Sridevi Krothapalli: Indian-American teen brings joy to hospital kids through art magazine
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(August 11, 2023) Kahani, which translates to storytelling, has found its place in hospitals in Chicago and other parts of the US. A digital arts and literary magazine that’s distributed to children’s hospitals for kindergarten to middle-school-age patients is the brainchild of Sridevi Krothapalli who turned her passion for art into a project. Growing up, she was drawn to watercolours and would end up making art that comforted her. Over the years, her interest expanded into the realm of digital art and drawing, and in 2020, she turned his love into a student-led nonprofit Kahani. Three years into it, the 17-year-old made it to Teen Vogue’s annual 21 Under 21 list of changemakers, influencers, activists, and artists who are making an impact.
Sridevi Krothapalli
“My mission with Kahani includes helping distribute art and literary magazines for kids in hospitals across the USA to inspire creativity,” she said in an interview. The 17-year-old senior at Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA), who aspires to make a career in advocacy and healthcare, has always been keen to give back to the community and “help make an impact.”
The digital magazine with its vibrant artwork, engaging stories, and playful poems, aims to ignite creativity among children during their hospital stay.
“So, they can experience outside of the hospital that gives them the opportunity to engage with this art because that’s what it’s all about. Getting children to play their own role and honestly interpret it anywhere they are,” she added. For this Indian American teen, who originally hails from Telangana, kindness, and love have served as guiding influences, encouraging her to speak from the heart and inspire positive transformation.
In these years, Kahani has been distributed in hospitals across the US including Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, and Children’s of Mississippi in Jackson. The staff and parents permit patients to access the magazine through tablets, digital devices, as well as in-house closed-circuit televisions, and websites. The influence of Kahani at Riley Hospital for Children was recently highlighted by an Indiana CBS affiliate station. A hospital spokesperson remarked that the magazine serves as a wonderful illustration of children receiving support from individuals who may be strangers to them. Such literary and artistic content helps create an opportunity for normalisation in the hospital.
Published twice a year, the magazine consists of 20 pages that encompass a diverse array of artistic expressions including poetry, short stories, paintings, and photography. Accompanying the artwork are descriptive captions, and within each edition, there are thought-provoking journaling prompts. “We try to make it as artistically compelling as possible — the most fun things that we can think of and mostly interesting things that you’d see in a nature book. But instead, it’s made by students not so far away,” she told Chicago Tribune.
Witnessing many individuals in her family and community facing illnesses that required them to visit nearby children’s hospitals prompted her to develop a form of creative arts therapy and an initiative tailored to their benefit. Recognising the scarcity of resources crafted by students specifically for this hospital-bound population, she aimed to establish a student-driven endeavour — a collective effort where all the donated creations are the result of students’ artistic endeavours.
The teenager, who is an active member of IMSA’s arts and literary magazine, Heliotrope, produces Kahani with the help of half a dozen people that include her family, friends, and IMSA students. She serves as a designer, artist, and writer, and also oversees outreach and promotion.
Along with her passion for art, she is a physics pro who wants to make scientific discoveries that would make a difference in the world. Moreover, she was selected to attend the Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics. “By applying coding skills to physics-based projects in environmental engineering and tutoring other students in physics-oriented topics in my community, I realized my ambition to break the gender gap in the field of physics and mathematics,” she told Teen Vogue.
When she is not studying algorithms or working on Kahani, Sridevi loves playing tennis or indulges in filmmaking. Moreover, she holds the position of Regional Board President for the nonprofit organization International Youth Tobacco Control in Illinois wherein she coordinates educational events, establishes connections with fellow tobacco control organisations in the state, and designs informative infographics and digital posters addressing tobacco usage for school districts across the region. “Everything that I do falls under the umbrella of what I’m interested in — the umbrella of public health crises that affect kids’ well-being.”
