Arpit Dhupar: Saving environment by turning rice stubble into biodegradable packaging
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(February 8, 2024) Each year, Delhi/NCR greets the sunrise under a heavy smog blanket, pushing the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) into the alarming red zone. This concerning situation is a result of the burning of crop residues in the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana, which contributes to 26 percent of the capital’s air pollution. This led IIT grads Arpit Dhupar and Anand Bodh to form Dharaksha – a startup that specialises in converting rice stubble into biodegradable packaging. Started in 2019, the deep-tech startup uses a biotechnology process to produce packaging material capable of biodegrading within 60 days under standard soil conditions.
Arpit Dhupar
It all began when an innocent drawing from his nephew made Arpit think hard. A typical scenery painting had all the elements – the sun, the mountains, the sky, and birds – but the sky was coloured grey as opposed to the blue that took him aback. “We shouldn’t live in a world where we have to explain to kids that the sky should be painted blue. It should be a given,” the Forbes 30 Under 30 said in an interview. The painting gave him some food for thought, and he began building a startup that could help keep the skies blue.
It was during his sabbatical from work that he travelled through the remote villages of Punjab and Haryana to understand the grim issue of stubble burning. Upon his interactions with locals, he found that farmers were keen to get rid of the leftover crop as it was of no use to them. Due to high moisture, they can’t be used for fuel as well. So he came up with the idea of using baler machines to compress and stack the stubble and began working on Dharaksha with Anand Bodh. To solve the stubble-burning crisis, he decided to use mushrooms to degrade the stubble, which led him to conceive a biodegradable material like thermocol. Arpit realised that harvesting mushrooms on the stubble gave strength to the structure. “This wasn’t a waste material but could be a usable one. Through bio fabrication, we could use the stubble waste to create a material similar to thermocol, but one that was biodegradable,” he added.
Upon some research, he found that thermocol is worse than plastic, and burning it releases toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and about 90 different hazardous chemicals. “It’s shocking how little conversation there is around this material.” Explaining the process, he says that once the stubble makes it to the factory, it’s sterilised and the mushroom culture is added. “The mycelium grows, forming a sort of interlocked structure that holds the material in place. This makes it strong, so no resin needs to be added. The mix is then put into the oven, where the mushrooms are neutralised,” he elaborated.
This led to the making of a packaging material that’s flameproof and can endure high moisture conditions. Interestingly, each piece of material produced helps prevent 250 tonnes of thermocol from making it into landfills. “We have formed internal software and processes which enables us to keep track of each unit produced from Day 0 till the end of its life cycle. Each unit produced holds a separate identity in our systems. We manufacture 20,000 pieces per month currently and are scaling up 5x in the next few months,” said Anand, adding that companies like Dabur, V-Guard, Pernod Ricard, Nestle, Fyllo, Gourmet Jars are their customers.
“I started the venture with the aim of making the skies blue. I feel satisfied that we are making a difference,” he added.
(July 30, 2023) Over one-third of children and adolescents with disabilities have little or no accessibility to sports and physical education, according to a UNICEF study, although the majority have them access to medical, transportation and cultural services. In 2021, a report by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that physical activity among children with disabilities is four-times lower than their non-disabled counterparts. It is a gap that Indian-origin teen Rakshith Srinivasan hopes to fill by creating an enabling ecosystem through research and innovation, to increase access and make people aware of the role sports medicine can play in bettering the lives of children with disabilities. His non-profit, Unlimited Potential (UP), has achieved many milestones in a short span of time, and has raised $100,000 from community donors. [caption id="attachment_32239" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Rakshith Srinivasan[/caption] The change maker envisions an inclusive world where children facing physical challenges have the necessary tools to overcome them and can actively participate in school sports. His focus is also on adults who can lead a more fulfilling life with sports despite their disabilities. “We believe that accelerating research and improving affordability will ultimately lead to fulfilling our vision of a world without wheelchairs by
ian " width="560" height="560" /> Rakshith Srinivasan[/caption]
The change maker envisions an inclusive world where children facing physical challenges have the necessary tools to overcome them and can actively participate in school sports. His focus is also on adults who can lead a more fulfilling life with sports despite their disabilities. “We believe that accelerating research and improving affordability will ultimately lead to fulfilling our vision of a world without wheelchairs by 2050," remarks Rakshith.
