Power of Linguistics: Prasiddha Sudhakar’s path to the Critical Language Scholarship
By: Amrita Priya
(May 19, 2024) United States-born Prasiddha Sudhakar has grown up in six different countries. “I have an international background, and this really shaped my worldview. I think that learning languages was always a big part of it,” said the 23-year-old.
Prasiddha, a master’s student at the Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy at the Carnegie Mellon University, has been chosen for the 2024 Critical Language Scholarship (CLS). Through this immersive program, she will have the opportunity to delve into intensive Hindi language studies in India. The CLS is a highly competitive scholarship programme, with an acceptance rate of approximately 10 percent. It offers U.S. students a chance to deeply engage with languages and cultures vital to U.S. security and economic well-being.
Prasiddha Sudhakar | Photo Credit: CMU
Prasiddha realised that learning Hindi would be crucial for understanding the cultural dynamics shaping the online Indian communities she studies as part of her research. She applied for the CLS and was thrilled to be selected.
At home, the Indian-origin youngster speaks Tamil and sees the scholarship as a great opportunity. “Being able to reconnect with my heritage in some way, like learning Hindi, is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child. I’m really excited and thankful for the opportunity,” she said. She can also converse in French, Dutch, Spanish, German, and Persian.
Combining passion and work
In addition to being a master’s student, Prasiddha works as a civic technologist at the Network Contagion Research Institute in the US. Her passion for languages extends into her work, where she focuses on countering hate speech and misinformation. She monitors emerging social issues on the internet, performs cyber forensics, and uses datasets to uncover inauthentic or harmful online activities.
The Pittsburgh based youngster has published papers examining anti-Hindu and anti-Muslim movements, and her contributions have been featured on platforms like the Washington Post. Prasiddha embraced multilingual education from a young age. “It was always an integral part of my life. You would be in a country where you don’t know the language, so you’d have to pick it up rapidly,” the Global Indian remarked.
Prasiddha Sudhakar
In 2022, Prasiddha graduated from Rutgers University with a double major in computer science and economics, alongside a minor in critical intelligence studies. During her undergraduate years, she earned a prestigious public policy and international affairs fellowship at Heinz College of the Carnegie Mellon University. Throughout her academic and professional journey, she has consistently advocated for adopting a global outlook when addressing pivotal societal matters. She served as the president of the Rutgers Hindu Students Council.
Love for India and its culture
Although Prasiddha was born and brought up in the West, she is deeply connected to her native country. “In my childhood, there was not a single summer that I didn’t go to India,” she recalled. “As a youngster brought up in the West, I turned to religion instead of moving away from it,” she added. In her native place, Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, Prasiddha loved walking barefoot, absorbing the spiritual energies of the place.
In the U.S., she would go to temples and observe rituals there as well as at home, questioning their significance. “However, I realised the deeper meanings only later. I think that’s a natural progression for young Hindus,” she explains.
“I wear a bindi and other symbols that openly show me as a Hindu, but this often leads to not just light questioning but hostility. I have been asked, ‘Why is your head bleeding?’ and have been called ‘dot head’ in classrooms and other academic settings. This is not just ignorance but hostility towards who I am,” she said in a BBC podcast. Prasiddha speaks vociferously on Hinduism and its impact and is frequently invited to discussions at prestigious forums.
“I’ve been asked so many times, ‘Don’t you have 33 million gods? What’s the point?’ There isn’t a model Hindu education system in the West, leading to such ignorance. This is something the Hindu community should address by creating more educational opportunities in the West,” Prasiddha Sudhakar stated in an interview with the BBC last year.
(April 19, 2023) 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. “Over time, these community spaces weren’t big enough for some of the initiatives and in college, I stepped on the Miss India DC stage as an ambassador for the Save our Stars Foundation to raise money for an HIV clinic in Nepal,” Shriya tells Global Indian. This turned out to be a great turning point in her life. [caption id="attachment_29357" align="aligncenter" width="568"] Shriya Boppana[/caption] Little did she know that she would end up participating in the competition and winning the first runner-up title in the contest. “After that, I had no plans of competing in the nationals of Miss India America 2020 until some friends encouraged me to show up. I won completely accidentally - no training, no planning, no preparation,” says the youngster. “That crown catapulted me and my advocacy into the media limelight overnight and I got featured everywhere from ABC to the Wall Street Journal,”
2020 until some friends encouraged me to show up. I won completely accidentally - no training, no planning, no preparation,” says the youngster.
