Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveChampions of Change: Celebrating their triumphs in 2023

Champions of Change: Celebrating their triumphs in 2023

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

(December 27, 2023) Exceptionally talented young individuals committed to betterment of their communites have been rewarded for their efforts in 2023. They have pushed boundaries with their remarkable work over the years to make life around them better. These inspiring young minds serve not only as an example for aspiring youth aiming to do meaningful work for society but have also set a personal benchmark that they hope to surpass in the upcoming year. Their dedication to making a difference within their communities uplifts the spirits of the Indians and the diaspora. Global Indian celebrates their achievements.

Shriya Bopanna

Miss India America 2020, Shriya Bopanna who is also an activist, author, and on-air personality has been named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Austin list of 2023, “I am honestly still shocked and incredibly grateful for making it to the list,” Shriya told Global Indian. “There is a certain amount of validation I feel in being authenticated and it has been a dream of mine to make it to Forbes 30 Under 30 since I was 16,” she added.

Shriya Bopannna | Global Indian

The multi-talented change maker who also works as a project manager and business analyst at Accenture in the United States, looks at the Austin list as a stepping stone to eventually making to the entire North American list of Forbes. Right from her school days, Shriya Boppana had been passionate about advocacy, and deeply involved in raising awareness and funds for causes like anti-sex trafficking. She would do whatever it took to achieve her goal – show up at community events to hand out flyers, volunteer, do community service, and more.

Read Shriya’ Global Indian story

Shrusti Amulya

The Maryland based teenager has been named a ‘Woman of Worth 2023’ by L’Oreal Paris for fighting food waste in America. The United States discards more food than any other country in the world. Approximately 31 percent (133 billion pounds) of the country’s overall food supply goes is wasted by consumers and retailers, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS). To address this problem in her community, Shrusti, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School, began the Rise N Shine Foundation.

Shrusti Amula

The youth-led initiative aims to tackle the effects of food waste through composting and food recovery programmes, and in the process – avert climate change. Shrusti has received many awards and recognition, apart from the ‘Woman of Worth 2023’ title by L’Oreal Paris.

Read Shrusti’s Global Indian story

Uday Bhatia

It was in the spring break of 2022 that the then 16-year-old Uday Bhatia embarked on a school project. His destination was the village of Bichpuri in Uttar Pradesh, where he aimed to mentor 30 students on financial literacy and ways to earn a sustainable livelihood. Little did he know that this endeavour would profoundly impact the lives of the village residents. It all began when his students turned up without homework the following day. When inquired, he learned about the frequent power outages plaguing the area, lasting between 6 to 8 hours each day, making it impossible for the students to finish their assignments. “The only alternative they had was kerosene lamps, which I found was harmful due to the release of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. Additionally, they posed risks of respiratory problems and eye irritation,” Uday told Global Indian.

Uday Bhatia

Motivated by the discovery, Uday delved into research and found that an inverter costs ₹10,000, the amount equivalent to the average income of many households in the village. This pushed him to find a low-cost solution, which he did with an emergency inverter bulb capable of providing 10 hours of power backup. The ground-breaking invention, that has illuminated 5000 households till now in five states, earned him the Diana Award 2023.

Read Uday’s Global Indian story

Oviya Singh

When Sadhguru recognised Oviya Singh’s efforts to spread awareness on soil conservation, the joy and elation of 12-year-old knew no bounds. “His acknowledgment in one of the Save Soil Campaign events and later, a mention of my name in the ‘youth in action’ section on his website, are recognitions that evoke indescribable emotions,” she smiled. The youngster became one of the youngest TEDx speakers in India last year, gaining recognition in India and beyond. The powerful public speaker has been using her gift of gab to motivate not just youngsters but also industrialists, public figures and government authorities to do their part in making the planet a better place through initiatives like soil conservation and other measures to enhance sustainability.

In 2023 she became the recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award that came with the opportunity of visiting the University of Oxford to receive the medal and the certicate in person. It was presented at the Global Peace Summit organised by the NRI Welfare Society in the UK.

