Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveSimone Sharma: Building opportunities for teens through YouthGrowYouth

Simone Sharma: Building opportunities for teens through YouthGrowYouth

Written by: Amrita Priya

(January 14, 2023) Growing up, student entrepreneur Simone Sharma dreamed of being a doctor. Life, however, had other plans. Along the way, she discovered that volunteer work could boost her CV and increase the odds of getting scholarships to good colleges. Although she wanted to give it a try, she didn’t know where to begin. The hunt for volunteering opportunities, however, sowed the seed for her own non-profit, YouthGrowYouth, which works with youngsters like herself.

Little did she know that in a short span of time, she would be able to reach out to more than 60,000 highschoolers, create a team of volunteers from across the globe and connect youngsters to several opportunities. This successful stint with social entrepreneurship has influenced the seventeen-year-old’s future plans, inspiring her to study business instead of medicine.

Simone Sharma

Through YouthGrowYouth, Simone has been helping youngsters discover a rich array of extracurricular options, and explore their career interests. The non-profit’s programmes range from helping youngsters with volunteering positions, internships, mentorships, exclusive Ivy League programmes and more.

“YouthGrowYouth has a team of 20 volunteers from India and places like Germany and Canada, who enable global online opportunities,” Simone tells Global Indian.

Impressive associations

Recently, the non-profit became affiliated with the United Nations Youth Council and has since expanded to promoting gender equality and mass literacy among vulnerable youth. “The UNYC affiliation has broadened our horizons as we get to be part of regional meetings and interact with board members,” remarks the youngster.

With Simone at the helm, YouthGrowYouth managed to get selected for the Crimson Youth Entrepreneurship Society’s 2022 cohort. “It’s a non-profit accelerator run by Harvard University students dedicated to help young founders create meaningful impacts in their communities and beyond,” tells Simone.

Excited about being part of such a significant cohort, chosen from amongst thousands of applicants, she says, “The selection process went on for three months. By the end of it, only 20 youth-led startups from all over the world were chosen. I am so glad we are one of them.”

The selection comes with the perks of resources for growth. “We are able to access many Harvard webinars, which aren’t otherwise available to the public. We also have access to Harvard-based mentors who groom us to make our startups better,” tells the young social entrepreneur.

Another interesting association has been YouthGowYouth’s selection for the first-ever Google Startup School India edition. Over the course of the nine-week online training programme, the early-stage startup founders were equipped with knowledge, tools and products that any growing organisation needs – all delivered by Google experts and unicorn founders.

The Bengaluru based teen is also one of the 120 participants selected out of 4,000 applicants for the YLC Leadership cum Entrepreneurship Conference. “In an online two-week programme, I was trained in a curriculum developed by Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School and Harvard Graduate School of Education on how to strengthen my organization’s presence,” she says.

Multifaceted teen

Social entrepreneurship, which Simone stumbled onto by chance, is not the only area in which the teenager excels. She has been a runner-up at the National Spelling Bee 2019. She has also tried her hand at pageantry and although she couldn’t earn the top spot in the Star Miss Teen India contest, she managed to earn the Miss Teen India Karnataka 2022 title as one of the finalists. There were other contestants representing the state.

“The contest was held at The Leela Palace, New Delhi. There were accomplished participants from across India. I managed to stand out in the talent round due to my poetry writing skills,” she mentions adding, ‘Though I stammered in nervousness when I was told to recite, losing my shot at winning the title, the days leading to the contest provided a holistic and growing experience for me.”

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Her poems are part of two anthologies published by a publishing house named Writer’s Pocket Publishing. The daughter of an army colonel, Simone is good at sports, and has represented her district and state in basketball tournaments.

“It’s ironic that although I want to pursue business analytics, I am studying science,” smiles the 12th grader of Jain Heritage School. The student entrepreneur aspires to pursue her college education abroad and expand YouthGrowYouth on campus there, to widen its horizons even more.

