Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveCelebrating Culture: Indian-origin Iqra Khan dances her way to glory

Celebrating Culture: Indian-origin Iqra Khan dances her way to glory

Written by: Amrita Priya

(February 6, 2024) In March 2023, when pro-Khalistan extremists vandalised the premises of the Indian High Commission in London and attempted to violate the Indian flag, the Indian community in the UK responded swiftly. Various Indian diaspora groups got together for a spirited demonstration outside the Indian High Commission in London, showcasing solidarity with the Indian mission. Amidst the festive display of patriotism by Indians, Nick, a British police officer, was moved enough to join the demonstration in a show of support. Nick approached Indian-origin teenager Iqra Khan, who was joyfully dancing to Bollywood tunes in traditional Indian attire and jewellery to learn some Bollywood steps from her. Their interaction was captured by several onlookers, resulting in a heartwarming moment that quickly spread across social media platforms.

Within hours, the video of Iqra and Nick’s impromptu dancing garnered wide attention. “After the event when I was having lunch, someone got in touch saying, ‘your video has gone viral’. That’s when we started looking it up. I was still having lunch and my video was all over India” shared the elated teenager in an interview. In a few days of the incident Iqra’s video received global attention. “My video was on many news channels worldwide and had around 10 million views. I had no words. I was like, wow, I am everywhere,” the teenager remarked.

Despite already having launched her YouTube channel, Ten News India, by that time, the unexpected surge of attention she received was pleasantly surprising. She was happy that people around the world were looking at her. “So many people were saying that this is the best video on the internet and the fact that I was a part of it was really special,” remarked Iqra who has been a pageant finalist in the UK and has modelled for a famous retail brand.

From fame to frames

Iqra has always been in love with the camera and socialising with people. Combining both her interests, she launched her own YouTube show at the age of 11, interviewing singers, artists and poets in the age group of six to 18. Her goal behind the show was to introduce young talent to the world driving in the message that talent knows no age boundaries.

That experience gave her loads of confidence. “You learn a lot about how to frame questions, to keep an eye on the time and also keep it entertaining.” Later, building on her experience, and seizing the opportunity presented by her viral video, Iqra furthered her hosting journey with a YouTube Channel named ‘London Thumakda’. For her channel she has interviewed accomplished celebrities like author Amish Tripathi, actors Adil Hussain and Vinay Pathak, British theatre actor Tom Gribby, casting directors Yvonne Lawlor and Bonnie amongst others.

In the world of pageantry

The teenager loves the glitter and glam of crowns, tiara and the flashing cameras, and to savour the delights of all these she participated in Miss Junior Teen Great Britain contest two years back. It was a long but joyful journey for Iqra who gave auditions for the contest, and then after clearing multiple rounds was selected as a finalist, and later as the grand finalist. “It was a roller coaster of emotions,” she said.

Iqra, who can speak in fluent Hindi despite being raised abroad, felt extremely proud to represent Southeast London in the beauty pageant. “I was really proud to be representing all the brown girls and wanted to win for all the brown girls out there,” Iqra shared.

Iqra Khan

Love for Indian culture

Even though Iqra was born in the UK and lived in the Middle East for a few years before returning to the UK, her strong attachment to her Indian culture and heritage remains strong. She attributes this deep connection to her upbringing by her parents and her immersion in a large South Asian community during her time in the Middle East.

Iqra Khan at the 2023 Indian Summer Mela festival at Ipswich, UK

She has deep affection for Bollywood songs and finds their infectious beats captivating. “I can’t resist them,” she admits. “I’ve been showcasing my love for Bollywood by performing at events, representing various Indian states through dance,” she revealed. Performing has been her passion for as long as she can recall. She has given performances for events hosted by UK Heritage Charity and Dartford, Mayor of Croydon to name a few. The teenager aspires to be an actor, has some theatre experience in the UK and has also done modelling for the retail brand Lulu.

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Shaz khan

February 7, 2024 12:11 am

She is a gem of tye family and made us proud. Wish her a bright future and more glory to the family name.

Published on 06, Feb 2024

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Power of Linguistics: Prasiddha Sudhakar’s path to the Critical Language Scholarship

(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. [caption id="attachment_37865" align="aligncenter" width="718"] Prasiddha Sudhakar | Photo Credit: CMU[/caption] 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

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.