The multifaceted teen has also published a book titled ‘Overcoming Obstacles’ and has secured first place in Washington State Science and Engineering Fair 2023.
Passionate about making a difference
UP operates as a network of passionate high school students who are actively involved in sports and have a strong interest in science and research. These student volunteers collaborate with doctors and medical researchers from institutions like Seattle Children’s Orthopaedic Research Lab, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Special Olympics of Washington, and the University of Washington’s Institute of Sports Medicine.
Through these partnerships, the volunteers gain insights into the research, understand its impact, and spread awareness about the gained information, raising funds in the process.
With a team of ten dedicated full-time volunteers and over 600 part-time volunteers spanning United States, Rakshith’s non-profit has achieved a remarkable feat. Since its inception in 2021, UP's campaigns have been instrumental in raising $100,000 for research through generous contributions from community donors whom the volunteers approached within their respective school districts.
[caption id="attachment_32256" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Rakshit Srinivasan at Seattle Children's Hospital[/caption]
The raised amount is enabling the funding of eight research programs in crucial areas such as prosthetics, bionics, muscular dystrophy, skeletal dysplasia, limb deformities, bone cancer, athlete mental health, and human-centred design.
Bringing community together
Team Unlimited Potential has not only garnered support from more than 500 donors but has also formed a dedicated advisory board comprising like-minded leaders with experience in the field of sports medicine.
The experts provide valuable mentorship to the volunteers. The advisory team assists in research selection, engages in donor discussions, plans fundraising campaigns, and facilitates connections with researchers and doctors.
It started when…
Rakhshith has always been interested in medicine, biology and sports. Three years ago, he suffered a grade 2 ankle sprain. “It was the varsity basketball season, and the sprain took me out of the playoffs. I really missed the time I was away from the team. I was frustrated for being away from sports – which is something what I love to do,” he said adding, “It was an eye-opening experience for me. It led me to think about how a lot of children might be missing sports due to their permanent disabilities.
Recognising that sports is one of the biggest unifiers and hobbies of everyone around the world, the youngster devoted his recuperation time in learning about sports medicine. He did extensive research on what's being done in the field to help the people who cannot play sports due to their disabilities or deformities and made up his mind to do his own bit.
Empathy for social change
Rakshith’s dedication not just comes from personal experience of being confined but also from empathy that he developed during a volunteering activity. As a ninth-grade student, he had volunteered to tutor the displaced children of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine - an initiative of the non-profit, World Relief . Getting involved in the initiative changed his whole perspective of how he looked at life.
[caption id="attachment_32243" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Rakshith with Kids[/caption]
“The kids in the refugee base here were in an awkward situation, where they were attending school in a very different education system without even knowing the language properly,” he said.
“Apart from tutoring, just being with them, showing support and talking to them during their hard times gave me a sort of empathy towards others and helped me introspect how I’m fortunate enough but there are lots of people who are not, and I should use what I have been given to help others,” he remarked.
Overcoming obstacles
“While fund raising, we hear more ‘No’s’ than ‘Yeses’ says the youngster, but we keep going.’ Wearing many hats, the teen is not just passionate about sports medicine research and creating STEM awareness but is also an author and basketball enthusiast. His debut book ‘Overcoming Obstacles,’ delves into the cutting-edge research taking place in the field of sports science and research. “All proceeds from book sales would be directed towards the fundraising campaigns conducted by Unlimited Potential,” he says.
Aspiring to be an orthopaedic doctor, the teen has published scientific research papers about muscle soreness and lateral ligament ankle injuries in basketball. He has worked for several medical internships and plays varsity basketball at district level.
