Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveMeet Nikhil Kumar, the young table tennis champion representing the USA internationally

Meet Nikhil Kumar, the young table tennis champion representing the USA internationally

Written by: Team GI Youth

(July 18, 2023) Indian-Americans are not just making waves in the business and political worlds, but also in the world of sports. Many young Indian-origin athletes are representing the USA in different tournaments and bringing home medals. One such champion is California-based 20-year-old table tennis player Nikhil Kumar – who is the second youngest table tennis paddler from the US, who qualified for the Tokyo Olympics three years back.

Champion | Nikhil Kumar | Global Indian

The champion displayed remarkable talent by becoming the U9 National Champion and U10 runner-up in both the prestigious US Open and US Nationals competitions. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, Nikhil was chosen to represent his country in the highly esteemed World Cadet Championship. However, it was at the tender age of 12 that he truly made his mark by securing the first rank in the North American tournament organised by ITTF. Gearing up to represent the USA in the next Olympics, the champion is also pursuing Computer Science at one of the most prestigious academic institutions — the University of California in Berkeley. “I feel great to have qualified for the Olympics,” the Global Indian said during an interview, “For me, being one of the younger ones does not make a difference because throughout my career I have been facing opponents and having teammates that were at least a couple of years older than me table tennis is a game of skills, not of age.”

A happy accident

Son of a software professional couple, who moved to the USA from Kerala, Nikhil picked up the table tennis paddle out of sheer boredom. “I started playing table tennis when I was about five or six years old because I wanted a hobby,” the champion shared, “I was introduced to the sport when I joined summer camps at the India Community Center (ICC) in Milpitas, California. It was just one of the many different activities I was involved in. I started training more actively at the age of eight with Anil Kashyap.”

Nikhil with his family

Eventually, the youngster started taking part in local tournaments and also winning – which made him train harder and more regularly. After training with Kashyap till 2014, the champion was coached by Tao Wenzhang, who took him to international competitions including the World Championships in 2017. The arrival of Italian coach Massimo Constantini, known for his successful training of India’s Commonwealth Table Tennis squad, had a profound impact on the performance of numerous players, including Nikhil. “Coach Massimo at ICC helped a lot with new techniques, and understanding the game. He has been a great guide to me since then and opened up more opportunities to train and play in international competitions,” said the champion, who has been inspired by watching the members of the Chinese National team train and compete at international tournaments.

Paddling his way to glory

The left-handed attacking table tennis player truly made his mark after winning the 2017 ITTF Junior gold medal, which got him noticed by the USA Olympic selection team. However, his path was not without any thorns. The champion shared, “From the point of view of table tennis, I have had my share of wins and losses. There were a few competitions where I wished I had done better, but in the end, I lost out to someone stronger. Physically, I had challenges with growth spurts causing aches and pains from time to time.”

Talking about his experience at the Olympic selection camp, he said, “My biggest challenge came earlier this year as we headed to the Olympic trials. Having played extremely well during the year, I was quite hopeful of making it. But as we got closer there were uncertainties thrown by way of changes in procedures etc that put a lot of pressure on me. There was a point in time at the beginning of the year when my coach advised me to take a break because of the pressure I was putting on myself. However, it all worked out in the end as my parents, coaches helped me get into the best shape to compete at the trials.”

Training hard for the Olympics in Germany with many professional players, Nikhil is looking to take his game a notch higher. “My main goal is, of course, to be in the best shape I can be for the Olympics and produce the best results I can. Outside of that, I want to get into the top 100 for men’s ranking. Also, I just started pursuing Computer Science at UC Berkeley, and that is quite exciting,” the champion shared.

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John Summer

September 19, 2023 5:11 am

Woow very inspirational story! I want my kids to be like him one day

Published on 18, Jul 2023

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Sagarikka Sivakumar: On a journey of exploration, transformation, and impact

(July 21, 2023) Whether it is former vice president of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, or Kiran Bedi, the first woman to join the officer ranks of the Indian Police Service, Sagarikka Sivakumar has had the privilege of presenting her debut book, My Unskooled Year to them, and receiving their blessings. Her book is a testament to the courage of taking a different path, allowing oneself the time and freedom to explore personal growth and find clarity in life's direction. It encapsulates Sagarikka’s explorations in her gap year. A gap year between high school and college is a common choice, but Sagarikka Sivakumar took it a step further by opting for a break right after completing class 10. Initially met with disapproval from relatives and friends who believed she was ‘wasting a year,’ Sagarikka found unwavering support from her entrepreneur parents. "Why not?" they said. "Just go and explore whatever you want to do." “They were encouraging,” recalls Sagarikka in a conversation with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_32033" align="aligncenter" width="857"] Sagarikka Sivakumar with Kiran Bedi[/caption] "After completing my class 10 exams, I realised that our education system only provides a minimal perspective of the world beyond school. This prompted me to take