Read Oviya’s Global Indian story

Anya Gupta

In 2022, Boca Raton, a city in Southern Palm Beach Country, Florida, announced that October 14 would be E-Waste Day. It was a triumph for Anya Gupta, the pre-teen environment advocate, and her efforts to protect the planet by addressing the elephant in the room – e-waste. Mayor Scott Singer passed the proclamation, helping Anya spread awareness about the harm caused by electronic waste on the environment. Anya has gathered over 1,000 pounds of electronic waste through her e-waste collection drives, ensuring that the e-waste generated by Boca Raton’s 100,000 inhabitants is reused or recycled, rather than ending up in a landfill.

At just 12 years of age, Anya Gupta is creating a significant impact as a passionate champion with a mission to safeguard the environment. The young environmentalist is the founder of the non-profit ‘Pennies for Penguins’ which she started with the purpose of ocean wildlife protection when she was barely five. In 2023 she won the Everyday Young Hero Award by Youth Service America for her committment to finding her voice, taking an action and creating an impact in her community. She has beem proud to pave the way for other young people, inspiring them to find their voice and take action.

Read Anya’s Global Indian story

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Published on 27, Dec 2023

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Rohan Varinakaval: Indian-American teen finds solution for schools amid air quality crisis

(February 17, 2024) It was in December of 2019 that while navigating through the bustling streets of Delhi, New Jersey-based Rohan Varinakaval had to hold his breath to avoid a cloud of smog. His tryst with Delhi's smog during his visit to India to meet his sick grandfather in a hospital left him shocked. It was a paradox - he could see that the capital was home to the best healthcare but at the time it was imprisoned by pollution, a result of farmers burning crop residue which was leading to an environmental health crisis. He found that this pollution is lessening the lifespan of an average Delhiite by nearly a decade. "Amidst this haze, thousands of students persistently attended school, their commitment to education unwavering. Students, even those with conditions such as asthma, were subjecting themselves to these toxic surroundings," said Rohan, who saw a void in the realm of air quality monitoring. This led him to take action, and he developed myAQI. Unlike regular monitors that only give air quality readings, myAQI does more. It gives schools easy advice based on current data. Instead of just knowing pollution levels, principals can get helpful tips like 'Keep students inside

Keep students inside during recess' or 'Open windows.'

[caption id="attachment_35898" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Rohan Varinakaval[/caption]

It began when Rohan realised that smog permeates through classrooms and even makes indoor learning environments safe, and the absence of air conditioning and filtration systems, it accelerates the risk. "Discussions with friends and family indicated that despite this grim scenario, the severe pollution was not being accorded priority, and school administrators were unable to address the health risks involved," he added.

On delving deeper, he found that air quality monitoring devices only provide data but do not interpret air quality data. Moreover, their usage in Indian schools was almost negligible. "They received current air quality figures, but no practical steps to counter the problem," revealed Rohan.

Passionate about engineering solutions, he was keen to find a solution. He spent countless hours talking to school leaders in both the US and India, making the app fit their needs, and fixing problems that popped up during testing the first version. So, using a particulate matter sensor and microprocessor, he created myAQI - a small, affordable air quality monitoring device designed especially for Indian schools. But what makes it different is its adaptability as Rohan understood that pollution affects people differently. Those who already have health problems like asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and COPD are more likely to get sick from bad air. His device helps provide customised recommendations for these sensitive groups, thus ensuring that everyone in the school, even those with health problems, stay safe.

"School administrators can install a myAQI device within their premises, register via an Android app, and obtain summaries of the air quality data. The most significant feature of the app, though, is its ability to offer recommendations for appropriate action based on the prevailing air quality and trends. It also allows administrators to view separate sets of suggestions tailored for different student populations with specific respiratory conditions such as asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and COPD," he added.

The Indian-American teen wants school leaders to use myAQI to help shape school rules, make smarter choices about dealing with air quality, and understand pollution levels inside their buildings better. His device can sit in a classroom and gather data from a small area, so leaders can put it where it's most needed.