In March this year, he was thrilled to win the first prize in the 66th Washington State Science and Engineering Fair. “I was judged 1st amongst highly amazingly talented Washingtonians who participated in the state science fair. My research was about leveraging BC Amino acids compounds to increase energy in muscles lower micro-raptures thus preventing injuries in elite athletes,” he shared.
As part of LEAP (Leadership through Education, Activities, and Personal Development), a student leadership group of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), he is involved with WIAA events, meetings and community projects, and gets opportunity to be the voice of Washington’s more than 225,000 student-participants.
Born in India Rakshith is thankful for his parents' support in all his endeavours and is very close to his grandparents who live in India. “I feel that everyone has potential inside them, and I want to unlock that potential through my initiatives,” he says.
(Aug 29, 2023) Rewards and accolades never seem to stop raining down on Neeraj Chopra. He has made India proud once again with a gold in World Athletics Championships 2023 at Budapest, Hungary. A master at scripting history, the 25-year-old athlete is the first Indian to win a gold in the World Athletics Championships since it started in 1983 - exactly 40 years ago. It's a historic win for India. Neeraj Chopra was conferred a Padma Shri in January 2022, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021. He also received Arjuna award back in 2018. The Indian Army offered him a direct appointment as a Junior Commissioned Officer Subedar (JCO) in the Rajputana Rifles in 2016 when he was just 18. Indian Army does not appoint fresh recruits to such a position but looking at his South Asian Games performance that year and also looking at his future potential, they made this coveted appointment. [caption id="attachment_32764" align="aligncenter" width="659"] Neeraj Chopra[/caption] Neeraj has several eclectic firsts to his credit. He is the first Asian track and field athlete to win a gold in Olympics 2020, and also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the IAAF World U20 Championships
Neeraj has several eclectic firsts to his credit. He is the first Asian track and field athlete to win a gold in Olympics 2020, and also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the IAAF World U20 Championships in 2016. His world under-20 record throw of 86.48 m made him the first Indian athlete to achieve a world record.
Neeraj is one of the only two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold medal (Abhinav Bindra is the other). The talented athlete had set ablaze the Olympic scene as the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medallist in an individual event and the only one to have won gold in his Olympic debut. He represented India in 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games and claimed gold in both. Global Indian turns the spotlight on the journey of the super athlete.
“When the desire for success does not let you sleep, when there is nothing better than hard work, when you do not get tired after working continuously, understand that you are going to create a new history of success.” - Neeraj Chopra
[caption id="attachment_32773" align="aligncenter" width="685"] Neeraj after winning gold[/caption]
Struggles with childhood obesity
Looking at him now, it’s hard to believe that the track and field athlete and reigning Olympic champion in Javelin throw struggled with childhood obesity. This Khandra village boy of Haryana was often teased by children. Addressing his son’s ordeals of getting bullied for weight, Neeraj’s farmer father enrolled him in a gymnasium at Madlauda, a Haryana province.
Neeraj, later enrolled in a gym in Panipat and made physical activity an integral part of his life as he did not want to be an object of fun for the village boys anymore. While playing at Shivaji stadium at Panipat, Neeraj came across javelin throwers and began participating in the game The rest is history!
Learning ancient art from modern platform
There is archaeological evidence that javelins were already in use by the last phase of the lower Paleolithic age that dates back to about 300,000 years ago. Indian Mythology talks about extensive use of this great weapon. This powerful weapon is known to be the favourite of Kartikeya (son of Shiva and Parvati and elder brother of Ganesh), known as the Hindu God of war. History is also replete with use of javelin as a powerful weapon in warfare spanning centuries. Interestingly javelin started trending in India only after Neeraj Chopra created history with it in the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4wUBsLkgW0
As part of its promotional campaigns YouTube has been flashing Neeraj Chopra’s tryst with Javelin stressing on the fact that it was the platform that helped the village athlete in picking up tips and tricks of the game. Neeraj has affirmed that he attempted to copy the style of Czech javelin champion Jan Zelezny while watching the YouTube videos of his performances.