(April 23, 2023)Priyanka Yoshikawa (addressed as Yoshikawa Purianka in Japanese) became the second multiracial beauty pageant contestant to hold a winner’s title in Japan. She was crowned Miss World Japan in 2016. Born to a Bengali father and a Japanese mother, the twenty-nine-year-old is a master of many trades. Before holding the beauty pageant title, the youngster worked as a Japanese interpreter with a license in elephant training. The avid kickboxer and art therapist is now an entrepreneur helping people feel confident in their skin. [caption id="attachment_29470" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Priyanka Yoshikawa at the Miss Japan pageant[/caption] It was a teary trail-blazing triumph when Priyanka got successful in claiming the top title in Japan’s beauty pageant. The critics were completely against her participation. They felt that the title holder should have been a ‘pure’ Japanese rather than a ‘haafu’ - the Japanese term for ‘half’, often used to describe people from a mixed race in Japan. Priyanka’s predecessor Ariana Miyamoto was the first ‘haafu’ to hold the title in 2015 serving as her role model. “Ariana is an inspiration for showing me and showing all mixed girls the way," Priyanka had remarked after her win. Though the youngster who can fluently
r than a ‘haafu’ - the Japanese term for ‘half’, often used to describe people from a mixed race in Japan. Priyanka’s predecessor Ariana Miyamoto was the first ‘haafu’ to hold the title in 2015 serving as her role model.
“Ariana is an inspiration for showing me and showing all mixed girls the way," Priyanka had remarked after her win. Though the youngster who can fluently communicate in Japanese, English, and Bengali, was confused about her identity growing up, she calls Japan her home after spending most of her life there.
The pain of being a ‘haafu’
More than the desire to prove her mettle as a beauty contestant, the Tokyo-born youngster’s main aim was to fight cultural barriers. Priyanka has been a victim of bullying since her childhood for her skin colour. After spending four years of her formative life outside Japan when the Indo-Japanese youngster returned to the country; she experienced huge discrimination. As a six-year-old Priyanka moved to Sacramento, California with her parents and stayed there for three years. From California Priyanka and her parents came to India for a year and stayed in Kolkata.
When as a ten-year-old, Priyanka returned to Japan she was aghast at how people discriminated against her for being multiracial. "My dad is Indian and I'm proud of it, I'm proud that I have an Indian in me. But that does not mean I'm not Japanese," she said in an interview. "I know a lot of people who are ‘haafu’ and suffer," she added.
[caption id="attachment_29471" align="aligncenter" width="462"] Priyanka Yoshikawa with her parents when she was small[/caption]
Being different seemed to be more challenging in Japan than in the US and India. “I had the darkest skin out of anyone I knew. I stood out, and in Japan, that wasn't considered a good thing. The experience made me question my identity and opened my eyes to what that concept means,” she remarked.
A rich family legacy
The youngster’s great-grandfather Prafulla Chandra Ghosh served as the first chief minister of West Bengal. Priyanka has grown up listening to stories of how Ghosh welcomed Mahatma Gandhi for a two-week stay at their home in Kolkata. Sharing her disappointments in dealing with racism, Priyanka remarked in an interview, "We have problems, we've been struggling, and it hurts,” adding “When I came back to Japan, everyone thought I was a germ.”
However, instead of being bogged down by the discrimination hurled at her, Priyanka chose to be strong and vowed to challenge the attitude of people. Participating in the pageant was a step in this direction. Winning the Miss World Japan title was a big win for her because it led her to rise against the odds, particularly when it was her appearance that had been a matter of ridicule.
[caption id="attachment_29472" align="aligncenter" width="479"] Priyanka during a family wedding in Kolkata[/caption]
"As Miss Japan, hopefully, I can help change perceptions. The number of people with mixed race is only going to increase, so people must accept it," she remarked.
Celebrating diversity through entrepreneurship
Although it wasn't easy for Priyanka to face discrimination in Japan, her experiences catalysed her wanting to help people accept and embrace the way they were.
In this effort, she launched MUKOOMI, a wellness and skincare brand in 2020. Derived from the Japanese words ‘mukou’ meaning ‘beyond’, and ‘miru’ meaning ‘to see’, the brand is dedicated to making people confident of who they are and celebrates diversity.