“That crown catapulted me and my advocacy into the media limelight overnight and I got featured everywhere from ABC to the Wall Street Journal,” she says.
Opportunity to host her TV show
After her win in the Miss India America contest, Shriya’s popularity caught the eye of producers at Fox 5 Plus/GTV who offered the youngster her segment on-air, Becoming a Voice with Shriya Boppana.
“My show has hosted popular voices from political candidates such as Deja Foxx of the Kamala Harris Campaign to Maria Thattil, Miss Universe Australia, all the way to Jared Isaacman of SpaceX’s Inspiration4, and reached more than six million households. My efforts in educating the public on gender-based violence got hugely successful” tells Shriya.
After doing a season of the show the youngster stepped down to work for Nickelodeon and AwesomenessTV in talent casting. By that time the youngster already had more than twelve years of experience in theater acting under her belt. “I guess the opportunities that I got after winning the crown were a ripple effect of my win. I had only planned to do two things in life - acting and advocacy” she says. The unplanned foray into the world of pageantry and subsequent win turned out to be a game-changer, helping her reach her goals more easily both in advocacy and acting.
“I received a lot of love, support, and attention from the media and audiences. I cannot thank everyone enough for consistently believing in me and providing me opportunities to grow,” she tells.
Acting - a passion
As a schoolgirl apart from studies, Shriya had been an avid pursuer of the theatrical arts, musicals, and films. She has won awards for her performances in short films like Love is Louder which was a semi-finalist at the All-American High School Film Festival. Shriya was also cast in a full-length feature film Water with a Slice of Lemon which debuted in DC theaters in 2018. In 2020, she starred in the Chinmaya Mission-sponsored short film, Been on Sale.
Her interest in performing arts has led to several achievements in the sphere of dancing as well. Shriya has competed nationally for her premiere collegiate Bollywood fusion dance team - Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Sahara, winning multiple trophies for her alma mater. As much as she likes competing, the youngster loves to organise events. She has been the youngest board member of the National Bollywood Dance Championship, Legends in the US. Her academic training in marketing helped her in taking up the role of the Public Relations chair at the non-profit, Desi Dance Network Inc for two years where she raised awareness about South Asian performing arts.
The multifaceted beauty queen
A recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Shriya is a full-time interactive development consulting analyst working with Accenture in the US. She majored in business administration with a double concentration in marketing, and leadership and organisational effectiveness with a minor in psychology.
At the CMU campus, her advocacy was in full swing. She worked for minority, religious, generational, and socioeconomically weaker communities to strive for equality on the campus against battles supporting sexual assault victims, LGBTQ+ members, immigrants, international students, and ‘everyone in-between’.
[caption id="attachment_29356" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Shriya at one of the Carnegie Mellon University's functions[/caption]
Always a good student and multi-tasker, Shriya has represented CMU as the vice president of communications in their chapter of the American Marketing Association and volunteered as the vice president of marketing for the Carnegie Mellon Business Association, and vice president of internal affairs for CMU Women in Business.
Winning along the way
The youngster loves participating in contests. In 2018 she won the Deloitte Start-Up Case competition bagging the third position. She was the only CMU freshman chosen to compete that year. Along with her team members, Shriya took her BusyBus business idea into the world of real-time technology and was even nominated for Forbes 30-under-30 in the consumer technology category.
The multifaceted beauty queen also dabbles in the freelance design and marketing world when time permits. “I kickstarted my content creation career after winning Miss India America and have partnered with many incredible brands like Amazon Prime, Bumble, Handshake, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Adobe, Tangle Teezer, Mugler, and Tommy Hilfiger to name a few,” she says.
Love for India
Though Shriya moved to the US with her parents when she was just five and a half years old, her tie with India is strong. “I visit India at least once a year for a month at a time, minimum. It’s important for me to stay in touch with my extended family,” she says adding, “I was raised in Indian culture for a good portion of my developmental years and find joy in mixing both the American and Indian identities as much as possible. Whether it’s the clothes, the media, the food, or the religion, I partake in all aspects of my daily life to keep my roots strong and homegrown,” the youngster shares.
Significant collaborations and initiatives
In 2021 Shriya Boppana joined the Obama Foundation and Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance partnership.
As STF Global Youth Ambassador advocating for girls’ rights, she teamed up with famous actress, Brooke Shields to raise awareness for sexual health education of girls for the #GirlsGetLoud campaign.
She has partnered with the popular beauty brand, Bobbi Brown, for their ‘Pretty Powerful’ campaign.