Parent’s and Panipat’s role in preparing the Olympian
He mentioned in an interview:
“In the village that I grew up; no one did athletics. For a lot of my life, I didn’t even know what a javelin was.”
Having discovered the game by chance, Chopra had started visiting Panipat Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre where his talent was recognised by the local coach. He helped him hone his skills and win some local competitions as well. Motivated by winning a bronze in a district championship, Neeraj persuaded his parents to allow him to shift to Panipat from the village to pursue the techniques of the game. That move was quite unconventional for the place that he hailed from and considering the fact that Neeraj was just 13 at that time.
[caption id="attachment_26049" align="aligncenter" width="765"] Neeraj Chopra with his parents on their first flight[/caption]
However, adding wings to the young athlete’s dreams was the best decision of his parents. Life unfolded beautifully, later. For starter, the youngster participated in National Junior Athletics Championships in Lucknow after rigorous training in Panipat and won gold there.
“My village still does not have a playground. Whenever I stay there, I need to practice on the road,” he informed. His flight from such humble backgrounds to reaching the sky in international sporting events is inspiring for millions of Indians and similar to living in a dream for his parents who hardly have exposure to the world outside their province.
Sharing one of the most fulfilling moments of his life, Neeraj Chopra tweeted:
"A small dream of mine came true today as I was able to take my parents on their first flight.”
International beginnings and army induction
Neeraj’s first international competition was in 2013 in Ukraine. He went on to win his first international medal in 2014 at the Youth Olympics Qualification games in Bangkok. By 2016 he started training under the Australian Coach, late Gary Calvert. Neeraj’s performances started improving in international games thereafter.
[caption id="attachment_26051" align="aligncenter" width="622"] Neeraj Chopra with late Bipin Rawat, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army[/caption]
Impressed with his performance at the South Asian Games and looking at his future potential, the Indian Army offered him a direct appointment as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Rajputana Rifles in 2016. He was inducted as Naib Subedar, a rank that is usually not granted immediately to athletes recruited as non-commissioned officers (NCO).
Continuing with high voltage performances
June 14, 2022 marked the high voltage return of Neeraj Chopra in the javelin turf after 311 days of the historic Olympics gold achievement. He finished a close second (winning silver) at Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, competing with world and Olympic champions like Oliver Helander, Johannes Vetter, Anderson Peters, and Julian Weber.
What was glorious about his second-placed finish is that the athlete had participated in a competition after close to a year since his Olympics win. Also, Neeraj unleashed 89.30m while the first-placedOliver Helander of Finland with his personal best was not too far at 89.93m. Cherry on top was that Neeraj marked a new national record to his name with the 89.30 m throw which turned out to be his personal best. However, Neeraj was prowling for more. Just five days after this achievement his tiger moves crowned India with gold at the Kuortane Games in Finland.
Talking about the sudden interest of youngsters in the game, he mentioned:
“I see so much potential for Indians with the javelin. To succeed you need strength and speed, and Indian kids have that. I think, more and more, they'll see what we’re achieving and will become inspired to pick up a javelin themselves.” - Neeraj Chopra
There is certainly more to come from the Olympian in the coming days. India is looking forward to celebrate all his victories!