[caption id="attachment_32033" align="aligncenter" width="857"] Sagarikka Sivakumar with Kiran Bedi[/caption]

"After completing my class 10 exams, I realised that our education system only provides a minimal perspective of the world beyond school. This prompted me to take a year-long break and explore what I truly wanted to pursue in life," Sagarikka shares. "Standard 11 is the most crucial year in a student's life as one has to choose subjects according to the path one wants to pursue. I wasn't sure about that," she admits. "I wanted to take a step back and have some time to read and learn about things that school doesn't teach," she says.

Making use of time

During this break, Sagarikka meticulously documented her diverse experiences, later compiling them into the book - My Unskooled Year. "It is a book about my transformation," she reflects. "I wrote every day during that time."

Her book has sold over 8,000 copies, receiving praise from readers. Encouraged by the positive response, Sagarikka decided to have it translated into Tamil. With her unconventional decision and the publication of her book, she began receiving invitations to speak at schools, colleges, and organisations. "I carried 300-400 copies wherever I went," Sagarikka shares, highlighting the success she achieved by selling a substantial number of copies during her speaking engagements. "Finally, my relatives, who initially believed my year-long break would lead to a mess, were able to understand my perspective."

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Not afraid of self-experiments

The youngster is not afraid of self-experiments and loves to document the journey during the time for the benefit of others. Shaken by the tragic loss of a 21-year-old friend to sudden cardiac arrest, potentially linked to obesity and an unhealthy diet, Sagarikka got determined to raise awareness on the subject. She consulted doctors and nutritionists and discovered the increased prevalence of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart problems among young people of today.

Identifying junk food as a major contributing factor, she decided to embark on a 30-day junk food experiment. "I wanted to document the changes in my body," Sagarikka tells. To monitor her body's response, Sagarikka had a sugar sensor attached and underwent a blood test before commencing the experiment. For 30 days, she consumed nothing but junk food five times a day.

Within just two days, Sagarikka noticed a significant spike in her sugar levels. She experienced fatigue, lethargy, and even caught a cold, signaling a weakened immune system.

By the last day of the experiment, Sagarikka observed alarming changes in her blood parameters. Her fasting glucose levels had risen from 86 to 93.8, fructosamine levels had increased from 214 to 283.7, and homocysteine levels (a risk factor for heart disease) had escalated. Additionally, her triglycerides and testosterone levels had risen, while her white blood cell count had decreased, indicating lower immunity. She also gained 3 kilograms in weight.

To accomplish her goal behind the junk food experiment, she released a documentary on YouTube titled Eat Fast Die Young.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTCFT6uzd_I

The documentary served as a poignant reminder of the detrimental effects of junk food on overall health. It inspired not only the younger generation but elders too to reconsider their dietary choices and promote a healthier lifestyle to combat the alarming rise in obesity-related health conditions.

After her experiment, due to sheer willpower, Sagarikka was able to revert to her good habits, but ever since she has been on a mission to share the dangerous effects of junk food on the lives of millions.

"I had expected that exercising and adopting a healthy diet for a month would help me lose weight and restore my blood parameters to normal. However, it took me three months to reduce the weight I gained in one month of eating junk food and even longer to change the blood parameters to a previous condition,” she tells adding, “Just imagine how much harm people inflict on themselves by frequently having junk food over the years.”

Life ahead

A student at Amity University, Sagarikka has turned entrepreneur. The third-year student of business administration and data science is helping companies with their branding needs with her start-up ‘BeBindaas’.

She has also launched an app that is a platform for young professionals and start-up founders to connect socially, expand their network and take their work forward.

[caption id="attachment_32035" align="aligncenter" width="783"] Sagarikka Sivakumar[/caption]

“An entrepreneur’s journey entails lots of struggles and disappointments and is not a smooth ride. It takes lots of patience and hard work if one is starting from scratch. I am planning to write a book on how to make the life of young start-up founders like me easier with a step-to-step guide from my learnings,” tells the Chennai based youngster. Her second book, Entrepreneurial Odyssey: A Train Journey Across India based on Jagriti Yatra 2022 - a 14-day train journey of discovery and transformation organised by the Government of India is going to be released soon. For the 8,000 km journey, 500 ambitious youth from India and abroad were selected to meet the country's inspiring role models in social and business entrepreneurship.