Shriya holds sexual assault clinics in partnership with Bachpan Save the Innocence in India. In their partnership, they have sensitized above 6000 individuals at more than 320 orphanages, schools, slums, and colleges with over 10 different programs like safe and unsafe touch, consent and puberty, digital safety, cybercrime, sexual abuse, and trafficking.
The Indian American youngster conducted light-hearted discussions about mental health and relationships, and self-health as a radio jockey on Radio Zindagi, reaching more than one million listeners in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Indo-Caribbean community.
COVID-19’s aftermath deeply vexes her. It changed a carefree 16-year-old to a thinking and inventing one. Innovator and STEM whiz Neha Shukla spent the pandemic-driven lockdowns leveraging science and technology to create social change. She invented a device — SixFeetApart — a wearable social distancing sonic sensor cap which beeps or vibrates when the six foot distance is breached, thus helping slow the spread of Covid-19. Even more credible is that her expectant childlike smile adorned the Nasdaq screen at New York City’s Times Square in 2020 as a ticker congratulated Neha for developing SixFeetApart. The recent Diana Award recipient is thrilled as she speaks with passion about STEM and spreading knowledge on her travels across the US on science and entrepreneurship. [caption id="attachment_8062" align="aligncenter" width="536"] Neha Shukla on the Nasdaq screen at Times Square[/caption] The Indian-origin Pennsylvania resident from Cumberland Valley High School taught herself engineering and technology during lockdown, and her invention is an attempt to address world problems. Honored with the Diana Award for social action and humanitarian work, it was her research on SixFeetApart and running global Innovation and STEM workshops to build the next generation of young problem-solvers and innovators tackling the world’s biggest problems that set her apart. “I’ve impacted over 45,000 students through my sessions. I aim to reach over 100,000 students
e Indian-origin Pennsylvania resident from Cumberland Valley High School taught herself engineering and technology during lockdown, and her invention is an attempt to address world problems. Honored with the Diana Award for social action and humanitarian work, it was her research on SixFeetApart and running global Innovation and STEM workshops to build the next generation of young problem-solvers and innovators tackling the world’s biggest problems that set her apart. “I’ve impacted over 45,000 students through my sessions. I aim to reach over 100,000 students around the world by partnering with corporate companies and local organizations! It means so much to be recognized by Princess Diana as she represents kindness, humanitarian spirit, and service above self. It was also a wonderful surprise to hear Prince Harry’s words of encouragement at the awards ceremony,” Neha Shukla told Global Indian in an exclusive interview.
The world of science is ever changing, and her invention too has evolved. It has grown to three devices to be more accessible — an original SixFeetApart hat, a lanyard for school and corporate settings and an armband for on-the-go safety, and is now available on the Google Play Store as a companion app for the device.
“I’m most excited about the potential of creating real-world impact amid the new wave of Delta variant seeing a surge, especially in India. I hope that SixFeetApart is a small part of the solution to saving lives. The research paper detailing the creation and data behind SixFeetApart will be published in the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) in London this September,” adds Neha.
Neha was recently chosen by Masayoshi Son, CEO, SoftBank, to join the Masason Foundation and will receive grants, lab facilities, and mentorship for all future innovations too. The recipient of the National Gold Presidential Service Award from President Joe Biden, her scientific explorations have come a long way from when she would code apps using a block coder, and even started designing a heart rate-oximeter. Neha believes that caring enough about a problem, and being willing to take action, and solving it is the key to growth.
Mentors to nurture her mindset
[caption id="attachment_8063" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Neha Shukla and her inventions[/caption]
That, and having parents who are amazing mentors has nurtured her scientific mindset. Her parents Bharti and Rajiv Shukla are IIT and Harvard alumni — thus asking questions and exploring was encouraged at home.
“I’m currently working on a new innovation to diagnose neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimers' and Parkinsons' at an early-stage using brain-computer interfaces and artificial intelligence. I’m excited to begin my research and create my innovation starting Fall 2021,” she says.
Even through the pandemic which was “definitely a struggle”, Neha kept focused. “The silver lining of being at home during quarantine has been the ability to explore new research, innovate, and be able to expand the scope of my innovation sessions to students across the world.” By Spring 2022, she plans to launch her book Innovation for Everyone - a guide on Innovation, Problem-Solving, and STEM. The book aims to equip students, adults, and organizations to leverage science and technology to solve problems.
