Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveVihaan and Nav Agarwal: Teen eco-heroes helping Delhi manage its waste

Vihaan and Nav Agarwal: Teen eco-heroes helping Delhi manage its waste

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(November 30, 2022) In 2017, two people were killed in East Delhi when a large mound of garbage in the Ghazipur landfill collapsed, sweeping people in the vicinity into a nearby canal. Spread over 70 acres, with a mountain of garbage higher than a 15-storey building, the lethal collapse was one more alarm bell in a city that was already choking. Watching the tragedy unfold on the news were Vihaan and Nav Agarwal, two siblings in Delhi. “The next day, the whole city was engulfed in a blanket of smoke. When we read about it in the newspaper, the connection between waste and air pollution became clearer,” Vihaan said. Delhi generates 11,144 tonnes of trash per day and up to 250 tonnes of municipal solid waste is burned every day, releasing 2000kg of PM10 and 1,800 kg/day of PM 2.5. Over one-third of the air pollution in Delhi is caused by burning waste in landfills.

Vihaan was 14 at the time and Nav only 11, but growing up in Delhi had already taken a toll on their health, especially as Vihaan was asthmatic. Their time outdoors was severely curtailed, for the most part, they weren’t allowed to play outside. “We had five to six air purifiers at home, and we were not allowed to play outside. We had online school even before the pandemic,” Vihaan said in an interview.

Nav and Vihaan Agarwal

Leading the way by segregating at home

Taking inspiration from icons like British naturalist David Attenborough and the storied conservationist Jane Goodall, the brothers began separating their waste at home, setting aside the recyclables. “The thought process in our mind was like, our waste shouldn’t go there, our waste shouldn’t become fodder for this fire,” Vihaan said. They collected such a mountain of trash that their grandfather told them sternly, and only half in jest, that one of them, either the boys or the trash, had to go. However, they realised that their segregated waste was being mixed again after it was collected. When they contacted recyclers, they were told that they had too small an amount to be picked up.

One Step Greener

The brothers rallied a team together through the neighbourhood WhatsApp group. In 2018, they founded One Step Greener, an organisation aimed at preventing pollution caused by waste.

It marked the start of the recycling initiative that would earn the boys one of the top awards for children – the 2021 KidsRights International Children’s Peace Prize. As they received the prize from Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, they entered an elite club of young, global changemakers, including Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. The Dutch prize includes an education grant and a cash award of 1,00,000 euros. “It’s an old saying, but everyone’s collective effort does actually make a difference,” Vihan said afterwards.

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They started with 15 homes in 2018, and four years later, the organisation has grown to cover schools, offices and over 1,500 households across Delhi. They have plans to expand to Kolkata and thanks to the exposure the Global Indians received through the KidsRights award, there is a fair amount of international interest as well. The organisation also works to spread awareness about the importance of recycling.

Accolades galore

Vihaan and Nav Agarwal haven’t seen their teenage years through yet but have a long list of accolades to their credit already. Vihaan is also the First Asian to win the Children’s Climate Prize, 2019 in Sweden and is an Ashoka Youth Venturer. Fifteen-year-old Nav has shown a talent for oration, which he uses to inspire people to join his green movement. He won the Children’s Climate Prize along with his brother, was a jury member of Times of India’s Young Change Leaders Contest, was named BBC’s Earth Champion, is the winner of the Global Social Leaders Award and the Action for Nature Eco Hero Award.

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Published on 30, Nov 2022

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Entrepreneur Alishba Imran is engineering a better tomorrow for all

(May 7, 2024) Growing up in Toronto, Alishba Imran carved a space for herself in the world of machine learning, robotics, and blockchain at the very young age of 18. About four years back, Alishba, who had zero knowledge about programming or coding back then, enrolled herself to join her school’s robotics team. While she faced several issues, her focus on learning, earned her the position of the lead programmer on the team. And there has been no turning back since then. A few years after this incident, while on a service trip in India, the entrepreneur learned about the lack of medication in various rural parts of the country. To come up with a solution for this, Alishba taught herself blockchain coding and launched Honestblocks, a platform that tracks counterfeit medicine in the supply chain. Her codebase for the initiative has since been integrated into IBM and used globally. She then co-founded Voltx to accelerate the development of renewable energy storage devices using machine learning and physics models to accelerate the lab to commercialisation process for electrochemical devices. “The biggest thing you can optimise for in life is people. Spend time exploring your interests, what you’re good at, and

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“The biggest thing you can optimise for in life is people. Spend time exploring your interests, what you’re good at, and what brings you energy. I think the best things to work on are at the intersection of what you're good at, what you enjoy, and are a way for you to create value for the world," explained the Global Indian, who was recently named among Teen Vogue’s annual 21 Under 21 list of “changemakers, influencers, activists, and artists who have made a substantial impact in both their communities and the world.”