(August 29, 2024) This month, HBC House South Korea premiered its eight-episode mini-series ‘Landed in Korea’ on YouTube. Billed as the first Indo-Korean drama, it has received positive reviews from audiences eager for something different - a fusion of two different cultures. Beyond the drama itself, the main protagonist, Seetha, has also garnered attention with her debut performance. The story follows Seetha, a young woman who seizes an opportunity to travel to South Korea - a country she has always dreamed of visiting. Secretly, she hopes to find love, much like in her favourite K-dramas. After arriving in Korea to reunite with her childhood friend, things take an interesting turn when he introduces her to his social circle. As Seetha forms genuine connections in this new land, the drama centers on whether she will find the love for which she has always longed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY6Cryf_TpY Although the character shares her real name, Seetha, the actor is not new to the country, unlike the role she plays. She has been living in Korea for the past eight years, making her well-prepared to work with the Korean cast and crew and familiar with the culture. “But you get to know more about
her real name, Seetha, the actor is not new to the country, unlike the role she plays. She has been living in Korea for the past eight years, making her well-prepared to work with the Korean cast and crew and familiar with the culture. “But you get to know more about it when you work closely with Koreans, especially in projects like Landed in Korea,” she remarked in an interview. Landed in Korea is a collaborative project by Indian and Korean producers, K-pop artists Aoora and Fridayy, and Mumbai-based entrepreneur Rachna Puri. Singer-composer Aoora also plays one of the lead characters in the series.
Landing in Korea
After completing her graduation from Manipal University in Dubai, Seetha Ranganathan landed in Korea eight years ago to pursue a Global MBA from Dongguk University, Seoul. She has been working as a media professional after the completion of her MBA program.
The actor hails from Kerala and apart from English and Korean, can speak in Malayalam and Tamil. “I come from the border between the two states in the southern part of India, so I grew up with a lot of Malayalam, Tamil, and, of course, Bollywood movies,” the actress revealed.
[caption id="attachment_39005" align="aligncenter" width="611"] Seetha with a co-artist during a shoot in Korea[/caption]
Love for art and culture
Seetha respects the art and culture of both India and South Korea and takes pride in being aware of both. When it comes to acting, her favourite actress is Shobhana, whom she calls her inspiration. Although new to the field of acting, Seetha aspires to adopt the veteran actress's method of acting - fully embodying her characters and bringing a raw, powerful energy to her performances.
The actor admires the entire Indian film industry, which she describes as "full of style and drama, powerful and captivating." She loves the energy infused into every film, regardless of the genre, and region it is being made in India.
While shooting Landed in Korea, she even tried teaching the cast members a few words in her mother tongue, Malayalam, which was captured in a few scenes of the mini-series. Additionally, the cast was filmed wearing traditional Indian clothing. These were some improvisation initiatives by Seetha. "I brought a bit of India with me, and it was fun. I hope to continue doing this," says the actor, who aspires to work on more acting projects.
Let’s make Indo-Korean cultural relations stronger!
Seetha had remarked while announcing the release of 'Landed in Korea'
Recently, some television stars have appeared in South Korean series, and as part of this growing fraternity, Seetha hopes that all Indian actors working in Korea can bring the charisma of the Indian film and television industry to Korean sets. "I want to spread joy and showcase aspects of Indian culture that people may not be familiar with in Korea,” tells the actor who tries to bring the synergy into everything she does.
[caption id="attachment_39006" align="aligncenter" width="585"] Seetha with friends during an event in Korea[/caption]
Life lessons in Korea
After eight years in Korea, the country has significantly influenced her personality. She has become a stickler for time and has developed excellent time management skills - a trait that has greatly benefited her acting career, which ‘involves a lot of planning, schedules, and meetings’. Seetha enjoys the strong sense of teamwork in Korea, which was one of the highlights of her experience working with the Korean cast in her debut acting assignment, where she played an Indian girl in love with Korea – a reflection of her own life.
(June 18, 2024) She was just seven when a haunting image of a dead bird with its stomach full of plastic shook her. The shocking sight stirred something within Dubai-born and raised Kehkashan Basu, igniting a deep concern for the environment. Her passion grew even stronger after attending a lecture by environmentalist Robert Swan, who emphasised the urgent need for individual action in saving the planet. "He said something that just stuck. 'The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it'." Swan's words resonated with Kehkashan, leading her to realise that waiting for someone else to solve the world's environmental problems was not an option. So, when she turned eight the following year, she celebrated by planting a tree. This was the beginning of the making of an environmentalist who later founded the Green Hope Foundation (which operates in 28 countries) that aims to teach and implement the UN's sustainable development goals through events and grassroots action like tree planting. The work has earned her a spot in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, won her the 2016 International Children's Peace Prize and Meritorious Service Medal of Canada. Born on June 5 (World Environment
Born on June 5 (World Environment Day) in Dubai to immigrant parents who moved from Kolkata, Kehkashan was raised in a family that believes in the virtues of compassion and empathy. Growing up, she always wanted to help others, and it was her mother who instilled in her a sense of belief that it was her moral responsibility to give back to people and the planet. This prompted her to begin working at the ground level in the UAE through a no-plastic campaign wherein she visited businesses and homes to explain how to avoid plastic, and recycle and dispose of waste responsibly.