Advocate for innovation
[caption id="attachment_8064" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Neha Shukla with the Presidential Award[/caption]
The entrepreneurship ambassador for girls, TEDx Speaker and global teen leader also runs Innovation and STEM workshops for students. As an advocate for innovation and youth in science and technology, she says, “Seeing children from even the first or second grade getting excited about innovation and coming up with tangible solutions to pollution, etc, within a 45-minute session is amazing. I see this as a testament that young people need to be a part of the dialogue to solve global problems," says the girl who believes in harnessing her knowledge for positive action. (You can sign up for workshops on her website at: https://bit.ly/NehaShuklaWorkshop)
Selected as a 2021 Global Teen Leader from the 3 times Grammy-winning artist Nile Rodgers’ We Are Family Foundation, she aims to continue her mission to help build the next generation of problem-solvers and innovators. “As a Global Teen Leader, I had the opportunity to spend the summer attending the virtual Just Peace Summit, where we learned from experts around the world, met iconic peacemakers and industry experts, and celebrated the work that all the 40 amazing Global Teen Leaders are doing.”
Neha is also the Youth Ambassador for NYU Stern School of Business’ Endless Frontier Labs where she sits amidst venture capitalists and emerging startups in deep tech, to unscramble the world of VCs and startups. For her, this augurs her foray into business, product development and entrepreneurship, which incidentally, she is already doing as executive director at Boss Ladies. She was recently awarded the Whitaker Centre's 2021 Women in STEM - Rising Star. One of Neha’s most fervent drivers is the urge to solve climate change, healthcare and cybersecurity.
Of family ties and roots
[caption id="attachment_8065" align="aligncenter" width="633"] Neha Shukla working on SixFeetApart[/caption]
Quite Indian at heart, she loves celebrating Diwali with her grandparents, cousins, and family in Mumbai and Pune. Ever thankful for parents who are proud and supportive, she adds, “It means so much to me that they believe in the work that I’m doing. I definitely couldn’t have created SixFeetApart or any other innovation without their support."
"They have always encouraged me to be curious about the world, but let me figure out things on my own — no spoon feeding. My dad is an avid reader who inculcated in me the idea that it is possible to have a super deep knowledge of all subjects. His knowledge is so deep and wide, it’s crazy,” she smiles.
A piano player who loves Beethoven, Mozart, and even contemporary tunes like Rag Time, Neha also strums the acoustic guitar. She paints too — oils and acrylic, with a love for landscapes and still art. Her sister Niharika, her playing companion, is incidentally also a budding innovator.
If science excites you, she urges,
“Start now! The world needs your unique talents and ideas, so find a real-world problem and begin innovating. Put your creativity and imagination towards solving a problem and use frameworks like my three-step process to guide you. Anyone can be a problem-solver, anyone can be an innovator.”
Her goal is to follow her parents’ footsteps and join Harvard, or MIT, but before that, Neha Shukla is busy — taking STEM knowledge to the world.
(March 7, 2022) When Hyderabad boy 15-year-old Hemesh Chadalavada saw how disoriented his Alzheimer-suffering grandmother was, he felt helpless. The young innovator worked on a Stem-based app and wearable device that would not only monitor her movements, but also give families a respite from the endless worry. [embed]https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1353690264343220224?s=20&t=fQeXi7ZraOmLTwshDgc5ig[/embed] The young innovator received the Pradhan Mantri Rastriya Bal Shakti Puraskar 2021 for his unique invention. His device, Alpha Monitor, signals caregivers and family members when a patient wanders off, and also sends vital stats, thus helping in the care of such patients. How concern led to innovation “Alzheimer’s is similar to forgetfulness; it destroys memories and other brain functions. My grandmother is one amongst many suffering from the disease. A study reveals that every 30 seconds, one individual in the world develops symptoms of Alzheimer’s. This is a huge problem that I wanted to solve,” says the young innovator in a conversation with Global Indian. Since aged six, Hemesh was captivated with the internet, “I remember watching many YouTube videos about arts and crafts. I used to put my learned skills into practice often. Soon, I started working on basic electronic projects like building electronic cars, fans, etc. By the time
ned skills into practice often. Soon, I started working on basic electronic projects like building electronic cars, fans, etc. By the time I was in my fifth grade, I learned coding and progressed onto more useful projects,” the young innovator explains.