[caption id="attachment_37849" align="aligncenter" width="617"] Prasiddha Sudhakar[/caption]

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFeIOhD2sO0

“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.

Follow Prasiddha Sudhakar on LinkedIn and Twitter

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All for Mother Earth: Environmental activist Ridhima Pandey is making all the right noises

(July 26, 2022) The Kedarnath flash flood of 2013 in her hometown of Uttarakhand was a wake-up call for environmental activist, Ridhima Pandey. Barely six back then, she watched the death and destruction unfold on television at her house in Haldwani in the hill state of Uttarakhand, about 330 km away from Kedarnath. The tragedy hit her hard as it did to many Indians. At that point, she decided to act, and do whatever she could to prevent climate catastrophes such as the Kedarnath tragedy. She spoke to her parents who explained to her in great detail how global warming was causing such tragedies. Gradually, she started doing a lot more research about global warming. "As I began studying the impact of climate change and child’s rights, I learned that even driving cars could affect the climate of such a large planet. I began collaborating and meeting with different people and started spreading awareness among young people about the grave situation,” says environmental activist Ridhima Pandey, in a chat with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_19840" align="aligncenter" width="317"] Ridhima Pandey, environmental activist[/caption] A role model for children across the globe, Ridhima, who advocates for action against climate change, has often been likened

dth="317"] Ridhima Pandey, environmental activist[/caption]

A role model for children across the globe, Ridhima, who advocates for action against climate change, has often been likened to Greta Thunberg. As a nine-year-old environmental activist filed a suit against the Indian Government for not taking enough steps to combat climate change. "I believe that human activities contribute to the increased frequency of these tragedies. We have witnessed how the severity of these disasters is increasing every year. These tragedies can be controlled if we are more cognizant of our actions,” says the popular TEDx speaker, who has spoken at various international conferences including Notre Affaire à Tous in Paris and Xynteo Exchange in Norway.

Protecting the planet

Born in Haldwani, Nainital in October 2007, Ridhima is the daughter of Dinesh Chandra Pandey, a lawyer and wildlife conservationist, and Vinita Pandey, who works in the forest department.

“My mission is to get the community involved in protecting our environment. I have been creating awareness among the younger generation about climate change, their rights, and what they can do to protect it. I continuously file petitions and write letters to government officials about issues such as waste management, air pollution, and other issues concerning the environment,” informs the 14-year-old, a regular speaker at various workshops and seminars on the environment.

A member of the youth advisory council for COP 26, Ridhima has been listed on BBC’s 100 most empowering and influential women’s list in 2020. “It was a pleasant surprise and a huge opportunity to be given a chance to join the council and work with them. The first petition I filed at the national green tribunal was also based on the Paris Agreement. Most of my work, letters, and petitions were also related to similar topics. It was an altogether different experience dealing with the council,” informs the class 11 student of BMDAV Public school in Haridwar.

As for being mentioned on the BBC’s list, the teenager said she only learned about it through her friend in Amsterdam. “Initially, I thought that they needed my answers and bio for an interview. But as it turned out, I was part of this list and came to know only when my friend congratulated me. I was overjoyed,” smiles the environmental activist.

She says her passion for environmental conservation has been the driving force so far. “I would continue to pursue my career in a similar field. While biodiversity has been my area of interest, I am also keen on simultaneously working on building more projects with kids from indigenous communities. This won’t just give them a platform to raise awareness on climate change and its impact but also help them raise their voices,” feels the environmental activist, who was invited as a youth ambassador at the Global Sustainability film awards held by Difficult Dialogues, an international forum that discusses pressing world issues.

A green panther

Residing in the hill state of Uttarakhand and her love for the environment often takes Ridhima to her great grandmother, who lives in the hills. “Apart from that, I usually love travelling to the hills for the tranquillity they behold and the peace of mind they give. While beauty is the biggest factor here, the lack of internet and mobile service works in your favour every time you feel like disconnecting from the world,” she says.

Being into environmental conservation, the activist says she is always keen to learn more about the mountains while she looks for stories about life there and what it means to the locals settled at the foot of those hills. “Talking to them and experiencing the raw mountains keeps me content and gives me a sense of purpose as I fight to protect them and their essence,” says Ridhima, who was also the youth representative and speaker at the Global Pneumonia Forum and has been part of Earth Day Network’s global initiative, My Future My Voice, which compiles messaging from 50 inspiring youth activists from 17 countries.