To ignite a growth mindset for youngsters and to motivate them to bring positive changes in life to succeed, Sagarikka always looks forward to speaking engagements to make a difference in her little way.

Follow Sagarikka Sivakumar on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

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Radha Pandya: Taking forward the traditional art form of Bharatanatyam in the US

(November 11, 2023) Kohl-rimmed eyes, with beautiful mudras, and nuanced facial expressions, there's a story unfolding on the stage at Piscataway in New Jersey. The 18-year-old Indian American is bringing to life the story of Krishna, an Indian god, who helped protect Draupadi after her husband lost her in a game of dice. This is her 40th performance on stage, ever since she began learning the traditional dance art form of Bharatanatyam at the age of four. In these years, she has dedicated herself to honing a 3,000-year-old Indian dance, ensuring that the legacy of her culture is passed on through the generations. "When we are growing up in America, away from our origins of India or other areas around there, I think we sometimes lose our connection with our culture," said Radha, adding, "This is what keeps us tied to that... dancing and teaching this to young kids is a way of preserving this legacy, especially this super old and ancient dance form." A senior at Piscataway High School, Radha started learning Bharatanatyam in Greensboro, North Carolina with Veena Argade, and later with Priya Gopal. She later began training under Guru Srimathi Selvi Chandranathan, who trained Radha at Bharata

ool, Radha started learning Bharatanatyam in Greensboro, North Carolina with Veena Argade, and later with Priya Gopal. She later began training under Guru Srimathi Selvi Chandranathan, who trained Radha at Bharata Kala Nrityakshetra dance school in Piscataway. Her Guru got a glimpse of her talent even when she was a kid, and knew that she had the potential to make it big.

With over a million Asians that live in New Jersey, Indian Americans make up the largest ethnic group. And it's this Indian community in New Jersey that has helped cement the tradition and infuse the culture and history of India in the natives.

It's been rigorous training for the last 14 years for Radha, and is keen to carry the legacy of Bharatanatyam forward through her art. For her, everything comes alive as she takes the centrestage, and immerses herself in the art form. Growing up, she heard stories and now portraying those stories on the big stage, she feels honoured. Bringing to life the story of Krishna, she considers it a responsibility that she needs to uphold with dignity. "Performing this scene (protecting Draupadi) was very emotional because you are playing these different roles. You are playing the bad king, the good king, and then you are playing the woman who's trying to save herself and her dignity. And then you are playing the saviour," the Global Indian added.

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

At a time when most kids her age prefer dancing to Bollywood tunes, she wants to keep the tradition of Bharatanatyam alive through her performances. "For me, I have been wanting to do this forever," added Radha, who says that her art form is completely different from what her friends have opted for. "A lot of them do Bollywood dances or things that are seen on TV and commercialized, but this is a completely classical dance, so it is a little different from what you normally see," said the teenager.

In the last 14 years, Radha's dance journey has helped her develop a greater appreciation for her culture and heritage. Radha, who is interested in pursuing the sciences in the future, and has also been part of the Princeton W.E.B Du Bois Accelerated Learning Academy, is keen to take the art form to the next level. Her love for Bharatanatyam goes beyond performances as she is also mentoring young students in the art form.

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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

ndhan" 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

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Rhodes Scholar Swathi Srinivasan: Cancer survivor and health equity advocate

(October 1, 2024) "Find out what you care about and then see what questions you can ask about it." Rhodes scholar Swathi Srinivasan is a great believer in pursuing the things one is truly passionate about - that's why she's able to put so much on her plate. She had a patent by the time she finished high school, did a double major at Harvard University and was selected as a Rhodes Scholar 2021. Swathi also has a slew of recognition to her credit - she is a 2016 Melvyn Scholar, a Science Day alumna and an AJAS scholar too. Ever since she began her research work in high school, Swathi has gone on to work for UNAIDS in Geneva to understand the work being done to address HIV at an international level. She is part of the policy programme at the Harvard Kennedy School and has travelled the world for research on global healthcare for HIV/ AIDS, the opioid crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic and has also worked with the government of Massachusetts. Swathi was raised in an exceptionally well-educated and accomplished household. Her mother, Rekha, arrived in the US over two decades ago, after her wedding to Swathi's

wedding to Swathi's dad. She earned a PhD in the US and began teaching organic chemistry. Rekha is also a Fulbright scholar - in 2019 and 2020, she came to India and Nepal to offer STEM workshops across the two countries. Swathi's dad, a biomedical engineer, is credited with creating an improved incubator, among other paediatric devices.