His visits to his grandmother in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh opened his eyes to her struggles. “I realised that one of the biggest problems with my grandmother was that she used to wander off early morning or late at night, and the family and caregivers were left worried. We were fortunate that she didn’t get lost,” says the young innovator, who was intrigued enough to reach out to the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India. There, he came across a family that had been in search of a loved one, an Alzheimer’s patient, for the past 20 years. “It was sad, they had given up hope. I thought why not develop something that would impact people around me like my grandmother,” says the Hyderabad-based Stem aspirant. He then went on to create a device that gave doctors, caregivers and family real-time information on their loved ones.
Thinking differently
Alpha Monitor’s first prototype was a wrist band that detected a patient’s movements – whether asleep, standing or walking. “I spent the 2019 summer on building a prototype to test out the concept. It is different from other products in the market. Other devices have not integrated a sensor called a gyroscope which I have,” smiles the young innovator.
[caption id="attachment_11998" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Hemesh with Governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundrarajan[/caption]
“Existing devices are similar to a GPS tracker around the neck that patients can easily remove, and are prone to breakage. Some devices like doormats detect if a patient steps on it but are chunky, and can be bypassed. My innovation is based on an algorithm gyroscope model that reflects even if a person rolls on the bed, or places his hands on the floor. It alerts when the patient gets up, and starts wandering through a phone call, unlike just a phone alert, that other products offer,” adds the Jubilee Hills Public School student.
A health monitor too
As his grandmother required regular checkups, which were tough due to her uncontrolled movements, Hemesh’s remote healthcare system bridged a huge gap. Data related to her pulse, heartbeat etc could be sent to a doctor at intervals. “I developed an android app that the doctor could download which connected to the gyroscope device via bluetooth,” smiles the young innovator.
Initially, the device was a wristband. Experts at ARDSI suggested a coin-sized reduction and customisation so it could be used as a wrist or leg band, or pinned on. They loved his useful tech-based solution.
Recognitions and inspirations
The young innovator won at Ideate for India - out of 1,33,000 students, he was among 50 chosen. Recipient of the Macmillan Budding Scientist Award, the Bal Shakti Puraskar was most precious, "I am honoured to receive the award. It is special because it is a recognition from the government of India, which motivates me to do impactful work."
[caption id="attachment_12000" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Hemesh with Former Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad[/caption]
Hemesh’s parents Kishore and Sandhya have been hugely encouraging. “They have been supportive throughout, even when I was working on my little arts and crafts projects in class 1,” he smiles. The Telangana State Innovation Cell serves as his role model, inspiring him to innovate. Hemesh is working on a startup - CreatoWise.com, a hub for YouTubers following in the footsteps of his BBA brother and homemaker mother who run a channel 'Simplify Your Home with Sandhya' with over 5 lakh subscribers.
[caption id="attachment_12001" align="aligncenter" width="673"] Hemesh with his family[/caption]
Internet, coding, and math are his passions. “Internet is a huge knowledge bank. People should not just be passive users but apply the knowledge. If one watches coding videos, they can be applied to gain knowledge in developing new projects. My favorite subject - math requires one to apply fundamentals. Since, I am not a fan of memorising, coding and building projects fit perfectly,” says Hemesh, who sees himself as an entrepreneur empowering the world with powerful innovations in the years to come.
(March 23, 2024) Prajwal Pingali loves to challenge his lungs and limbs, 24x7. Each time the youngster bounces his way down the rutted trails and rocks on his mountain bike, he’s on cloud nine. He has had his share of nasty falls and close shaves, but that hardly comes in the way of his next big adventure. “I love the feeling that no matter how hard you prepare for the race, you will always be bested by the mountains. They are brutal to everyone and especially those who set out to win,” smiles ace mountain biker and cyclist Prajwal Pingali, as he settles down for an exclusive with Global Indian. Racing life From the US to India and Belgium to Germany, the 22-year-old has been riding non-stop in the last few years, participating in one event after the other, both nationally and internationally. “Mountain biking really requires very little to get in. You need a bike, safety gear, and a positive attitude,” says Prajwal. The youngster has been cycling since his days in the US, where his family had shifted for four years, since 2001. “But I only started cycling as a sport around 2012 after moving back to Hyderabad when a
ternationally. “Mountain biking really requires very little to get in. You need a bike, safety gear, and a positive attitude,” says Prajwal.
The youngster has been cycling since his days in the US, where his family had shifted for four years, since 2001. “But I only started cycling as a sport around 2012 after moving back to Hyderabad when a friend of mine rode 66 km on his cycle with his dad for Independence Day,” he recalls.