Till now, the student at the Pingry School in New Jersey has distributed the device to ten schools in India, which include a total of over 16,000 students and is flooded with requests from many more schools. In the future, he wants to expand his project by providing several devices to each school. Additionally, he aims to inspire more young innovators to address environmental challenges globally.

[caption id="attachment_35901" align="aligncenter" width="368"] myAQI[/caption]

It was in December of 2019 that while navigating through the bustling streets of Delhi, New Jersey-based Rohan Varinakaval had to hold his breath to avoid a cloud of smog. His tryst with Delhi's smog during his visit to India to meet his sick grandfather in a hospital left him shocked. It was a paradox - he could see that the capital was home to the best healthcare but at the time it was imprisoned by pollution, a result of farmers burning crop residue which was leading to an environmental health crisis. He found that this pollution is lessening the lifespan of an average Delhiite by nearly a decade. "Amidst this haze, thousands of students persistently attended school, their commitment to education unwavering. Students, even those with conditions such as asthma, were subjecting themselves to these toxic surroundings," said Rohan, who saw a void in the realm of air quality monitoring.

This led him to take action, and he developed myAQI. Unlike regular monitors that only give air quality readings, myAQI does more. It gives schools easy advice based on current data. Instead of just knowing pollution levels, principals can get helpful tips like 'Keep students inside during recess' or 'Open windows.'

Follow Rohan Varinakaval on LinkedIn

Ishaan Patel: Indian-American’s nonprofit aids unprivileged kids in India & US

(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

width="720"] Ishaan Patel launched Planting Pencils[/caption]

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.

[caption id="attachment_25048" align="aligncenter" width="438"] Ishaan Patel[/caption]

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."

Follow Ishaan Patel on Linkedin

Reading Time: 4 min

Of notes and highs: Tiara Abraham is mesmerising the world with her beautiful voice

(August 16, 2022) When she first stepped on the stage, to sing at a school competition, she was merely four. A little nervous, the child finished her song to thunderous applause. That motivated Tiara Abraham to pursue a career in singing. Earlier this year, the 16-year-old soprano singer earned a bachelor's degree in vocal performance from the University of California, Davis. [caption id="attachment_20822" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Music major Tiara Abraham graduated UC Davis with many accolades[/caption] The Sacramento-resident, who started training in Western classical music when she was seven, has many feathers in the colourful hat she dons. From scoring 99 percent in the Mensa exam at four to releasing her first album 'Winter Nightingale' at the age of 10, Tiara is a true musical prodigy. Global Indian takes a look at the splendid journey of this budding soprano singer, who is currently studying opera music at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington. Vibing to glory A native of Kerala, Tiara's parents - veterinary doctor Dr. Taji Abraham and techie Bijou Abraham - came to the United States of America in the 80s. Their son, Tanishq, was also a child prodigy the Abraham couple realised that their

udding soprano singer, who is currently studying opera music at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Vibing to glory

A native of Kerala, Tiara's parents - veterinary doctor Dr. Taji Abraham and techie Bijou Abraham - came to the United States of America in the 80s. Their son, Tanishq, was also a child prodigy the Abraham couple realised that their daughter was inclined towards music and had a natural vibrato when she was just two years old. At four, just like her elder brother, Tiara too took the exam and scored a brilliant 99 percent, to become a member of MENSA, an organisation of high IQ individuals.

[caption id="attachment_20828" align="aligncenter" width="578"] Tiara with her brother Tanishq[/caption]

While everyone in her family comes from a STEM background, Tiara's dream of becoming a soprano singer was nourished by her father. He would drive her to early morning music classes before her school and helped grow her talent for singing. During her interaction with the press, the young singer also mentioned that she was inspired by her grandmother Thankam Mathew, who is the first Indian woman to receive her Ph.D. in veterinary medicine in the mid-1960s.