Making a difference

Born in a desi family, Alishba has always been connected to her roots. A brilliant student, the entrepreneur launched an app that uses blockchain to improve supply chain transparency to end counterfeit medication in developing countries when she was just 14. "As a child, I was always very curious and asked a lot of questions about how things work. From appliances around the house to vehicles and computers. At a young age, I found engineering and computer science very interesting because of how it technically challenged me and the vast applications to solve tangible problems," the entrepreneur shared, "In middle school, I learned how to code and was one of the first girls to join the robotics team. That was really my first glimpse into learning about building something real. I was really excited because I would travel to global competitions to meet other people from different countries who were just as interested in technology and engineering as me."

There are a lot of people in the tech industry trying to build the next big social media or note-taking app that will attract millions of dollars from big investors and bolster their company’s value," said the entrepreneur, adding, "But I don’t think the end goal of any company should be based on its monetary value, but rather the value it brings to society."

Addressing several major issues plaguing third-world countries, Alishba believes in using her skills to make a difference in society. "There are many urgent problems that need to be addressed in the world. The greatest challenges of our time — climate change, health care reform and finding ways to create sustainable energy sources. As young students and innovators, I think we have to continually ask ourselves: How do we put our talents and passions toward working on these hard problems?," she said, "Finding the answer to that question, personally, has been a great motivation for me to dive deeper into my interests. And that has been a journey that has taken me around the world."

Creating a better world

When she was just 17, Alishba founded her first company, Voltx, before which she worked with Tesla on research that could speed up the time it takes to manufacture battery cells using machine learning and physics models. "I moved to San Francisco to work full-time with my co-founder to find ways to scale the storage of batteries for solar panels and other applications, like electric vehicles (EV). I raised a pre-seed round of over $1 million for Voltx through venture capital investors. I am still continuing to build on this technology and research as a second-year student at Berkeley," said the entrepreneur, who was also named among the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada, in 2023.

[caption id="attachment_37640" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognised Alishba for her work[/caption]

Speaking about her current projects, the entrepreneur said, "I’m currently co-authoring a textbook for O’Reilly Media, Machine Learning for Robotics with my colleague PG Keerthana Gopalakrishnan. Our aim is to make more accessible the processes of using deep language learning models to build robotics that can change the way we live."

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2023 recap: Indians shine in the global sporting arena

(December 31, 2023) 2023 was a big year for Indian and Indian-origin sportspeople, from the historic triumph of the dressage team at the Asian Games, to Praggnanandhaa winning the silver medal at the Chess World Cup, each athlete's journey has been marked by with extraordinary dedication, relentless quest for perfection, and deep desire to make their country proud. Their remarkable feats not only brought glory to the nation but also ignited inspiration among aspiring youth, imparting invaluable lessons in sportsmanship. Global Indian turns the spotlight on the young sports stars of 2023. R Pragganandhaa Chess grandmaster Praggnanandhaa's silver medal at the World Cup confirms India's increasing dominance in chess. The 2023 tournament stands out as a pivotal event that notably highlighted the expanding prowess of Indian chess on a global scale. His advancement to the 2024 Candidates tournament sets the stage for a showdown where the victor will challenge China's Ding Liren in the upcoming World Championship. Remarkably, at just 18 years of age, Praggnanandhaa holds the distinction of being the youngest-ever finalist in the history of the Chess World Cup. [caption id="attachment_34948" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Praggnandhaa[/caption] “I started playing playing tournaments when I was very young but there is lots more to

948" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Praggnandhaa[/caption]

“I started playing playing tournaments when I was very young but there is lots more to achieve,” he had remarked in an interview with Global Indian.