That sparked something in Prajwal Pingali and he knew he had to give it a try. He joined his friend for a couple of short rides ranging from 2-5 km and decided to train up for the 100km Republic Day Ride. “It took a bit of time to build up the confidence and strength to undertake such a ride. Finally in 2014 I completed my first 100km ride with my friend on Republic Day.”
Long rides
Things developed quickly from there. In 2014, Prajwal rode 500-km from Hyderabad to Sevagram within three days. Thereafter, he kept riding the Ultra-endurance rides with different groups. In 2016, he met riders and the owners of The Bike Affair, a specialty bike store in Hyderabad. “They were extremely friendly and welcoming. I bought my first road bike at the end of the same year for an 800 km ride from Chikmagalur to Gokarna. It was with this same group that I enrolled for my first road race in December 2016,” he says.
But that turned out to be an unpleasant experience for Prajwal as he couldn’t keep up and didn’t finish the race in the end. “That was not going to pass with me. I was determined to race and win,” informs Prajwal, who then stepped up the focus and preparations which led him into full time racing.
First win
In 2017, he began participating in several cycling championships in Hyderabad and Bangalore. In October that year, Prajwal won his first Stage Race, Tour of Glory (a road race that takes place over multiple days with winners for each stage and an overall winner.
Around this time, two of his school friends who were also cyclists, convinced him to get a mountain bike (MTB) and join them on the trails. Prajwal’s first ever road racing bike was a Merida Scultura 200 2017 and his first ever mountain bike was a Merida big seven 20D. He now owns four bikes, all for different purposes and uses, which includes Specialized Tarmac SL6 2018 (road racing), Specialized Epic 2019 (Cross Country Racing), Merida Scultura 200 2017 (general purpose) and 4. Commencal Meta 29 AM 2021 (Enduro and Downhill race bike, his current primary bike).
The year of racing
The year 2018 was the year of racing for Prajwal. He would spend one weekend every month travelling to Bangalore to participate in races followed by a summer in Belgium to race there and upon his return, it was right back to travelling from location to location across India to race.
In 2018, he won the Inter-district Mountain Bike meet in U-18 category and set the fastest time of the track in all categories. He stood 2nd in the Inter-district road race (U18) and at the MTB Nationals, he placed 6th in the XCO (cross country olympic) and 9th in the XCT (Cross Country Timed). “To wrap up the year, I raced in the International Race, MTB Kerala, organised by the Cycling Federation of India and the Union Cycliste Internationale,” he informs.
Since then, Prajwal Pingali has been racing countless races in Road and MTB in many places across India. “I now race Enduro and Downhill races,” he says.
Competing in Belgium
Belgium is a world apart in terms of difficulty and competition, feels the young mountain biker. “Like many European nations, sports is an extremely important aspect of daily life and the culture around cycling is very supported there,” he says.
Prajwal rode shoulder-to-shoulder in a group of 60-100 at speeds between 30-80 kmph. He participated in nine races but could finish only two. “Racing in Belgium was quite difficult and required a lot of effort,” recalls the youngster.
Tough race
Prajwal’s personal pick for his toughest race is Monduro, a race held in Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh, organised by the Tawang Cycling Association in 2023.
The two-day Enduro race takes place at an altitude of 4000m above sea level, the highest enduro race in the world. “As this race takes place on herding trails, the trails have a raw feel to them, very chattery and bumpy and they stretch on for what feels like eternity,” says Prajwal.
The rock gardens are massive and technical and above all, the competition has strong riders from across the world. “Monduro has my heart. Apart from the race, it is the location and the kind and friendly people there that make me want to return to the place,” says the champ.
Hyderabad to US
Born in Hyderabad in September 2001, his family shifted to Philadelphia, US for about 4 years. Prajwal was just nine months old then.
In his growing up years, Prajwal was interested in many sports, physics, history, acting and theatre productions. His father, Pratap Pingali works as a Mentor for startups and businesses in T-Hub (Telangana Hub) while his mother runs the HUFT (Heads Up For Tails, Hyderabad) store chain.
Prajwal studied in no less than four different schools — Sloka (primary), Parkwood School International (primary), Glendale International School (middle), and Sancta Maria International School (high).
Work outs
Racing requires a lot of practice and working out, on and off the bike. Prajwal’s normal routine would include between 5-6 days of working out, ranging from on-bike high intensity interval training, on-bike endurance, skills sessions, fun trail rides, as well as off-bike strength training, Off-bike high intensity interval training, and muscle activation/engagement exercises.
Prajwal Pingali is not a strong advocate for strict diets unless there is a specific reason and it is monitored by a medical expert. The rule for him is simple — “everything in moderation. If you eat it, you have to burn it.”