Inspiring young minds

Recently, Ridhima became a part of Cartoon Network’s Redrawing India initiative, which she refers to as an enormous campaign where she narrates her story.

“I hope that more and more kids get to listen to all the inspiring stories and come forward to pursue their passion and dreams. It’s never too early to work for something you truly believe in," says the environmental activist, who credits her parents for rallying behind her towards the cause of doing her bit for mother Earth. The activist has also called for a complete ban and minces no words when holding higher authorities accountable.

Besides the environment, what other things interest her? “I am fond of singing and dancing,” smiles the teenager, who likes to spend time with pets and play with stray animals. “When it comes to movies, I am a proud superhero fanatic,” informs Ridhima, who is part of the choir group at her school.

Follow Ridhima Pandey on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram

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Teens Nitish and Aditya Sood are uplifting the homeless in Atlanta

(August 24, 2023) Five years ago, Nitish Sood and his brother, Aditya were at the mall with their mother. Bored, the two boys stepped outside for a game of frisbee. A homeless woman sat by the entrance, as people walked past, all of them either pulling out their phones or checking their watches to avoid making eye contact with her. "We were kind of troubled by that," said Nitish Sood, who co-founded Working Together For Change, a student-run organisation that works for homeless people. "Our frisbee landed near her so we ended up striking up a conversation," said Nitish. They asked the obvious question - how did this woman come to be homeless? She responded with a question: "What do you want to be when you grow up." A doctor, Nitish said at once and to his amazement, the woman pulled out a medical degree. Just before she was placed into a residency, she returned to Atlanta to help her brother, who had been involved with gang violence. "She lost that residency. Medical school bills started piling up and suddenly, she was homeless," Nitish explained. "My brother and I learned that nearly everyone is just a step away from homelessness.

y from homelessness. We decided to do something about it."

[caption id="attachment_25031" align="aligncenter" width="478"] Nitish and Aditya Sood[/caption]

Working Together For Change

That's how Working Together for Change was born. "We wanted to interact with other homeless folk, the people we tend to avoid by checking the time or looking at our phones." They realised that they had been wrong about the average homeless person. "We seem to think of middle-aged men, maybe drunk, doing drugs and sleeping on a park bench. Mostly, we believe him to be lazy, uneducated and unambitious. But that is as far away from reality as you can possibly imagine."

Now a student at the Medical College of Georgia, Nitish Sood is doing his residency in Opthalmology. His brother, Aditya, is a junior biology and social major at Alpharetta and an MD candidate at the Emory School of Medicine. Both brothers are highly accomplished in their own right- Aditya is a black belt in karate and does research at the Neuroplasticity lab at Georgia State University. Nitish is a Presidential Scholar at Augusta University, a Coca Cola Scholar - he was awarded a $20,000 scholarship for exemplary leadership and social activism. He's also a National Merit Scholar. Both boys were born in India and moved to the US with their parents.

Currently, Working Together for Change has touched over 3,000 lives. The organisation has also raised some $1,20,000 for its cause, has mobilised some 600 volunteers and over 17,000 volunteer hours. They have organised over a dozen medical camps that screen homeless people for vision trouble, cholesterol and diabetes. WTFC even organises 'sleep-outs', to give people a taste of what it's like to sleep on the streets. All that began with the back-pack-a-thon, their first initiative.

[caption id="attachment_25033" align="aligncenter" width="2016"] Working Together for Change volunteers at their first backpack-a-thon in Augusta in 2018. Photo: Facebook[/caption]

Life on the city streets

Nearly 3000 people are homeless in Atlanta. The fact is, as Nitish and Aditya also discovered - many more people in American cities are at risk of homelessness. A shortage of affordable housing, limited employment opportunities and not enough social welfare schemes are all possible causes. According to the Atlanta Mission, some 58 percent of this homeless population reports reports symptoms of trauma and 57 percent have a chronic medical condition. The brothers were also alarmed to learn that average homeless person is under the age of 18 and that the fastest growing demographic is under the age of nine.

The Soods got into action immediately. They rallied their friends for a 'backpack-a-thon', distributing backpacks filled with essentials like hygiene products, water and socks. Through this, they also hoped to create interaction between students and the homeless community.