Her initiative started reaping fruits when she was elected as the UN Environmental Programme’s global coordinator for children and youth at the age of 12. While speaking at the Rio+20 Earth Summit, she realised that the sustainable development process was not inclusive of young people. "I was deeply concerned by the fact that we, children, were not a part of the dialogue. My future was being decided by someone else," she told Streets of Toronto. This pushed her to launch Green Hope in 2012 to "provide a platform for learning that turns into ground-level action."
The foundation's primary objective is to empower children and youth, especially those who are marginalized, by involving them actively in the sustainable development process through environment academies - where they use music, art, dance, drama, and sport to teach them about sustainable development. Kehkashan firmly believes that they possess the potential to drive positive change and make a significant impact on the world. "We have directly impacted more than 50,000 young people — Rohingya refugees, Syrian refugees, children of prisoners in Kenya and Nepal, HIV-positive children, orphans, and the homeless in India, Bangladesh, Suriname, and Indonesia," she added.
Guided by her unwavering commitment, Kehkashan's mission through the Green Hope Foundation is to create a "Life of Dignity for all." This encompasses not only addressing environmental challenges but also focusing on social equity and inclusivity. Kehkashan recognises that sustainable development cannot be achieved without considering the rights and needs of every individual, particularly those who are marginalized. By empowering children and youth, she aims to foster a generation that is not only environmentally conscious but also actively involved in building a more equitable and sustainable future.
For someone who started young, she calls age just a number as one can take action at any age. "I’ve always said that age has nothing to do with capability. Youngsters are often dismissed and told that they need to grow up to learn about the environment, and that's not true. If you instil an interest in sustainable development from a young age, just like you do for science or maths, youngsters can grow up with that knowledge and then expand on that." Her efforts paid off as within a decade Green Hope Foundation grew into a global social innovation enterprise, with over 2000 members working at a grassroots level in our 28 country chapters.
A sustainability advocate, Kehkashan moved to Canada in 2017 to bring her nonprofit to North America. "I thought, if I have to start my organization in North America, I want to start it in a place where I know that your differences will be accepted, where I would be able to make a difference with people who are also interested in similar things," she said in an interview. After graduating from the University of Toronto in 2022, she is currently pursuing MBA at Cornell University.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKxckiMIP0Q
Being a climate activist, Kehkashan believes in the power of bringing about change. "The first step is educating ourselves about the problems facing our local communities. If we don't have the knowledge, then we cannot take action. Once we have the awareness, then we can spread it and take concerted, localized action towards human and planetary wellbeing, whether that is growing our own food, switching to solar-powered cars, or planting mangroves, the list is endless," she said.
Kehkashan Basu's journey from witnessing the devastating effects of plastic pollution to becoming a globally recognized activist showcases the power of youth engagement and individual action in the pursuit of sustainable development. Through the Green Hope Foundation, she has successfully empowered marginalized children and youth, enabling them to become environmental advocates and champions of change in their communities and beyond. "Taking care of our planet is no longer a choice; it's a responsibility. And what I want everyone to know is that they must act now to do something for the planet," she added.