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Published on 14, Jan 2023

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When Indian kids say the ‘earnest’ things on Ted Talks, they inspire

(February 15, 2022) Ideas are everywhere. And the world is nurtured through them. The confidence and power to unleash those ideas into reality is something few possess. One of the best ways to spread the power of these ideas is through speeches and talks; TED talks is among the most recognised and celebrated platforms. From inspiring people to changing lives and perspectives, each talk coaxes one to step out of their comfort zone. A whole crop of young Global Indian children are unleashing the power of their ideas through these TED talks. Times Kid of the Year, Gitanjali Rao, innovator Neha Shukla, achiever Ishita Katyal and others, there is no dearth of confident young Indian-origin children taking to the stage to create awareness, and get the world to sit up and take notice. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1kV3NQ87FY[/embed] Young and raring to go Recently, five-year-old Indian American child Kiara Kaur became the world’s youngest TEDx Speaker on Unboxing Curiosity at a TEDx event in Maharashtra on November 2021. Before that, it was 10-year-old Ishita Katyal, who held the distinction of being the youngest Indian to deliver a TED talk. Her topic: Why you don’t have to wait till you grow up. [caption id="attachment_10868" align="aligncenter"

[caption id="attachment_10868" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Gitanjali Rao[/caption]

It’s true. These young ones aren’t waiting for adulthood to make a difference. Their time to act (… or speak) is now, and they’re grabbing every opportunity to make a difference. Age is not a factor when it comes to initiating change too. Gitanjali Rao’s TED Talks, India Nayi Baat in 2019 witnessed the young leader expound these very ideas. “I don't think there should be an age barrier to solving problems. I hope that with the right focus and approach to continuous learning, we can all be superheroes, saving lives," she had told Shah Rukh Khan at the event.

In fact, several of these teens are quite enamoured by the entire platform and are adding to it through Indian TED Talks. Manasi Patil, a young author and STEM enthusiast avers, “TED talks display diverse perspectives of people all over the world. Bringing forward crucial messages and breaking stereotypes, I love the power every single TED talk has. Moreover, gaining insights into how people think and present themselves is an added bonus. TED talks are a cocktail of excitement, inspiration, changemaking ecosystem and simply a powerhouse for thinking beyond the box.”

Influencing minds, one talk at a time

[caption id="attachment_10869" align="aligncenter" width="641"] Neha Shukla[/caption]

Stressing on the importance of getting young people to innovate was Global Teen Leader Neha Shukla when she took the stage at TEDx Atlanta. “Our generation has just begun to embrace innovation. Gen Z already knows what challenges to care about; they just don’t know how to channelise their passion into tangible solutions,” she said during her Indian TED talk, adding, “Now more than ever we have the power to harness cutting edge science and technology to create positive change in our communities. With more people involved in the innovation process, the more problems we can solve, the faster we can do it.” Incidentally, Neha has impacted over 22,000 students and industry leaders through her talks and workshops. She was also honoured by NASDAQ.

An entire generation of thinkers and innovators are getting inspired. For instance, Yathaarth Murthy, a two-time Limca Book of Records holder for singing the highest number of anthems in the world, said that he loved watching TEDx videos as a young child. He wanted to be on the hallowed platform himself and his dream came true when he was invited to give his first TED talk at age 12 on being an anthemologist. His fourth talk was in 2020 when he spoke about pursuing one’s dreams.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IVIcvIMKhU[/embed]

For Tamil Nadu’s Young Nutrition Ambassador and YouTuber, TED turned out to be a dream platform. The 13-year-old motivational speaker had for long been a fan of the platform and drawn inspiration from it and its speakers. So, when she was invited to speak twice on TED, she considered it a huge milestone in her young life. “Being able to speak on TED has been very special for me,” says the teen, who also talks about the kind of hard work that goes into delivering what might seem like a simple talk. “On the face of it, it might just look like a simple 20-minute talk, but there’s so much planning and preparation involved. It took me six months to be able to shape my speech and prepare for my talk.”