“MUKOOMI is my life's ambition, bottled. It represents who I am, and what I want to share with the world,” mentions Priyanka in her message on the company’s website.
“MUKOOMI is a call to action. It means to see beyond typical beauty expectations and see beyond divides physical or metaphorical. New and exciting things are born from when we come together, and infuse our experiences, our journeys, share understanding and appreciation for one another,” she adds.
The multifaceted youngster is dedicated to creating a successful business and has been interspersing her cause of inclusivity and respect for diversity to it. “MUKOOMI is based in Japan, but it goes beyond nationality, identity, gender, or skin type. It's for you!” is the strong message that Priyanka conveys to her fast-growing clientele.
(February 17, 2023) Sejal Akerkar had attended poetry camps in middle school and continued to write but hadn’t really thought about doing it as a profession. That changed when she found inspiration in the Canadian-Indian poet, artist and performer, Rupi Kaur. Rupi’s first collection of poetry was published in 2014 and became a New York Times bestseller. “When I started reading Rupi’s poetry, I was inspired to write because she was so similar to me – a young, Indian-American student. I found great comfort in reading her poems and started to write.” By the time Sejal turned 15, she had written over 100 poems. [caption id="attachment_27571" align="aligncenter" width="572"] Sejal Akerkar[/caption] Following in the footsteps of her role model, she self-published her first poetry book, Walking down the sensory strip. The Sammamish High School student introduced her second poetry book, Optic opening to the world soon after. While the first book made it to the top 35 in the women’s category on Amazon, her second book did even better, finding a place in top 5 in the category of Asian poetry. The India experiences Like her parents, Sejal was born and raised in the USA. However, the seventeen-year-old spent three years
Following in the footsteps of her role model, she self-published her first poetry book, Walking down the sensory strip. The Sammamish High School student introduced her second poetry book, Optic opening to the world soon after. While the first book made it to the top 35 in the women’s category on Amazon, her second book did even better, finding a place in top 5 in the category of Asian poetry.
The India experiences
Like her parents, Sejal was born and raised in the USA. However, the seventeen-year-old spent three years of her life in Gurugram, India, where her father was posted. That’s when she came across the non-profit Udayan Care, which gave her a fresh perspective on life.
After returning to the US, the teenager published two poetry collections and on instinct, decided to donate the royalties that her books fetched. “When my books were published, I knew that I didn’t need the money earned from royalties and giving away the money to Udayan Care seemed the best thing to do,” says the youngster as she connects with Global Indian.
Udyaan Care, Sejal says, "has multiple houses and homes across India where they foster orphaned and abandoned children and give them higher education. It helps them succeed in the world instead of getting into the orphanage system.”
When Sejal and her family was in India, her mom became associated with one of the houses in Gurugram, teaching English to the girls there. “She would take me and my younger sister along to hang out with them and over time we built lasting connections,” she recalls. “We use to hear their stories of how they lost their parents, or were abandoned by them. We built deep connections and started celebrating festivals and birthdays together. We would see them all the time.”
When the family went back to the United States, they wanted to stay connected to the cause. “While my mom joined Udayan Care USA as the president, I became a volunteer. We planned lots of fundraisers and activities,” Sejal says.
Teaching poetry
These days, the teenager also teaches poetry writing in an elementary school. “It’s my after-school activity," she tells, adding, she loves being a mentor to kids between seven to 10 years of age. “I even created the entire curriculum of the poetry class,” she says.
By applying a different approach to teaching, the young teacher enjoys great bonhomie with her little pupils. “I teach differently because I think that usually poetry is taught in a very structured manner which tends to get boring for students. I don’t teach them how it is supposed to be. I give them creative prompts,” she says.
Sejal helps her pupils imagine with visuals, drawings, videos and more, and makes them write whatever comes to their mind. This keeps them interested. “It’s like giving them a little seed and let them water it, allow sunlight to come and help them grow their poetry without structuring them or restraining them from anything.”