Anush Agarwalla

Equestrian

Anush is exactly where he should be now — on top of the world. From weekend joyrides on horseback when he was barely three to becoming a passionate and accomplished equestrian years later — Anush Agarwalla has galloped his way to glory. This year, he became the winner of India’s first-ever bronze medal in individual Dressage at the Asian Games 2023. “There is no better feeling than having a good ride. With Etro (his horse), I really felt like we were flying in the arena,” smiled Anush, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. After his historic win. He scored 73.030 to finish third and claim his second medal at the Asian Games.

[caption id="attachment_33359" align="aligncenter" width="518"] Anush Agarwalla.[/caption]

“My next goal is to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics. I missed out on the Tokyo Olympics by just one spot so I hope to make it this time,” says Anush, who flew back to Germany immediately to begin training for his next milestone.

Divyakriti Singh

Equestrian

Divyakriti was among the four-member contingent that won India the historic gold at the Asian Games 2023, held at Hangzhou, China recently.“We definitely dreamt of a podium finish but to win the gold medal is surreal, it’s extraordinary and it should be like that,” smiles Divyakriti, in an exclusive with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_34949" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Divyakriti Singh[/caption]

The historic win was the end result of hard training for years, perseverance, sacrifices and above all, the indomitable will to shine for India. “All the sacrifices we made are a small price to pay for the things we get to do,” said the 23-year-old, who is on cloud nine post the team’s win. She scored 68.176 in Asian Games.

Sahith Theegala

Golfer

“It doesn’t feel real. It’s probably not going to set in for a while. But man, that was a lot of good golf, and that was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.” 2023 has been a strong year for Californian golfer Sahith Theegala, who captured his first PGA Tour victory in September at the Fortinet Championship. He finished 21-under 267 at Silverado Resort’s North Course in in Napa, California, as friends and family cheered him on from the stands.

[caption id="attachment_34950" align="aligncenter" width="503"] Sahith Theegala[/caption]

“Just the support I have is mind blowing. I got to bed at night these last few days and I’m like, I can’t believe how many people are cheering for me and rooting for me,” Sahith told Golf Week USA. “I can definitely hear my dad,” he smiled.

Neeraj Chopra

Javelin Thrower

Rewards and accolades never seem to stop raining down on Neeraj Chopra. He has made India proud with a gold in World Athletics Championships 2023 at Budapest, Hungary. A master at scripting history, the 25-year-old athlete is the first Indian to win a gold in the World Athletics Championships since it started in 1983 – exactly 40 years ago. It’s a historic win for India.

[caption id="attachment_32764" align="aligncenter" width="591"] Neeraj Chopra[/caption]

Apart from winning the World Championships and Asia Games Gold medals, he made it to the nomination list for the World Athlete of the Year 2023.

Rani Rampal

Hockey player

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.

[caption id="attachment_29085" align="aligncenter" width="618"] Rani Rampal[/caption]

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.

Shahan Ali Mohsin

Racer

Shahan has become the first Indian to win the FIA Formula 4 car racing championship. The 19-year-old, who represents the Hyderabad Black Birds team, picked up the trophy at Madras International Circuit in Sriperumbudur, a town panchayat some 35 km away from Chennai.

[caption id="attachment_34951" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Shahan Ali Mohsin[/caption]

It’s nothing short of a dream come true for the teenager who has spent a considerable amount of his life on racetracks. When most kids of his age were glued to cartoons on television, Shahan Ali Mohsin would watch motorsport racing. Looking at the fast-speed cars, he knew he wanted to be on the track driving one. It was in 2011 that he first visited Indian Grand Prix, and was determined to make a career in motorsports, and now a few years later has made the entire country proud.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Prisha Tapre: Meet the youngest British-Indian teen to swim across the English Channel