Leading by example

[caption id="attachment_10556" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Manasi Patil[/caption]

The fact that platforms like TED also afford these young speakers’ visibility and leverage is an added bonus. Manasi, who herself has enjoyed watching several TED talks by Shashi Tharoor, Tim Urban, and Rohini Godbole, says, “I have always believed that once you are on the stage, in the spotlight, you have this undefined power to get people on board with your dreams, your vision. The TED platform is one of the most powerful ways out there to do this. It's fascinating how your voice, from one part of the world, can be heard throughout the world through a video that is never more than 18 minutes. I intend to reach many GenZers and ‘reinforce the GenZ potential’ in a much wider sense through my TED talks.”

Top 5 Indian TED talks to watch

Motivational: Sparsh Shah on How a 13-year-old changed Impossible to I’m Possible
Life: Ishita Katyal on Experiences of a 12-year-old author
Invention: Deepika Kurup on A Young Scientist’s Quest for Clean Water
Positive Thinking: Manoj Dora on Never Give Up
Innovation: Anwesha Das on The role and Opportunities of child innovators

Reading Time: 8 mins

How Lydian Nadhaswaram taught himself to play piano and won CBS’ ‘The World’s Best’

(July 4, 2024) Even before his second birthday, Lydian Nadhaswaram could play a perfect 3/4 rhythm on the drums. When he turned eight, he taught himself to play piano. When he was 13 years old, he won CBS' The World's Best, which came with a $1 million cash prize. He can play 14 instruments and is the first, and only, student of the maestro Ilaiyaraja. In 2019, soon after he walked away with the World's Best trophy, it was announced that Lydian would make his debut as a film composer, in the Mohanlal-directed Malayalam fantasy film, Guardian of D'Gama's Treasure. His Instagram page is filled with celebrity photos, including Ilayaraja, A.R. Rahman, Kamal Haasan, Drew Barrymore and Sivamani. In 2022, Lydian also released his debut jazz album, Chromatic Grammatic. From xylophone sticks to multiple instruments View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lydian Nadhaswaram (@lydiannadhaswaramofficial) When Lydian Nadhaswaram was two years old, the family was celebrating his sister Amrithavarshini's birthday. Lydian picked up two xylophone sticks and played a rhythm. His father noticed his talent instantly and the next day, bought him a small Rototoms drum set. He soon began accompanying his father for every orchestra

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When Lydian Nadhaswaram was two years old, the family was celebrating his sister Amrithavarshini's birthday. Lydian picked up two xylophone sticks and played a rhythm. His father noticed his talent instantly and the next day, bought him a small Rototoms drum set. He soon began accompanying his father for every orchestra and light music show in town and Lydian would play the drums as he heard others sing, and try his hand at the string instruments and keyboards, too. Even his name holds music. The nadaswaram is a wind instrument and Lydian, a Greek word, is a raga. "In Tamil we have the kalyani raga. My father used to say that Lydian is the kalyani raga." When he was a baby, his father would play the Tamil song Kaatril varum geethame, written in the Lydian raga and even as a toddler, he would smile when he heard it.

So, when he first suggested playing the piano after watching a young Chinese pianist, his father worried he would spread himself too thin. "I told him you are a drummer and that guy is a pianist, maybe one day you can play with him on the same stage, you can't just learn the piano." Lydian, however, was determined. He went to the family's old Samick upright and sat down to play. "Suddenly one day, he came to the piano and started playing something which is not easy for a beginner to play," his father recalls. "He used both his hands like a master and I was astounded. From that day onwards, I encouraged him to play the piano as well." A few months later, although his fingers were presumably too small to cover a full octave, he stunned everyone, including his music director father, Varshan Satish, by playing Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin. When he turned 10 years old, in 2016, Lydian finished his grade 8 piano exam, playing Chopin's rubato, Petit Chien Valse. One examiner wrote in his report that "this was played with both delicacy and gusto."

Winning 'The World's Best' and global recognition

After his big break in 2019, the Global Indian's reputation grew in leaps and bounds across the world. Photos of Lydian Nadhaswaram, then barely 13, posing with Drew Barrymore, as he won The World's Best, went viral. Invitations to perform came pouring in, from across India, as well as from the US, Australia and Malaysia. The prodigy, who looked even younger than his thirteen years, went viral for playing two pianos at the same time.

