, a random thought hit the teenager — What about the underprivileged? What recreation did they have in these dark times? [caption id="attachment_23378" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Dhruv Advaith[/caption] The book drive The thought propelled him into action. Dhruv, then 15, segregated a few books from his library, reached out to his friends to do the same, roped in an NGO and then made a few quick visits to orphanages to know, first-hand, what kind of books the children needed. It was a time when people were scared to step out of their homes. A couple of days later, Dhruv, while taking all Covid precautions, delivered dozens of books, bringing smiles to many faces.

friends to do the same, roped in an NGO and then made a few quick visits to orphanages to know, first-hand, what kind of books the children needed. It was a time when people were scared to step out of their homes.

A couple of days later, Dhruv, while taking all Covid precautions, delivered dozens of books, bringing smiles to many faces. As the world opened up, the teenager continued what he had started. “We ended up setting up libraries in six orphanages which have more than one lakh books,” smiles K Dhruv Advaith, during his conversation with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_23379" align="aligncenter" width="775"] Dhruv during the Book Drive Project[/caption]

For his ‘Book Drive Project,’ the US-based People for Urban and Rural Employment (PURE), a not-for-profit organisation that works towards providing education to students from underprivileged backgrounds, recently selected Dhruv as their first ambassador from India.

While he cherishes those moments, what gives him immense satisfaction is that he was able to deliver books for preparation for NEET and JEE examinations, which many children were keen to have.

Tennis talk

The 17-year-old lights up as the conversation turns to tennis. Excitedly, he names his achievements, which make up a fairly long list, considering his age.

So how did tennis happen? It began with his mother, Dr Aparna, who is a scientist. “My mother was pursuing her PhD at Andhra University and her workplace overlooked the tennis courts on the campus. She used to drop me at the tennis court for a couple of hours everyday evening, under the supervision of my grandmother,” smiles the teenager. At first, he admits, he was more interested in collecting the balls than playing tennis.

He played his first tournament at the age of seven, after which his coach saw huge potential in him. What followed was intense training which refined his strokes. “By then, tennis had become more than just a hobby,” says Dhruv, who soon began competing in local tennis events in Visakhapatnam and later secured his AITA (All India Tennis Association) membership.

The AITA gave him a platform to compete in tennis events across the country. “I got a chance to travel all the way from Punjab to Kanniyakumari and Gujarat to Assam. Experiencing different cuisines and culture was an enriching experience,” smiles Dhruv.

A winning run

Dhruv has participated in the Road to Wimbledon Champion, the AITA Nationals, Khelo India Nationals and the Universal Tennis Rating match, among other prestigious events.

“My most memorable match was the qualifying event for the under-14 super series held at Bhubaneswar. It was so humid that both the match and racquet were slipping away from my hand. I lost the first set and was down on my serve in the second set. Then, I sensed an opportunity in my opponents over confidence and fine-tuned my game accordingly. I won the game,” says the tennis player, who learnt the most valuable lesson that day — tables can turn anytime and one has to be persistent and wait for the right moment.

Staying in a residential school with a packed schedule leaves him with little time to practice his favourite game. “My practice sessions are limited to an hour-and-a-half in the evenings with one hour dedicated to fitness in the mornings,” says the teenager, whose fitness regime includes a mix of cardio, strength and agility training.

“In a few years from now, I see myself playing in the US Open or playing for India in the Davis Cup,” says the budding tennis player, for whom Yoga and meditation is mandatory at his boarding school.

Champion for nature

Like tennis, Dhruv was introduced to nature and wildlife quite early in life. “I used to spend a lot of time with my grandfather, who was blessed with a green thumb. He had a kitchen garden at his farmhouse where he taught me the basics of gardening and tending to animals,” Dhruv explains, talking of how he became a nature and wildlife enthusiast. He also has seven dogs, with whom he is deeply attached.

[caption id="attachment_23382" align="aligncenter" width="556"] Dhruv featured on the Dettol Salute Campaign for Covid-19 warriors[/caption]

Keeping in mind the planet’s best interests in everything that he does, Dhruv makes it a point to purchase only sustainable and recycled line of products, be it his shoes or clothes.

World Robotics Olympiad

Dhruv’s participation in the WRO in 2016 was a proud moment. As a child, he had spent lot of time with Lego construction bricks and later ventured into Lego mindstorms (a collection of Lego) where one could build a robot and program it in order to complete a certain task.

“I started interacting a lot with a drag-and-drop software and built several robots, each with a unique function,” explains Dhruv, who is also the youth ambassador for International Centre for Culture and Education (ICCE) supported by UN.

Joining the green revolution

Having joined ICCE’s Green Revolution program as a volunteer, where he had to promote awareness about sustainability and conduct a workshop, he successfully completed the course as a topper with a gold medal. Later, he was selected as an intern and climate counsellor where he led a team of 25 active members.

“I plan to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, leaving zero carbon footprint. I intend to lead by example, encouraging all my peers, friends and family to do the same,” says the multi-talented Dhruv, who likes to read a variety of books, including fiction and financial literacy genres.