Tiara released her first album 'Winter Nightingale' at 10, which has her renditions of nine carols and holiday songs in English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, and even Latin. For this, she was invited to be a part of the Steve Harvey Show on NBC, where she gave an enthralling performance. "Well, I enjoy singing in those six different languages; and I enjoy speaking in them, and I like learning new languages,” she said during the show, adding, "So, I have taken nine semesters of Spanish, Italian, French and this semester I am taking German. I think my favourite is Italian because it is so flowy.”

[caption id="attachment_20830" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Tiara Abraham singing during the Premio Internazionale Giuseppe Sciacca Musica Award ceremony in Vatican[/caption]

Homeschooled through most of her early childhood, Tiara was ready to give high school examinations when she was 11. However, due to certain official requirements, she appeared in graduated from high school at the age of 13, and passing all the exams in a single attempt was ready for University.

Enchanting the world

Although at four she was a bit nervous for her first performance, with time Tiara became a very confident singer with a strong stage presence. In 2016, the young singer won her first international singing competition, held at the Carnegie Hall. As a music performance student at UC Davis, the young singer was also a part of the university's chorus.

[caption id="attachment_20831" align="aligncenter" width="585"] The music prodigy receiving the prestigious Global Child Prodigy Award, from Kiran Bedi[/caption]

As a young south Asian, who was learning Western Classical at the university, Tiara started researching other artists like herself. In 2020, the artist wrote and presented a paper on underrepresented artists of colour, such as composer Florence Price and poetess Georgia Douglas Johnson. Inspired by their work, she composed a song for soprano and piano based on a poem by Georgia Douglas Johnson. Relating to many issues that such artists faced, the singer is actively working towards eradicating any discrimination towards people of colours in the musical world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxWj-T--btE&t=408s

While studying at UC Davis, Tiara also became one of the youngest people to join two of the most prestigious academic honour societies — Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. In July, the music prodigy graduated from the university with a perfect 4.0 GPA, summa cum laude. With dreams of performing at the most prestigious opera houses around the world, Tiara joined Jacobs’s School of Music at Indiana University, to hone her vocal range.

Follow Tiara Abraham on LinkedIn and Instagram

Reading Time: 6 mins

How Bal Puraskar winners are shaping kid entrepreneurs

(February 11, 2022) These young achievers stepped up in the darkest times, helping society find relief during an unprecedented lockdown. They reached out to other children in need. The Bal Puraskar winners are in the limelight today, and are inspiring other pint-sized thinkers to address world issues. Holding his mother's hand and clutching an outsized bouquet, eight-year-old Pal Sakshi stepped out of the district magistrate's office, into a sea of cameramen outside. Despite the media attention, Sakshi's concerns were more pragmatic - as they walked through the crowd, he asked his mother where he could keep his bouquet at home. The eight-year-old prodigy, also a keen volunteer with the Swachh Bharat Mission, is one of four recipients of the Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022. As the country battled the pandemic, trying to survive the lockdowns in safety, Sakshi began conducting musical performances online for charity, sending the proceeds to the PM Cares Fund. That’s not all, the pre-teen whiz kid even developed an app to create awareness about Covid-19, listing various ways to stay safe. These efforts cannot be allowed to go in vain. and while the award ceremony was cancelled last year, the awardees were given a digital certificate, using

l certificate, using blockchain technology created by the government for the purpose.

Shaping young entrepreneurs

As Bal Puraskar awardees dominate the public discourse, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has even remarked, “While talking to you, I feel that the Indian government's efforts over the past few years to create jobs are having an impact. We have been promoting the idea of entrepreneurship in young people so they can make the nation stronger.” These words were said to 11-year-old Meedhansh, as he received his award at the local district administrative complex. When the Janta Curfew was imposed in March 2020, Meedhansh launched www.coronafreeworld.com, working tirelessly to post information on his online platform. He even started a medical helping service and has participated in the state-level corona prevention project, Mission Fateh, launched by a former CM of Punjab. He was also awarded by the government of Punjab for developing Mission Fateh's IT portal.