(May 29, 2024) Halfway through her address at the Harvard Commencement 2024, Shruthi Kumar went off script. As the crowd roared its approval, she acknowledged 13 of her peers, who had not been allowed to attend the commencement ceremony due to the university's stance on pro-Palestine protests. "As I stand here today, I must take a moment to recognize my peers - the 13 undergraduates in the Class of 2024 that will not graduate today," Shruthi, a powerful orator, announced. "I am deeply disappointed by the intolerance for freedom of speech and the right to civil disobedience on campus." Nebraska-born Harvard graduate Shruthi Kumar has never been one to go unnoticed in a crowd. Growing up in Nebraska, she made the most of what the US’ social and educational fabric had to offer, and also stayed in touch with her Indian roots, learning classical dance and also yoga. "I grew up in the Great Plains of Nebraska alongside cattle ranches and cornfields," Shruthi said in her commencement address, titled 'The Power of Not Knowing'. "As the eldest daughter of South Asian immigrants, I was the first in my family to go to college here in the US. There was a
the US. There was a lot I didn't know," the Global Indian said.
[caption id="attachment_38042" align="aligncenter" width="432"] Shruthi Kumar was one of three students from the class of 2024 who had won the opportunity to deliver an address at the Harvard Commencement Ceremony[/caption]
A star is born
However, there was a lot she did know - growing up, Shruthi was a versatile star student, making the most of the holistic and dynamic education system in the US. Apart from excelling academically, Shruthi plays the violin, has her own non profit and is a prize winning orator. "I just like learning new things about the world," Shruthi said. "You're constantly learning." She was also one of the US' top teen 'yoga athletes'.
Always politically driven and inclined to public speaking, Shruthi Kumar was a finalist in the 2019 NSDA Original Oratory competition, and in that year, named the 2019-2020 Voice of Democracy winner. She's also an experienced yogini, and was the first Indian-American to represent Team USA at the World Championship of Yoga Sports, and is the founder of yo-yogi.org, a non-profit dedicated to making student health and well-being a priority in schools worldwide. As if that isn't enough, she has also won prizes for her neuroscience research and became a published author in 2017, when her poetry was appeared in that year's edition of Creative Communication Celebration of Poets.
Shruthi began doing yoga as a child - "I just like how you have control over yourself. Yoga allows you to have control over your own body." In the early days, her practice was meditative, but by the time she hit her teens, she was on the lookout for a new challenge. She began doing yoga competitively, and by the time she turned 16, she she was ranked in the top three in the US. In 2017, she went on to represent Team USA at the World Championship in China. "I was kind of shocked," she said later. "Going in to this I didn't expect to get any high rankings as I did."
Mindfulness for mental health
However, not everything was rosy and being in high school is a challenging time, especially for immigrant kids in the US, where the pressure to overperform is very high and constant. So when her cousin was diagnosed with depression at the age of 13, Shruthi felt compelled to do something about it. While conversations around mental health are common enough in the US, the treatment options, which include therapy or medication are simply out of reach for most middle class homes, and certainly not for low-income, marginalised communities. However, mental health is a pressing problem, with research showing that 49 percent of students in the Washington DC area report feeling "a great deal of stress on a daily basis." Around 26% of the respondents had been diagnosed with depression.
In fact, life was hectic for Shruthi herself. "I had to go to bed at 4 am just to finish homework," she recalled. Realising this helped spark the idea for yo-yogi. That year, before she began her sophomore year, she took a spiritual trip to India,. and spent two weeks in the mountains. Her aim was to explore yoga, which, in the west, is often seen as just another physical activity. It gave her confidence and Shruthi learned thorugh experience that five minutes of focussed meditation have the power to change your day.
Since post facto care often requires medical intervention and is also expensive, Shruthi decided to take a preventive approach for which she leaned into her years of experience practicing yoga and meditation. Her focus was on young minds, as their brains are still developing and more open to absorbing new things. She began teaching techniques like mindfulness and meditation, to help students cope with the stress of life in a more holistic fashion. According to research by Harvard Medical School, yoga practice in schools leads to increased productivity, focus and concentration, improves self regulation, reduces anxiety and stress and leads to better academic performance overall.