As for her own poetry, Sejal writes on a wide array of topics – ‘life as a teenager and how it feels to go into adulthood, about my immigrant grandparents, how they came here and what they gave up to get here’, she tells. “I also write about the destruction of nature by humans, my relationships with my loved ones, social media, technology, my friends, myself,” smiles the teenager who loves dancing and golf.
While her first two books have done well, she is in no hurry to come up with the third one, and rather prefers to evolve a bit as a poet. With all her focus on the ongoing college application process, the teenager looks forward to take up biology. “That's complete opposite of what people would expect from me,” she chuckles adding, “I think combining creative and scientific things are very useful to the world today and I want to focus on a lot of multidisciplinary studies in my life.”
(March 15, 2023) Being surrounded by nebulizers and inhalers during Diwali has been one of the core memories for Delhi-born Krrish Chawla while growing up in the capital. As someone who battled respiratory problems throughout his childhood, the 20-year-old was always surrounded by air filters to enhance his breathing. This propelled him to find a solution for many like him, who were facing similar issues. "Being curious as a kid, I was just 14, when I dismantled a purifier inside my home to discover a very simple working design. However, I was taken aback the moment my father told me about its exorbitant price. With a strong resolution that breathing pure air is not a luxury but a necessity — I decided to build one myself," the Stanford University student said. Being a science student, he was well aware of the operations of an electrical circuit and soon started experimenting with different prototypes. It took him 320 prototypes to finally come up with a commercially viable model - "with a focus on delivering maximum efficiency at the most economical rates." This gave birth to Breathify in 2018 - an air-purifying device with an innovative ‘Reverse Air’ technology. "My parents helped
l - "with a focus on delivering maximum efficiency at the most economical rates." This gave birth to Breathify in 2018 - an air-purifying device with an innovative ‘Reverse Air’ technology. "My parents helped me immensely during the initial days. With the help of my father, I was able to innovate and design a technology called 'reverse air'. It essentially reverses the components used inside the device to reach maximum filtering efficiency," he added. In simple terms, the technology reverses the direction of airflow, thus eliminating any scope of air-mixing with surrounding pollutants.
Made of eco-friendly components, the air purifier is 99 percent plastic-free, uses a HEPA filter that can trap 99.97 percent of ultra-microscopic particles, and is available at ₹4230. "It is a simple plug-in-play operation, consuming 25-65 watts of electricity. The only maintenance is to change the HEPA filter," he told HT.
Being a teenager when he made the device, Krrish had to face many challenges, but for him, the prime struggle was to convince people about the simplicity of an air purifier. "I did several demos in front of people showing them the efficiency of my device. Since childhood, I was deeply inspired by minimalism. I believe that instead of incorporating a lot of complexity inside the machine, we should focus on a simple design to boost functionality," the Global Indian said.
The startup began with initial financial assistance from his father and later, he invested the profits from new orders. "I learned on Google through research and experimentation. The challenge was to understand the airflow and correct it as required,” he said. Breathify has till now helped improve the lives of over 48,000 people and has reached more than 12000 users in India.
Krrish, who is currently pursuing Computer Science at Stanford University, is an avid photographer and a national-level golfer. He is constantly striving for social upliftment, making positive differences in the world – a step at a time. A common aim of all his projects is environmental sustainability, which he hopes to achieve in the near future.