Setting up medical camps to building a house in Tijuana

They also created programmes for school students to interact with homeless kids in housing centres. "We gave them a chance to meet. Everyone should have the chance to have some fun," Nitish remarked.

Still, they knew that raising awareness just wouldn't do. So, they decided to host a medical camp. They didn't have doctors, locations, volunteers or work out the logistics of it, but they began work, scouting for locations, visited homeless shelters and told them that they had doctors and volunteers ready. The Soods also asked their friends to sign on.

The big day arrived with a distressing phone call. The bus ferrying the homeless people had broken down. They had doctors and volunteers waiting at the camp and no patients in sight. "We called every adult we knew to use their minivans to ferry the homeless to the camp," Ntisih said. It worked. "In the end, nobody left feeling dissatisfied. Today, we host medical camps every four months." The WTFC teams even went to Tijuana to build a house from the ground up. "It's not feasible for us to do this but WTFC represents the idea that we must do everything we can to help those in need."

[caption id="attachment_25034" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] WTFC-YMCA-MoreHouse Medical Fair 2015. Photo: Facebook[/caption]

The root of the matter

As the years went by, Working Together For Change made a significant impact, crowdfunding thousands of dollars and setting up student chapters across the state. Still, the brothers felt that all this was addressing only the symptoms, not the disease itself. True change would mean getting the homeless people off the streets. They collaborated with United Way Ventures, setting up camps to help reintegrate them into the job market. They also set up coding camps for teens.

The journey hasn't been easy. "It has meant sleepless nights, passing up sleepovers and not being able to hang out with friends," Nitish said. "But when my brother and I started this, there was a fire lit within us. None of what we did felt like work. We were doing what we loved."

Follow Nitish and Aditya on LinkedIn and Working Together for Change on Facebook

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‘App’lying thought: Teen changemaker Karthik Ramu innovates for elder care

(March 19, 2022) If you have a proclivity for tech, one of two things can happen: You can turn that knowledge into a solution; or you, learn and create an ecosystem striving higher. For teen changemaker Karthik Ramu, it was a coupling of both these that helped him solve the hugely ignored elder care problem in the US. Deep in the throes of his freshman year at the University of Virginia, his grandfather in Coimbatore fell ill. The Virginia-based boy and his family were on tenterhooks. Nothing worth something is going to be easy. One day you get someone interested, another day you are rejected - continuing to innovate with focused understanding is important. - Karthik Ramu, teen innovator and global teen leader Witnessing angst and uncertainty, Karthik set out on a path to research on elder care, get data, and he and his classmate Kushi launched AmityConnect. The mobile platform helps families monitor elders’ health by aggregating real-time health data from smart medical devices (smartwatches, etc). Honoured as a global teen leader by We Are Family Foundation (2021),

he and his classmate Kushi launched AmityConnect. The mobile platform helps families monitor elders’ health by aggregating real-time health data from smart medical devices (smartwatches, etc). Honoured as a global teen leader by We Are Family Foundation (2021), he also won the T-Mobile Changemaker Challenge award and was chosen among the top 30 changemakers. The enterprising teen changemaker is direct, has a weakness about numbering his pointers, to then tackle each head on.

[caption id="attachment_12886" align="aligncenter" width="355"] Karthik Ramu, co-founder, AmityConnect[/caption]

When an idea was born

The Tamilian born in North Carolina is as close to his Coimbatore-born parents' roots as he is to his Indian-American culture. The single child’s upbringing was also entrenched in tech as his father is an IT consultant, and his mother helps at their firm. AmityConnect was initiated in 2018-19 at his stem-based magnate high school. An entrepreneurship computer science programme piqued his curiosity, and he ideated on a solution with the potential to impact society.

“The biggest problem for our team was our grandparents – they had medical emergencies. I saw my grandfather suffer a heart attack. We felt distant and unaware, and were unable to offer the best care,” says teen changemaker Karthik Ramu in an interview with Global Indian. Putting his thinking cap on, the co-founder realised that the need for elder care was critical. His grandfather recovered, and a quest began to solve this oft-forgotten need – “Did you know that the elderly population is expected to double globally from 900 million to 2 billion in 2050 – it shook me,” adds the 19-year-old.