It didn't stop there. "One day, I was playing the piano along with my sister Amritha Varshini, who is a pianist herself," Lydian said. "She playfully threw a towel on me, that fell on my head and covered my eyes but still, I managed to play the piece. That was the day my daddy noticed I could play even with my eyes shut. That practice continued whenever I felt like playing blindfolded." He demonstrated this skill on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

In Miami, writes Vishwas R Gaitonde in The Hindu, during a rehearsal for Simpre Ninos, the NBC television show, Nadhashwaram noticed that a string on the Baldwin grand piano had a metallic sound. None of the studio technicians had picked up on it. Lydian's observation caused such a stir that the producers provided him with a Yamaha C3 grand, brought straight from the showroom. His performance went so well that he was invited back on Siempre Ninos.

His dream piano is the Steinway grand - no surprises there. After his visit to Miami, Lydian went to New York City, where he visited the Steinway headquarters. In the visitors' room, he played a Model A. The showroom manager was so impressed, he led Lydian to the Model D concert grand, the company's top of the line model. He played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Mastering the craft and future aspirations

Today, a Steinway grand sits proudly in his studio, where a picture of Beethoven hangs on the wall. Only the teddy bear sitting on the piano hints at his age. And Lydian Nadhaswaram's repertoire has only grown. He plays 14 instruments, including the guitar, the violin and harpejji, a gift from A.R. Rahman. In this studio, he re-created Ilayaraja's most complex compositions, earning himself the honour of being the maestro's only student.

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After he graduated from Trinity College, he joined A.R. Rahman's KM Music Conservatory, to specialise in the Russian style of playing the piano. When he was 10 years old, he was vinted to India's first ever TED show, hosted by Shah Rukh Khan and curator Juliet Blake. Blake then invited Lydian to play a fusion piece with LA-based violinist Gingger Shankar and Swiss drummer Carlo Ribaux.

Lydian has gone on to win several awards, including the Cicely Goschen Shield, the Rajagopal Menon Prize, the PP John Memorial Prize and the Amy de Rozario Cup.

Follow Lydian Nadhaswaram on Instagram and YouTube.

Reading Time: 5 mins

His brother’s keeper: Yash Gandhi Foundation leads the way in I-Cell disease research

(December 7, 2022) Yash Gandhi was eleven months old, the much-adored firstborn son of Ash and Sonal Gandhi, when he was diagnosed with a rare, terminal disease. He wouldn't make it past the age of five, doctors said, and there was nothing anyone could do. Shattered, his parents scoured the internet for information and answers, finding none. Their search for solace led to the creation of the Yash Gandhi Foundation in 2001, which has, over the years, given out sizeable grants for I-Cell research and has reached hundreds of thousands of people across over a dozen countries. In 2016, their younger son, Kavi Gandhi, took over the foundation and has been running it since, determined to keep his brother's memory alive. To fight another day What they did find, however, was stories - hundreds of them, all similar to their own. The internet was full of devastated parents who, instead of allowing grief to debilitate them, were determined to fight for their kids instead. In some cases, these struggles even resulted in a miracle cure. That was how the idea for the Yash Gandhi Foundation first came about. "With the clock against us, we knew that any work we did

rmined to fight for their kids instead. In some cases, these struggles even resulted in a miracle cure. That was how the idea for the Yash Gandhi Foundation first came about. "With the clock against us, we knew that any work we did was unlikely to benefit Yash, but to us, it didn't matter," Ash and Sonal Gandhi write, on the Yash Gandhi Foundation website. "What was most important was that we could make a difference and prevent another family from going through what we were at the time."

[caption id="attachment_25140" align="aligncenter" width="1620"] The founders of the Yash Gandhi Foundation, Kavi Gandhi with his family. Photo: Twitter[/caption]

Handing over the reins

Today, the Foundation is run by their second son, Kavi Gandhi, now a student at Davidson College. In three years, they raised $460,000 to aid I-Cell research, to prevent the disease that claimed his brother's life from taking another. I-cell disease is caused by a genetic mutation and is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder "characterised by coarse facial features, skeletal abnormalities and mental retardation," according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders. Children with I-cell disease show delayed development of gross and fine motor skills, hearing loss, lack of muscle tone and growth delays.