(September 25, 2024) Early this September, British-Indian teen Prisha Tapre found herself fulfilling a dream of hers - swimming across the English Channel. She was 12 when she harboured the dream. Now four years later, she covered a treacherous 21 mile stretch from Dover in the UK to Cap Gris Nez in France, in a span of 11 hours and 48 minutes to become the youngest British Indian to swim across the English Channel. "My dream has come true and it's an experience you can only hear about in the movies and, and actually experiencing it, it just feels amazing," Prisha said in an interview. But her desire to swim across the English Channel wasn't just to make or break a record but the teen saw herself doing one of the most iconic swims to raise funds for a charity. Through her challenge, she raised £3,700 for Akshaya Patra UK, a charity dedicated to ending hunger and child food poverty in India and the UK. [caption id="attachment_39449" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Prisha Tapre[/caption] A goal bigger than her Her family migrated to the UK from Maharashtra, and it was at an early age that Hertfordshire girl fell in love with swimming. However,

height="427" /> Prisha Tapre[/caption]

A goal bigger than her

Her family migrated to the UK from Maharashtra, and it was at an early age that Hertfordshire girl fell in love with swimming. However, her dream of swimming across the English Channel took root in 2020 when she was 12 years old as wanted to prove to herself that she could do something big. "Before that, I was a normal club swimmer who trained for fun and socialising but I decided to do something bigger for myself," Prisha said. After discussing with her parents, she decided on the English Channel and her coaches directed her towards Jeremy Irvine - her current coach, and "that's when it started."

The English Channel, a stretch of water separating southern England from northern France, is a popular yet challenging route for long-distance swimmers. The narrowest point between Dover and Calais is approximately 21 miles (34 km), but due to strong currents, swimmers often cover much greater distances. The cold water, unpredictable weather, and shipping traffic add to the difficulty of the crossing. Swimmers attempting to cross typically follow strict guidelines, including starting from Dover and landing on the French coast.Often called the Mount Everest of Open Water Swimming, swimming across the English Channel is considered challenging. Uptil now, fewer than 2000 have successfully completed the 20.5-mile swim.

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Prisha began her training by swimming one kilometre and later moved to three kilometres. "It used to take me around 25 minutes per lap for 1k around the lake and now I take 15 minutes a lap. So, in four years, I've managed to cut down 10 minutes for 1k which is amazing and then it just shows how far you can go," the teen said.

Initially, she was aiming for 12 hours swim across the English Channel but during the swim, she lost all sense of time. "I came out thinking that I got 15 hours," said Prisha, who swims with Watford Swimming Club. When her coach Jeremy on the boat inquired her about the time she took, she found out that she took 11 hours and 48 minutes, making her quite proud of her performance.

The English Channel challenges

Swimming across the English Channel isn't an easy feat since it requires constant swimming with only minuscule breaks for feed. Her coach calls English Channel, one of the most iconic swims as it is also one of the busiest shipping channels. "The traffic that you get is insane, so hats off to the pilots that navigate us across," he said, adding that Prisha was swimming alongside a fishing boat that was watching the traffic and communicating with everyone the entire time.

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In preparing for the swim, she had to get comfortable with a certain degree of discomfort while during the channel swim. She began acclimatisation by starting longer and colder swims. She would sit in a cold bath for 20-minute sessions, just to the point where the body needs to generate its own heat. "It prepares the body and the mind," said Jeremy, who calls hypothermia the biggest challenge in such swims.

Alongside physical strength, it requires mental resilience to swim for 11 hours and 48 minutes. But having been brought up in a spiritual family, Prisha always found her mother, an athlete herself, listening to meditations. It was at age 11 that she too started meditating, and found herself in a better mental space. "My mom gave me this Hare Krishna chant that I often chant during swimming when my head is ever in a bad space. I have realised that your mind is in control of your body." However, the chant did not work during the long swim, instead, she started counting to eight over and over again, which was more like being in a meditative state for her.

But the first two hours of the swim were challenging as it was choppy and dark. "But once the sun came up, I knew I had passed the toughest bit. The water became still, and the conditions were better than I could have asked for her," she said in another interview.

Striking a balance

Prisha's accomplishment is all the more impressive considering how she managed to juggle her demanding training regimen alongside her preparation for GCSE exams. "I was preparing for my exams while striking a balance with my channel swim training. It was really hard as I had to give time to both as I couldn't fall behind on either," said the swimmer who would train for six hours.

Her parents have been the wind beneath her wings as they always encouraged and supported her in her passion. "They inspired me on days that I thought I couldn't do it, and constantly reminded me why I started doing it in the first place."