Caring for the aged

About one in six people in the US are elderly – with chronic conditions. Often, families and caretakers are left in the dark, and unable to give pertinent care. Initially, they created an app that aggregates data from medical devices but soon realised the larger problem – the data was inaccessible to caretakers, family, etc.

AmityConnect was born as a simple yet ground-breaking way to care for the elderly – simplifying data from devices to send updates on health, and using AI to predict trends — the idea was pitched to tech competitions. Seven family members were roped in to test the app, and it emerged that it was perfect for senior-living facilities. Amity, meaning peace and calm, is Karthik’s way of connecting everyone together for elder care – a peace emanating prospect, no doubt.

The app data also helps predict medical emergencies. “The data we are aggregating shows a trend in medical vitals, thus with AI and ML, we are able to predict heart attacks, etc. We tried to create an AI model to help senior living facilities prep for emergencies,” explains the serious-minded teen changemaker.

The team is also streamlining the way senior living facilities work (often outdated). Families get elders’ health updates at their fingertips with a feature that allows senior living staff to convey data. The beta testing during Covid-19’s peak saw them partner with 20-30 Apple Fitbits. Slowly understanding and smoothening glitches, the focus is on funding, development and growing the team. They also won a competition judged and created by Tim Draper, a renowned venture capitalist in the US, winning $16,000 -$17,000 funding. The goal is to triple funding, launch and tap into the 40,000 to 50,000 US-based senior living communities.

[caption id="attachment_13038" align="aligncenter" width="839"] Karthik Ramu, co-founder, AmityConnect with his friends[/caption]

The only way is up

Expanding the team, they brought in WWDC scholars (Apple Worldwide Developers Conference) – Don, from Singapore and Nick from Netherlands. In the pre-launch stage, Karthik is now busy with school and wants to study MBA (economics and computers science). A part of him longs for the traditional setup of families in India, where primary caregivers are family members, but he accepts that the US is different.

Starting up is tough, and he believes he has the resilience and strength of purpose to succeed, “Nothing worth something is going to be easy. One day you get someone interested, another day you are rejected - continuing to innovate with focused understanding is important - How can I impact others? I realise that the only things that stay are your ideas and work,” says the very mature teen changemaker.

His “India” is a bustling cornucopia - active and alive. Those yearly trips are precious. Fluent in Tamil, Karthik adds, “I speak to my grandparents often. When we go to India, we visit the village. I’ve been brought very Indian, and that has helped me in many ways. Acknowledging the other parts of you, and your identity is helpful, and makes one unique.”

Projects, and more projects

Left to his own skillset, his parents are supportive but noninterfering. “Their goal is to guide me in the right direction – whether to pitch at competitions or a willingness to drive me there, they motivate me. At the same time, I am doing these different ventures, helping out with different entrepreneurship projects so they ensure I balance it all,” smiles Karthik, who hopes to graduate and devote time developing AmityConnect, and ultimately be his own boss.

His parents are unaware of his projects, “They joke that I never tell them anything, but they end up being pleasantly surprised and proud,” adds the teen changemaker.

Quiet, contemplative, his close-knit friends’ circle helps him spread those bookish wings further. The 5’10’’ basketball player is thankful to his teachers – “Ms Schmidt, Ms Dorothy, who were a guiding force to help me get the right resources. Cliff Weitzman (founder and CEO, Speechify, an AI-powered text to speech platform), who has a YouTube channel inspired me with his writing. He knows what it is to be a student entrepreneur, and grow a 100-plus team to generate revenue,” says the basketball aficionado.

Another mentor, Drew Bartkiewicz (in the top 100 influential people by Goldman Sachs) from We Are Family Foundation is a mentor. The teen changemaker says, “His immense experience in scaling app-based companies – helped us immensely.”

Covid-19 was Karthik’s, “time to introspect, create his own values and understand where he is, and where he wants to go.” Yes, for a freshman, the teen changemaker philosophises too.

Follow Karthik Ramu on Linkedin

Kehkashan Basu: The eco-warrior empowering youth for sustainable development

(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

=" wp-image-30688 aligncenter" src="https://stage.globalindian.com/youth///wp-content/uploads/2023/06/keh1.jpg" alt="Kehkashan Basu | Global Indian" width="754" height="503" />

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.

Follow Kehkashan Basu on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 min