The Gandhis ran their foundation, the only one in the world for I-Cell, for 15 years. In 2013, they even climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for their cause. Three years later, however, they believed the time had come to close the foundation. Their 13-year-old son, Kavi, was not happy to hear the news. After giving it a few days of thought, he announced to his parents that he was going to revive the foundation and run it himself, in memory of his brother.

Growing up with Yash

Only two years younger than Yash Gandhi, the family's trauma impacted Kavi too. He recalls a slew of hospital trips, and watching his brother hooked up to oxygen tanks and walkers. "We were really close like a lot of siblings are at that age," Kavi said. "A lot of my memories are from playing with him and spending time together. Those six years, I've definitely cherished and still retained a lot of those memories."

When Yash passed away in 2009, the family created the Yash Gandhi Foundation. "Losing my sibling was probably one of the most formative experiences for me... the foundation is a way to transform the grief I felt with my brother into really honouring his memory and preserving that," Kavi remarked.

[caption id="attachment_25141" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Kavi Gandhi was named the 2018 Global Genes RARE Champion of Hope for Teen Advocacy[/caption]

At the frontier of I-Cell disease research

Since he took over the foundation in 2006, Kavi has worked to connect with other families who have been impacted by I-Cell and has raised nearly half a million dollars towards ML II research. In 2020, Kavi interned at the Greenwood Genetic Center to study the disease in human and zebrafish cells. The young Global Indian is a 2021 John M Belk Scholar at Davidson College, where he is doing his undergraduate degree in Public Health, with a Minor in Hispanic studies. He's also a member of the university's jazz ensemble.

In 2018, Global Genes named Gandhi the 2018 Global Genes RARE Champion of Hope for Teen Advocacy. Every year since 2012, the Yash Gandhi Foundation has issued research grants - in 2020, a smiling Kavi, standing with his parents, announced a $130,000 grant, their largest to date, to Dr Richard Street at the Greenwood Genetic Centre and Dr Stuart Kornfield of Washington University.

Follow Yash Gandhi Foundation on Twitter

From turf to teaching: Rani Rampal’s double milestones in 2023

(September 19, 2023) Ace hockey player Rani Rampal who earned the moniker the 'Queen of Hockey,' has recently been appointed as U-17 coach to mentor rising stars of the game. "Hockey gave me an identity, people listen to me, talk to me because of hockey. So, I just want to work for it in any capacity. You can can play, mentor young kids, you can teach," she said accepting the role. This is the second milestone that the 28-year-old achieved in her career in 2023. She had reached a significant milestone earlier this year when Modern Coach Factory (MCF) Stadium in Raebareli got renamed to ‘Rani’s Girls Hockey Turf'. From being a girl who had to plead to enter a hockey academy to becoming the first female player to have a stadium in her name, Rani’s journey is extraordinary. [caption id="attachment_33144" align="aligncenter" width="794"] Rani Rampal coaches rising hockey stars[/caption] India's most celebrated female hockey player, Rani has journeyed from a village of Haryana to the international hockey stage with elan. From being a cart-puller’s daughter to representing India in all the major international hockey turfs is nothing short of an inspiration.The former captain of women's hockey team was bestowed with

es rising hockey stars[/caption]

India's most celebrated female hockey player, Rani has journeyed from a village of Haryana to the international hockey stage with elan. From being a cart-puller’s daughter to representing India in all the major international hockey turfs is nothing short of an inspiration.The former captain of women's hockey team was bestowed with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2020 and received the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award the same year.

A stadium in her name

“Words seem too less to express my happiness and gratitude as I share that the MCF Raebareli has been renamed as ‘Rani’s Girls Hockey Turf’ to honour my contribution to hockey,” she had tweeted. She achieved this rare honour for her consistent good performances in the game. In another tweet, Rani remarked, “It is a proud and emotional moment for me as I become the first woman hockey player to have a stadium to my name. I dedicate this to the Indian women’s team and I hope this inspires the next generation of women hockey players!”