Destination Dirt
In Hyderabad, Prajwal Pingali is part of a Mountain Biking group called Destination Dirt where the members build trails, organise meetups and rides, as well as host beginners to MTB workshops and teach people to safely ride trails and enjoy themselves. “We have riders of different levels and backgrounds.”
The dangers of the sport
Unfortunately, says Prajwal, cycling in any form is very dangerous in India. “MTB is in my opinion safer than commuting or road racing since the chance of a two-ton vehicle slamming into you is basically non-existent,” feels the MTB champion adding that all the risk in MTB is in the hands of the rider and not someone else.
In 2019, Prajwal had a major accident when a car crashed into him as he was cycling around Araku Valley with his team. “I suffered injuries to my head and leg. The impact was such that I was briefly sent flying and landed close to the edge of the hill, luckily there were barriers,” he recalls.
The mountain biker has had crashes before but none this serious. “I was hospitalised and had to get a skin graft. I was wheel-chair bound for one month,” says Prajwal, adding almost 98% of his falls have been injury-free or barely anything serious.
This experience shaped his life. “The way we build our cities and roads must change to prevent needless deaths due to a split second mistake or a distracted driver. Our safety should not be entrusted in others’ hands,” he says.
What does mountain biking take?
“You will fall from time to time, you will not be racing at the pro level immediately, you will make mistakes and sometimes parts will break, but if you don’t fuss and whine about every issue and actually believe in yourself, then you can easily become a mountain biker,” says Prajwal.
Life outside of cycling
Prajwal says he deals with ADHD and is neuro-divergent. “I tend to have a vast multitude of passions and hobbies that I take up and add to my skill set, like tools in a box,” he says.The youngster has a keen interest in History and Physics, likes playing the bass guitar, drumming, action photography and videography. He loves camping and hiking, blogging, theatre and acting, dance and even typewriting.
Prajwal Pingali always wanted to become a pilot. “Covid-19 badly affected the plan. Although the dream is alive and burning strong, it must sit on the backburner till the moment is right,” says the cyclist, who is currently helping his family run their franchisee, HUFT in Hyderabad.
Currently, he is applying to many colleges in Germany for a BSc in Geography with a focus on Urban Planning. “I chose Germany as I have lived there and like the access to mountain biking trails and resources that I have. It is also beneficial that I can speak in German.”
(January 19, 2022) Come February, the world will witness two Indian child prodigies - young innovator Vinisha Umashankar and teen golfer Avani Prashanth gracing the stage in Dubai to receive the Global Child Prodigy Award 2022. If one is an activist to protect green cover, the other teen wonder is India’s number one amateur golfer. It’s their contribution to the world of innovation and sports that’s made them stand tall among the 100 child prodigies from across the globe. https://twitter.com/Vinisha27738476/status/1470675490134388739 With their passion, dynamism, and appetite to learn and adapt fast, the youth of today is bringing an incremental change in society, and putting India on the global map. While their work is attracting global attention, their efforts are being lauded and recognised too, helping catapult them into the league of future leaders. Be it social activist Devanshi Ranjan who has won the Diana Award 2021 for her work to uplift marginalised groups in highly sensitive rural areas in India or teenage brothers Vihaan and Nav Agarwal who received the Children’s Peace Prize 2021 for tackling pollution in their home city by recycling household waste - these youngsters are making the right noise with their work and the well-deserved recognition.
It's these laurels and accolades that has made these youngsters a name to reckon with, and helped them find their tribe. Bengaluru's Sia Godika was a regular teenager working for a social cause until she found herself in London brushing shoulders with the bigwigs while receiving the Diana Legacy Award 2021. The girl behind Sole Warriors initiative that collects used shoes, refurbishes them, and donates them to the needy, has found an army of supporters and mentors, thanks to the accolades bestowed on her.
“The recognition which ensues is extremely helpful as it allows me to build a network of volunteers, supporters, and mentors. During the Diana Legacy Award, I connected with many international do-gooders. I met a co-awardee from Liberia who was so impressed with my initiative that he is helping me expand Sole Warriors to his country,” Sia shares with Global Indian.
Amplifying the impact through guidance
The awards ceremonies often work as the perfect platform for young minds to meet mentors, exchange ideas, and find healthy support systems. This synergy helps amplify the impact multifold. STEM innovator Niharika Shukla, whose ASD device helps detect autism, agrees, “The support and mentorship I’ve received from companies through awards, scholarships, and programmes have enabled me to learn more about technology and increase my impact through creating innovations to solve problems.”