[caption id="attachment_39659" align="aligncenter" width="251"] Rhodes scholar Swathi Srinivasan[/caption]

Battling the emperor of maladies

It's the sort of atmosphere, one imagines, that would have given the young Swathi a leg-up like no other. The accomplished Rhodes scholar, however, has faced more than her fair share of challenges. In late 2019, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a fairly aggressive cancer that attacks the lymph nodes and immune system. "I would ride my bike to chemotherapy everyday," she says, recalling her daily six-mile trip to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. She would ride in sunshine, rain and snow, despite having lost her hair. She managed all this without missing a single class.

Instead of lamenting her lot in life, Swathi used even this time to ponder the struggles of global healthcare, especially among the marginalised. "I was thinking of the side effects of chemotherapy, which is a really big issue too and matter differently to different people. I'm in school, I can take a day off when I feel nauseous but a single parent can't do that, can they? They have to show up at work no matter what." She could ride her bike to the hospital but wondered "how other people do it, if they live further away from the hospital and don't have a car. I was back to the question of inequality and this time around, I was a lot more connected to it." It inspired her to go back to the lab, to work on a form of chemotherapy that reduces side effects.

A low-cost incubator

Growing up, Swathi was always encouraged to pursue her interests, which were quite varied. When she wanted to be a fashion designer, her mom bought her a sewing machine. When she wanted to make jewellery, her mother helped her buy gemstones online. If she wanted to conduct an experiment, her mother would bring home the ingredients she needed. As for Swathi, she gives full credit to her parents and her mentors and its eager, she says, "to pay it forward." Her mother would take her to the lab when she was still a toddler and she had observed her father working. And when she still in high school, she had devised her own incubator.

"I burnt my hand on a resistor in the Physics lab one day," Swathi said. "And I was like, this device is pretty cool. So I created a grid of resistors and made a heating pad." She was inspired by her father's work but the incubators he created were very expensive, Swathi wanted accessibility. She discovered the MIT Think initiative for high school students and applied, even though she wasn't affiliated with a lab at the time. "I had no mentors or a lab to support me but I needed the money and said so. They said 'sure'," she recalls. "They brought me to MIT and I met all these crazy scientists doing amazing work. I even met a scientist I had cited in my bibliography." Her prototype involves a secondary heating mechanism embedded into a gel-based incubator, which keeps the gel hot for more than 30 hours.

Harvard calling

Unsurprisingly, Swathi graduated from high school and went to Harvard University with stars in her eyes, intent on becoming a neurosurgeon, with a special interest in the prevalence and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. As she sat in class, she wondered - say there was a breakthrough in a cure. Would everyone with the disease have access to treatment? The answer was simple: no. Swathi found herself more intrigued by this question than the one she had intended to ask in the laboratory. She switched her major to public health, studying a double major in Economics, Sociology, Philosophy and History.

Here, Swathi's focus remained on studying public health epidemics and her thesis was on the impact of inequality on HIV/AIDS and the Covid-19 pandemic. She also did a minor in chemistry, which she uses to formulate her chemotherapy research. She was in an atmosphere where her talent and academic rigour were matched by her peers. "Some of my peers were featured in Forbes 30 Under 30," Swathi remarked. "They have published multiple papers, were ballet dancers in national companies... this naturally gets in your head and requires some adjusting."

The Rhodes scholarship

A highly-rigorous selection process precedes the Rhodes scholarship. For Swathi, it involved eight letters of recommendation and a letter of endorsement from her university, which put her against 125 applicants. Harvard selected 45 and she was among them, going on to become one of the 32 scholars selected from the United States. Every year, 100 students are selected to join the world's academic elite at Oxford Universiy, as the Rhodes Scholars for the year. In her personal essay, she talked about her own life and her roots, and how she saw poverty in India. "I actually woke up one morning and it showed up on my Facebook feed on US News, Yahoo and AP," she said in an interview.

Now at Oxford University, the Global Indian's purpose has not changed, she lives by the same lessons she earned from hermother. "We have gotten to where we are because so many people have lifted us up," she said. "Therefore, it's our job to lift up others."