A solution to pandemic woes

The four young recipients are, undoubtedly, a powerhouse of talent. And each has tried to utilise those abilities towards making the world a better place. Through his portal, karnalcovid.in, 17-year-old Aakarsh Kaushal helped people in his district find access to real-time data regarding cases, deaths and RT-PCR test reports. Moved by what he saw during the pandemic, Aakarsh, always a passionate coder, decided to create the portal, which has had over 2,00,000 visitors. “Around the same number of RT PCR reports have been sent to patients directly on phones,” he posted on Facebook. He also created a portal to track the availability of beds in Karnal district, where the situation had grown dire. In the end, the initiative came to the authorities’ aid too, especially as it became a credible source of information.

Timely recognition can go a long way. Prasiddhi Singh, the 2021 awardee for social welfare, feels, “The award gave me recognition, and also a sense of responsibility towards society and the planet. To me, awards are not the destination but the motivation to achieve more.”

Driven to do more

Far from being driven to complacency, with recognition so early in life, these youngsters are even more driven. Prasiddhi is working on her latest mission, to plant one lakh trees by the end of 2022. Describing the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar as a “catalyst,” she says, “My mission to plant one lakh trees by the end of 2022 is almost complete, and I hope to accomplish the milestone with everybody’s support.”

It's the “magic mantra,” avers Anjali Razdan, director, academics, Meluha International School, Hyderabad. “Whether it is in a child or an adult, being recognised generates lifelong motivation. The appreciation coming from the Prime Minister will go a long way in shaping their character, building patriotic sensibilities and a liberated mindset, all ingredients for inculcating good citizenship.”

Visionaries beyond their years

Sixteen-year-old Abhinav was described as “wise” by the Prime Minister on Twitter. “Reading is among the greatest joys in our society. The wise Abhinav is using technology to popularise books and has helped many youngsters,” he tweeted. During the lockdowns, Abhinav helped 10,000 underprivileged children who couldn’t afford new books, by arranging second-hand copies through an online store, Cruise Books, designed for the purpose. He helped the reselling of some 30,000 books, and in the process, did the planet a good turn too. “I helped save around 19,000 trees,” he told the PM. His web store even provides low-cost printing services all over India, making it easy to sell and collect used books.

Although the young awardees say they would have no laurels without the support of their families and mentors, they are beyond doubt, stars in their own right. As the PM rightly emphasised, “for doing good, age is not a barrier. Youngsters have the potential to transform society for the better.”

(With inputs from Charu Thakur)

Reading Time: 4 min

D Kavin Vendhan: The Diana Awardee empowering peers through his non-profit

(April 3, 2022) Into his teens, a peer-education programme opened up new possibilities that gave the differently-abled a “smiley” to tackle life. Then a Class 8 student, D Kavin Vendhan gave students with special learning needs guidance at his school. A month into this not just changed his perspective, it also gave him a purpose. “It made me understand the importance of non-academic skills, and how every child has potential beyond marks,” says Kavin who founded Society for Motivation Innovative Leadership and Empowerment of Youth (Smiley) India, a non-profit initiative in 2019. The idea of empowering youngsters resonated with the youth of Chennai who came forward to participate in the programme. Kavin's Smiley India not only won the trust of youngsters but also picked the Ashoka Changemaker Award 2019 and Diana Award 2021. “It was a validation for the work that we have been doing over the years,” Kavin Vendhan tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_13948" align="aligncenter" width="709"] Kavin Vendhan with his Diana Award 2021[/caption] A special place for all children The Hyderabad-born Tamilian was a victim of bullying at his primary school. His father, a public health professional, with a transferable job, Kavin studied in over 12 schools. Often, it

an" width="709" height="473" /> Kavin Vendhan with his Diana Award 2021[/caption]

A special place for all children

The Hyderabad-born Tamilian was a victim of bullying at his primary school. His father, a public health professional, with a transferable job, Kavin studied in over 12 schools. Often, it was hard fitting in due to speech difficulties. “Kids made fun of me in primary school,” reveals Kavin who even confronted a friend for bullying another child at school. “I had been through it, and, as an act of vengeance, I also bullied students in middle school. However, something in me shifted looking at my friend. I asked myself if what we were doing was right,” says Kavin. His turning point became a beacon for other children to stand up against bullying. Empowered by the realisation that anyone has the power to bring about change, Smiley India is spearheading this movement.