The 2021 Science Fair Grand Champion and Broadcom MASTERS Top 300, Niharika is finding solutions to global issues, and believes that the support paves a way for better prospects. “Even though I’m only 14-years-old, and in middle school, support and mentorship from companies encouraging youth innovators goes a long way in helping me pave a way for my future in STEM careers and studies in college in technology and innovation,” adds the 14-year-old researcher.
Sia, too, believes in the power of such opportunities as they open the floor for interaction and knowledge dissemination. “During the Diana Legacy Award ceremony, I had the opportunity to meet CEOs, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and influencers who have their social ventures. They taught us how to manage stress, set SMART goals for ourselves, deal with the mental challenges which come with working in a challenging sector at a young age,” adds Sia, the recipient of APJ Abdul Kalam Social Volunteer Award 2021. She informs that she will be a part of a two-year mentorship programme where awardees like her are helped by mentors in their initiatives.
Motivation is the key
For some youth, motivation is the driving force to keep up the good work, and Feeding India founder Ankit Kawatra is the perfect example of it. After being selected as the United National Young Leader for Sustainable Development Goals in 2016 for tackling the issue of food waste in India, he received the Queen Young Leaders Award in 2017 for his contribution to solving India’s hunger crisis. His exceptional work has helped serve over 15.3 crore meals as of September 2021, and he takes every award as a guiding light towards fulfilling his mission.
Sharing a picture with Queen Elizabeth II, he tweeted, “Throwback to the day I was honoured by Her Majesty the Queen of England at the Buckingham Palace for my work at @FeedingIndia. Thank you @queenscomtrust and my fellow @QueensLeaders for motivating me to always work harder!”
Vinisha, who designed solar ironing cart, found her moment in the sun after she received the Children's Climate Prize 2020 and was the finalist for The Earthshot Prize 2021. Calling the award a stepping stone,she says, "I was happy that environmental innovations like a solar ironing cart got due recognition. It can play a crucial role in reducing environmental damage and climate change. I hope my innovation motivates students to innovate on products that could help protect the environment for future generations. I am happy that the solar ironing cart is my little contribution towards an ambitious goal.”
Paving the future
But more than anything, these honours are helping young minds carve a bright future for themselves. For the Indian American 2021 Global Teen Leader Jeeva Senthilnathan, such recognition has helped her in building trust within the community. The Chicago-based teenager, who is hoping to create change through leadership and mental health awareness, calls it the perfect validation for her work.
“I want people to know that I am a trusted leader, and with these recognitions, I think that I know it will pave the way for me when I am older to gain other powerful political positions. We need more women in the office writing policies and leading the government. I hope to run for US Congress in the House of Representatives one day, and I want people to remember my name. These recognitions give me an opening into future college pursuits,” adds the winner of the Philanthropic Education Organization STAR Scholarship who ran for Parker Town Council.
Empowering youngsters
Awards are often a way of celebrating youngsters and turning on the spotlight on their work. Luke Tester, a judge for the Diana Award said in a statement, “Recognising young change makers can empower them, and those around them, to continue the good work – to let them know that the world has noticed and wants to say thank you. They may not be doing the task for recognition, but that certainly doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve it.”
If the International Eco-Hero awards honour the work of young environmentalists, Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar recognises children with exceptional abilities and achievements and Jefferson Awards praise the local unsung heroes who are making the world a better place through volunteering. The recognition not just helps them spread their wings but also makes them confident leaders.
“International awards and recognition give a lot of exposure to the children which eventually supports them in building a better career. It also enables them to indulge in creative innovations. Not only this, these awards encourage youngsters to think and act as global citizens,” says Vibha Suri, a teacher at Bhai Parmanand Vidya Mandir School, Delhi.
As more and more Indian-origin youngsters are coming into their own as entrepreneurs, innovators, and activists, the recognition is helping them find the courage to continue their initiatives and keep creating a change in society.
Shriya at one of the Carnegie Mellon University's functions[/caption]
Neha Shukla and her inventions[/caption]
Neha Shukla with the Presidential Award[/caption]
Neha Shukla working on SixFeetApart[/caption]
Hemesh Chadalavada[/caption]
Hemesh with Governor of Telangana, Tamilisai Soundrarajan[/caption]
Hemesh Chadalavada[/caption]
Hemesh with Former Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad[/caption]
Hemesh with his family[/caption]