Follow Swathi, a Rhodes scholar on LinkedIn

Changemaker Shloka Ashok is ensuring students her age land internships

(April 11, 2023) Studying in X standard, 16-year-old Shloka Ashok wanted to intern at a company that could help her enhance her knowledge and also gains the experience of working in an organisation. Talented, and a brilliant student, the youngster made a list of companies she wanted to work at and started sending internship applications to each one. The trouble was, no one wanted to hire a 16-year-old. While, a year later, the changemaker managed to get an internship through her parents, she couldn't help thinking that she didn't get the internship through her merit. And that is what got her motivated to start her platform, InternMee. The online platform connects high school students with companies offering internships, leadership, and volunteering opportunities. "Our mission is to give students access to the right network, exposure to various careers and opportunities, and ultimately accelerate their journeys into the work world. Our platform is ideal for mid-size to large companies, student-run organisations, start-ups, and NGOs across sectors," the young changemaker said. Enabling over 11000 students through her portal, Shloka recently received the prestigious Diana Award for her contribution towards empowering the world's youth. "I am immensely grateful to receive The Diana Award and

opportunities, and ultimately accelerate their journeys into the work world. Our platform is ideal for mid-size to large companies, student-run organisations, start-ups, and NGOs across sectors," the young changemaker said.

Enabling over 11000 students through her portal, Shloka recently received the prestigious Diana Award for her contribution towards empowering the world's youth. "I am immensely grateful to receive The Diana Award and be part of a global community of young, inspirational changemakers. This international award cements my belief that young people have the power to change the world and the recognition not only provides the validation that every young changemaker needs, but also acts as a driving force to do more," the Global Indian expressed, soon after receiving the award.

Driven and passionate

Since a young age, Shloka has been driven and focussed on doing something productive daily. A brilliant student, the changemaker has won several laurels over the years. However, it was quite disheartening for the youngster when she couldn't get any internship, despite being eligible. "Back in 2020, just when COVID-19 hit, I was keen to pursue a meaningful internship during my summer vacation. My research led me nowhere, and my parents used their contacts to help me. But I felt it was unfair as they did not gauge my skills and I was hired purely based on their recommendation," the changemaker said.

While several other students might have dismissed the incident, it got Shloka thinking about how difficult it would be for students whose parents didn't have such a big network. "There are many students who would want to do their internship and look for different companies but are helpless as they don't get an opportunity anywhere. I began thinking about students in India and abroad who might not get beyond the classroom opportunities to gain new skills and understand their true capabilities," she shared.

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While she wanted to do something to help the other student, she didn't know what or where to begin. "I conducted a survey among 350 students across the globe and found out that 95 percent of them were thinking to do an internship, but didn't know what to do," said the changemaker, who after reviewing several survey applications, decided to start a platform to allow these young minds an insight into potential career paths, enabling them to explore their interests and aptitudes in search of their ikigai.

Standing up for a noble cause

In December 2020, Shloka launched InternMee - which is purely for students and run by students. "The type of internships that students want to take up and the connections they want to make do matter for their future. Through InternMee, we connect students with start-ups as well as NGOs or social initiatives that they'd be interested in volunteering for. We also connect them with other student-run organisations. All this is for free and we don't charge a single rupee for connecting students and companies," she said.

I am grateful to receive the @DianaAward This award cements my belief that young people have the power to change the world. I aim to continue working towards creating equitable opportunities & this award has motivated me to dream bigger & take on more social responsibilities(1/3) pic.twitter.com/PKgqwW3XUP

— Shloka Ashok (@shloka_ashok) July 2, 2022

So, how does the platform works? Students have to just sign up on the platform and gain access to a range of internship opportunities across fields. They can apply to postings that interest them and the applications would be sent to the concerned organisation, which would evaluate candidates before choosing to offer them the position. "We don't charge the companies either on our platform. But what we have started monetising is the partnerships or collaborations that we post on our website and Instagram page," she said. The platform has over 35,000 students registered, from over 85 countries and was featured in the top 10 internship search websites by a recent survey.

Going forward the young changemaker plans to leverage InternMee, to open doors to the less privileged, by building a focussed track for students in government schools. "I aim to continue working towards creating equitable opportunities and receiving The Diana Award has motivated me to dream bigger and take on more social responsibilities. We are in discussion with some NGOs and see this as one of the future paths for our organisation," she expressed.

Follow Shloka Ashok on Instagram

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