The self-made hockey player had dared to dream when there were odds stacked against her and with her sheer dedication has come a long way.

Life as a cart-puller’s daughter

Growing up in Haryana, Rani dreamed of becoming a hockey player ever since she was a little girl. But her cart-puller father who could not even manage two meals a day for the family was unable to support her dreams. Rani persisted. Playing with a broken hockey stick, running around in a salwar-kameez as she could not afford a tracksuit, the youngster carried on. Her mother worked as a housemaid.

"I wanted an escape from my life - from the electricity shortages to the mosquitoes buzzing in our ears when we slept, from barely having two square meals to seeing our home getting flooded when it rained. My parents tried their best but there was little that they could do,” Rani said in an interview.

There was a hockey academy near their house. Rani would spend hours watching players practice. She too wanted to play but every time she requested the coach to include her in the practice sessions, he would reject her saying, she was malnourished. While her parents kept on postponing her demands to purchase a hockey stick. One day Rani found a broken hockey stick near the academy and was on top of the world. Determined to change her life’s trajectory she begged the coach to give her a chance to learn. Eventually, with lots of pleadings, he agreed to train her. This was the beginning of a history that was waiting to be unfolded.

[caption id="attachment_29085" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Rani Rampal[/caption]

The journey began...

When Rani’s parents came to know about her plans to play hockey, they were reluctant. Instead, they wanted her to take up household chores and disapproved of the idea of girls playing hockey wearing skirts. It was the second time that Rani had to plead very hard. “I pleaded with them to let me play and if I failed, I promised I would do whatever they wanted me to do,” she said. It was only then that they agreed.

At the academy, each player needed to bring 500 ml of milk to drink before resuming practice. However, it was just 200 ml that the family could afford for Rani. The youngster did not want to take any chances and make the coach unhappy. She would mix milk with water in a 500 ml bottle and take it to the academy to do exactly what the coach desired. Rani picked up the sport fast. Looking at her dedication to the sport and how she did not miss a single day of practice, the coach built a liking for her. Later he even bought her a hockey kit and shoes and allowed her to stay with his family so that her nutritional needs could be taken care of.

[caption id="attachment_29087" align="aligncenter" width="470"] Rani Rampal[/caption]

It was a joyous and emotional occasion for her family when Rani came home with her first earning, a Rs 500 note that she won in a tournament. It was her first earning and when she gave the money to her father, he wept in joy. “I promised my family that one day we would be having our own home and worked hard to keep that promise,” the Global Indian said.

On the path to success

After playing several tournaments and representing her state under the guidance of her coach who stood by her in thick and thin Rani Rampal got a chance to play at the nationals. As she started to play professionally, GoSports Foundation, a sports NGO provided Rani with monetary as well as non-monetary support. At the age of 15, she was the youngest player in the national team which participated in the 2010 World Cup. After giving several consistent performances, there came a day when she was named the captain of the Indian Hockey Team – making her parents and hockey coach swell in pride.

Keeping to her promise she fulfilled the need for one’s own home for the family in 2017. “It was an emotional day for all of us. We cried together and held each other tight” she said. Having played the sport for more than 13 years, the veteran player had been the mainstay of the team. In 2020 the striker who often doubled up as a midfielder was honoured with a Padma Shri. Her coach Baldev Singh received the Dronacharya Award.

[caption id="attachment_33143" align="aligncenter" width="443"] Rani Rampal receiving the Padma Shri award[/caption]

Bringing laurels to the country in numerous international tournaments Rani has also worked as an assistant coach with the Sports Authority of India. Apart from Padma Shri, she has won the Arjuna Award and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award – the highest sporting honours of India.