Its full potential struck him in 2015 when he joined to help children at school. "Our school had children with special needs, and in the programme, each student was assigned a peer who would help them learn and grasp subjects better. That experience nourished me as a person and helped me imbibe the quality of empathy,” says the first-year law student even though the very next year, many were dropped from school citing “learning issues.”

[caption id="attachment_13946" align="aligncenter" width="656"] Kavin Vendhan during a workshop with school kids[/caption]

“Schools only value marks, and don't believe in a child's potential beyond that. That's when I realised the significance of skills and talent over marks,” says Kavin, committed to finding a solution. He joined hands with a handful of children from the programme, and launched Smiley India, a movement for the students and by the students.

Spreading smiles

“We focus on the importance of non-academic education, social responsibility, and addressing mental health issues,” says the Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University student whose aim is “Better Youth for Better India.”

“The youth is the future of India. We work on the overall development of young minds by conducting workshops. We give them a platform to speak their minds and understand the possibilities within,” adds the 18-year-old whose non-profit has 70 volunteers between 13-19 years of age across Chennai and Chengalpattu.

[caption id="attachment_13949" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Kavin with Smiley India volunteers[/caption]

One in seven Indians aged between 15-24 is depressed, according to a Unicef report, and Kavin is no stranger to this disorder. “There is so much going on in the minds of youngsters. We want them to open up in a protective environment without any sense of shame or guilt. Not many open up to adults about mental health issues. We bridge that gap, as we encourage them to speak to peers who act as a support group," says the young changemaker who started training peers as counsellors, reaching out to 1,500 students.

A benchmark for all

Kavin believes that the “pressure in the educational system” pushes students to the brink and they feel “isolated.” “We try to build trust. About 90 percent of the issues are minor and can be taken care of at the initial stage, but serious cases are referred to psychologists,” says Kavin who witnessed a rise in suicide among youngsters during the lockdown. “It becomes more important to speak to youngsters at a time when they feel isolated with a lack of social support.”

His relentless work earned Kavin a Diana Award in 2021. “I felt grateful to the 40 volunteers for their hard work,” he beams with pride. The young changemaker is ecstatic that the awards and recognition have “changed perspectives” of people towards his non-profit. “The tables have turned. Now, schools approach us to conduct workshops and sessions,” says an excited Kavin, answering the early skepticism of volunteers' parents.

[caption id="attachment_13947" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Kavin Vendhan creating awareness among school teachers[/caption]

The laurels have been the perfect nudge for Smiley India, but not without the challenges. With almost no resources, Kavin found it hard to “bridge the distance between his vision and reality.” Also, as a young organisation with teenager founders, trust had to be built. “At times, even volunteers questioned themselves and their mission,” reveals Kavin, who is planning to expand Smiley India’s mission to Tamil Nadu and other southern states. “The aim is to create a peer-based programme, and make them understand that change can be sustained in school,” avers Kavin.

The self-proclaimed movie buff finds life lessons in films like KungFu Panda and Spiderman. The avid reader indulges in martial arts too. The changemaker gives his parents the credit for “supporting me blindly and instilling the ideals in my mind.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwo02fERnJQ

Kavin aspires to get into civil services by cracking the UPSC exam next. Smiley India’s good work will continue. “It has now become a functional organism with a life of its own,” adds Kavin.

The young changemaker advises fellow youngsters to “follow your heart and dreams,” he feels, adding, "Everyone has a unique purpose in life. Try hard to make it a reality."

Follow D Kavin Vendhan on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min