(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 12, 2023) Growing up in Indore, singer-philanthropist Palak Muchhal was perturbed by the sight of underprivileged children and those in need. At a very early age, she found she wanted to help them out somehow – she had a gift for singing and wanted to use it for good. In 1999, during the Kargil War, Palak, who was seven years old at the time, spent a week singing at the shops in Indore to raise funds for the families of deceased Indian soldiers. Amidst extensive local media coverage, she managed to raise ₹25,000. The success of this initiative motivated her to do more such work for the benefit of others. Later that year, Palak went on to raise funds for victims of the 1999 Odisha cyclone through her singing performances. Following these initiatives, people and social organisations who found themselves financially constrained, began approaching her to help raise funds. As she honed her skills, Palak’s singing talents took her to Bollywood, where she tasted success as a playback singer. She lent her voice to films like Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Aashiqui 2 (2013), Kick (2014), Action Jackson (2014) Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) Kaabil (2017), Baaghi 2 (2018) and Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (2019). Her latest released song ‘Naiyo Lagda Dil’
;">Aashiqui 2 (2013), Kick (2014), Action Jackson (2014) Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) Kaabil (2017), Baaghi 2 (2018) and Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (2019). Her latest released song ‘Naiyo Lagda Dil’ from Salman-starrer Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan has become a chartbuster upon its release this year.
Despite her success in Bollywood, the Global Indian has not strayed from her original purpose. She collaborates with her lyricist-and-composer brother Palash Muchhal, to perform in India and abroad to raise funds for the needy.
The singer-philanthropist’s focus has been on raising funds for underprivileged children who need financial assistance for treatment of heart diseases. “Saving little hearts is the mission of my life. Every time I sing, a life is saved and what can be a bigger blessing than this,” Palak remarked in an interview with Hindustan Times.
Saving little hearts
While Palak was studying in Indore, she was approached by the teachers of a boy named Lokesh. He belonged to a poor family and required a heart surgery. Using a street vendor’s cart as a stage, Palak organised a cultural event and was able to raise ₹55,000. The publicity of her efforts prompted India’s renowned cardiologist, Dr Devi Prasad Shetty to operate Lokesh free of charge. That was in 2000, and the same year, Palak received Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for her social service.
Lokesh’s heart ailment was an eye opener for Palak. She learned from experts that congenital heart disease is a major problem in the country. According to a 2021 study, over 2,00,000 children in India are born with congenital heart disease. Nearly one-fifth of these require surgery within a year of birth.
Since then, saving little hearts has become a mission of her life. Through her trademark show ‘Dil Se Dil Tak’ or ‘Save Little Hearts,’ Palak has helped close to 3,000 children suffering from heart diseases. “I knew I had a special blessing in the form of my talent, through which I could make a difference. I realised I could put smiles back on young faces through my singing,” Palak said.
Palak Muchhal's international performances have helped raise awareness about the importance of providing medical assistance to children suffering from heart ailments, not just in India but across the world. “I feel blessed by the fact that I have been able to bring smiles to faces. Music is not just a career for me, it's more than that,” she said in a Mid-Day interview.
The singer-philanthropist has performed in several countries across the world including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and Dubai, among other countries to raise funds.
Other than charity, the singer-philanthropist has been part of several campaigns, lending her voice to causes like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean Indian Campaign), Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child), and has also raised awareness about important issues like child marriage and domestic violence through her concerts.
Palak has also collaborated with several international artists to contribute to the causes she is close to. In 2014, she got an opportunity to perform at the United Nations headquarters in New York, to raise awareness about the issue of child marriage in India. She also performed at the Global Citizen Festival in New York in 2016, alongside international bands and artists such as Coldplay, Demi Lovato, and Ellie Goulding.
The singer has made an entry in both the Guinness Book of World Records and Limca Book of World Records for her social work. She stands tall as an example to Indian youth and in 2021, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) as well MaharashtraState Board of Secondary and Higher Education (MSBSHSE) has included her achievements in moral science lessons for students in grade seven.
“As a kid I would wonder, ‘why do some kids smile and some cry? Why can’t everybody be happy and had decided to do something about it since then,” Palak remarked.
Her efforts have been recognized globally, and she continues to use her talent and influence to make a positive impact on society. The philanthropist was conferred an honorary doctorate from the American University in the US, for promoting health and peace through Palak Muchhal Heart Foundation and thousands of concerts across the globe. She also received the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award in the best playback singer category in 2022.
Priyanka Yoshikawa with her parents when she was small[/caption]
Priyanka during a family wedding in Kolkata[/caption]
Priyanka Yoshikawa[/caption]
Palak Muchhal[/caption]