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Reading Time: 5 mins

Maya Joshi: Indian-American teen lifting senior citizens out of isolation through art

(March 8, 2024) Growing up in Chicago, Maya Joshi's favourite memories revolved around learning to paint and weave with her grandparents. This passion for the visual arts stemmed from her early childhood. But when the COVID-19-induced pandemic in 2020 called for a worldwide lockdown, the Indian-American teen found it hard to access her grandparents. This isolation "kindled the idea of expanding social connection by using technology and willing volunteers" and led to the birth of Lifting Hearts with the Arts. [caption id="attachment_36437" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Maya Joshi is the founder of Lifting Hearts With Arts[/caption] Lifting seniors out of isolation Seeing the senior population facing social isolation, she decided to bridge the gap by expanding social gaps between youth and senior citizens. "We try to connect the seniors with high school volunteers through technology and through the arts in an effort to lift their spirits and improve their mental health," she said in an interview. ALSO READ | Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli: Indian-American teen’s nonprofit empowers the visually impaired It was the shelter-in-place order in Illinois that prompted her to come up with the idea. "When it hit, I thought about my grandparents, and how I couldn't meet them in person. I

tal health," she said in an interview.

ALSO READ | Sai Hitesh Vavilapalli: Indian-American teen’s nonprofit empowers the visually impaired

It was the shelter-in-place order in Illinois that prompted her to come up with the idea. "When it hit, I thought about my grandparents, and how I couldn't meet them in person. I thought about how I spent so much of my early childhood going over to their house, especially weaving with my grandmother and painting with the grandpa," she added. Manya saw how happy her grandparents were when they got video and phone calls and wanted to share the same joy with as many senior citizens as possible. "I knew that I needed to create a program to facilitate my idea," she revealed, adding that it became a dining table conversation with her family who turned out to be her support system. They soon outlined goals and started reaching out to senior living facilities and their high school friends to build Lifting Hearts with the Arts.

In April 2020, it came into action with the mission to engage the community through intergenerational learning with the arts. "In youth, art helps foster creative thinking, boosts self-esteem, and establishes a sense of accomplishment. In adult populations, art can prevent cognitive decline by improving memory, reasoning, and resilience," reads their website.

Bridging the gap and community building

When Maya began her first virtual meetings with the residents, she was a little skeptical of breaking the ice with them. However, she realised that it was actually very easy. Sharing an experience, she said, "One day, I was hosting a trivia game for a group of 6 residents via Zoom, and we started talking about languages the residents took in high school. I told them that I was taking Latin, not expecting anyone to have taken it. It turned out that all 6 of them had taken Latin in high school," adding, "We started reminiscing about texts that we had all read in school, and they even offered some advice for translating some of Virgil and Caesar's texts!"

It was her parents in whom she found her first mentors, who guided her at every step. "My grandparents have been my biggest cheerleaders and were the organization’s first followers on Facebook," revealed Maya, who is currently studying at Princeton University.

Understanding its ramifications, they pair high school students with seniors at long-term care facilities for one-on-one and group activities to build long-term friendships on the basis of mutual interests. The activities include playing games, painting or drawing together, sharing cooking/baking recipes, or listening to music.

ALSO READ | Avi Gupta: Indian-American teen revolutionises healthcare with affordable ventilator invention

Explaining one of the group activities 'Name that Tune' with the seniors, Maya said that volunteers play the first one minute of a song and the residents need to guess the name and artist. "Some of our high school volunteers weren’t sure what decade to play music from. After talking to several of the seniors, we found that 40s and 60s music was the most popular. In fact, I have found a new love for the musical jams of the 50s and 60s," she added.

Taking the next step

After its success during the pandemic, in the fall of 2023, CoGen Creations was yet another program that was introduced to "encourage open communication to counteract stereotypes and increase understanding between generations." Based on mutual interests and hobbies, it pairs ten high school students with ten senior residents at a local care facility in Chicago where they meet during an ice cream social or create a first art piece together. It gives them a chance to get to know each other better by engaging in a dialogue and by expressing themselves through dialogue. "The hope is that seniors and students might build long-lasting, intergenerational friendships that will enrich their lives."

In the last few years, Lifting Hearts with the Arts has been on a mission to use the arts to connect seniors and youth through virtual or in-person activities to build long-lasting friendships. Interestingly, the organisation is now expanding the program for college students too. "Finding common grounds with seniors has helped the volunteers develop empathy."

Follow Maya Joshi on LinkedIn