Go-Yogi
Her organisation, Go Yogi, uses technology to integrate custom stress management techniques, breathing exercises and mindfulness practices directly into school curriculums. The go-yogi app has over 2000 student users, is part of the curriculum in several states and also has over 40 multilingual lessons in mindfulness. They also focus on the mental wellbeing of teachers.
Even in high school, Shruthi was seen as a generous person, who cared for the welfare of other people. She volunteered weekly at the local hospital, and taught yoga to kindergarten students. "Volunteering is important to me because sometimes I take my life for granted, and it's a good reminder every week to go and help someone who really needs it," she said.
Outside of school, she was an active member of the NSAA Student Advisory Committee, a student-run group that helps young people get involved in extracurriculars. At the time, she was interested in law and medicine and eventually hoped to study medicine at Harvard.
[caption id="attachment_38044" align="aligncenter" width="594"] Shruthi Kumar entered Harvard University as a pre-med student before switching tracks to public health.[/caption]
Life at Harvard
As Shruthi Kumar described in her speech, life at Harvard University was very much marked by embracing uncertainty, and the "power of not knowing. "The words 'I don't know' used to make me feel powerless," she admitted in her speech. "Like there was no answer, and therefore, no way. As if I was admitting defeat." That would change on campus.
Shruthi arrived at Harvard as a pre-med student, and boldly decided to follow her passion and switch her major to the humanities. "I didn't know a field called the 'History of Science' even existed. I now find myself a graduate of the Department," she said. "In my freshman year of college, for the first time in my life, I was taught by a professor of colour. A Historian of Science who made clear to me that history is just as much about the stories we don’t know as the stories we do."
The Menstruation Equity Project
She continued her activism too. In 2021, during her sophomore year, she realised she had her period. However, when she checked the women's restroom at the Science Center, she found the dispenser was empty. It made her think. "Why is this installed here, if it's not going to be restocked - if it's not supporting me. And what do I do now?" Her options were to walk across campus to a pharmacy, or back to her dorm and either way meant being late for class. She wondered how many women had to interrupt their education for the same reason.
"It led me to think about ideas of infrastructural equity and what it means for women to be in educational spaces," Shruthi said. And when she did her research, she found that over one-third of women have missed events or activities due to a lack of access to menstrual products. As the founder of the Menstrual Equity Project, she led efforts to make Harvard 100% period secure by ensuring free and accessible menstrual products across campus. This project involved extensive collaboration with university administration and custodial teams, resulting in the installation of menstrual product dispensers in over 817 bathrooms across campus.
Kumar was also a vocal advocate for affirmative action, organizing protests and speaking out against efforts to end race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard. She highlighted the importance of diversity and the potential negative impacts on campus culture and student life if affirmative action were dismantled.
[caption id="attachment_38045" align="aligncenter" width="561"] Shruthi Kumar founded the Menstrual Equity Project at Harvard University[/caption]
Kumar's diverse contributions, from menstrual equity to racial diversity advocacy, free speech and mental wellbeing, underscore her commitment to social justice and equity. From her beginnings in Nebraska to her impactful years at Harvard, her experiences blend cultural richness with a drive for social change. Advocating for marginalized communities, she stands as a powerful voice for inclusivity and empowerment, leaving a lasting impact on those around her.
Rakshit Srinivasan at Seattle Children's Hospital[/caption]
Rakshith with Kids[/caption]
Rakshith Srinivasan[/caption]
Neeraj after winning gold[/caption]
Neeraj Chopra with his parents on their first flight[/caption]
Neeraj Chopra with late Bipin Rawat, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army[/caption]
Seetha with a co-artist during a shoot in Korea[/caption]
Seetha with friends during an event in Korea[/caption]
Shruthi Kumar was one of three students from the class of 2024 who had won the opportunity to deliver an address at the Harvard Commencement Ceremony[/caption]
Shruthi Kumar entered Harvard University as a pre-med student before switching tracks to public health.[/caption]
Shruthi Kumar founded the