Representing India and UK

Being a British Indian, Prisha Tapre feels proud to represent India in the UK. "I feel in certain sports there are many Indians who represent their country. So doing a sport where there aren't many Indians, makes me feel really proud that I am able to represent not just myself but an entire country. It gives me hope that one day, other people could do the same," she said, adding, "I want to inspire other people to get into the sport because sometimes when you come into a different country, you might not feel as comfortable doing anything as you would in India. At first, I wasn't as comfortable as I would be in India but then the community that Jeremy introduced me into was so welcoming."

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Swimming for charity

Having raised £3,700 for Akshay Patra, a charity in the UK, Prisha Tapre calls the cause closer to her heart. "In the UK, it provides after-school and in-school meals for children who sometimes won't be able to get meals after school, and in India, it helps children get an education along with mid-day meals which encourages more children to go to school." The cause is close to her heart as she has experienced life in both countries. "I can fast for a day knowing that I will have a meal at the end of the day, But I can't imagine being in a situation where I might not have a meal the next day. Raising money for this charity means a lot to me," she added.

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Rupal Jain: Playing a role in advancing semiconductor technology for AI and IoT

(June 12, 2024) “As a kid, it was all about curiosity for me,” Rupal Jain says. This curiosity led her on a journey from Bhilai to Singapore and then to the US, where she made her mark in the semiconductor and microchip manufacturing industry as a young engineer, innovator, and author. In her short career, Rupal has worked with American IT corporations, AMD and Micron, published three books and earned five patents for her innovative product ideas. Her accomplishments have earned her early recognition within her industry. Recently, she received the Asia Leadership Award at an event in Mumbai. “Technology should enhance the quality of life for people and demonstrate practical and humanitarian impact," she believes. [caption id="attachment_38204" align="aligncenter" width="467"] Rupal Jain[/caption] Talking about semiconductors (basic materials needed to make microchips and integrated circuits) around which her career and achievements revolve, Rupal tells Global Indian, “Semiconductors play a critical role in artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Advanced processing microchips are the backbone of AI systems, enabling complex computations and data analysis at unprecedented speeds. These microchips are vital for AI-driven technologies used in various fields, from simple gadgets like smart home devices to sophisticated applications in

">Global Indian, “Semiconductors play a critical role in artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. Advanced processing microchips are the backbone of AI systems, enabling complex computations and data analysis at unprecedented speeds. These microchips are vital for AI-driven technologies used in various fields, from simple gadgets like smart home devices to sophisticated applications in aviation and military systems.”

Using technology to address real world challenges

Rupal believes that her patents for innovative products across interdisciplinary fields such as microchip manufacturing, AI, and IoT are significant as they contribute to advancements in electronics, agriculture, and medical devices.

“All my patents collectively contribute to improving both the technological landscape and the quality of life,” says the innovator, who is actively seeking partnerships with organisations to take these innovations forward. “While these processes are typically time-consuming, I am hopeful that I will be able to bring these technologies into real services soon,” she adds.

One of her standout patents focuses on an intelligent sleep system designed to alleviate conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic neck pain, spine issues, and back pain. Her solution integrates sensors and adaptive materials to provide personalised support and comfort, significantly improving the quality of life for individuals suffering from these chronic conditions.

Another patent involves an AI-IoT design to prevent defects in semiconductor manufacturing. "This innovation is particularly relevant given the governments' worldwide focus on semiconductor missions, whether in India, the USA, or the UK,” Rupal highlights.

[caption id="attachment_38206" align="aligncenter" width="861"] Rupal Jain at Asian Leadership Awards ceremony at Mumbai[/caption]

Whether it was working independently or in collaborative teams for her five patents, the engineer and author worked on the guiding principle of using technology to address real-world challenges.

Sharing knowledge as a mentor

After graduating from Bhilai Institute of Technology and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Rupal’s career as an engineer led her to work at organisations like AMD and Micron in both Singapore and the USA. She has worked on projects encompassing the regions of the USA, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and India.

Based in Greater New York, Rupal shares her knowledge as a member of many professional organisations in her field, such as the International Society for Service Innovation Professionals (ISSIP), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Educational Society (IEEE EDSOC), and Sigma Xi, an international scientific research honour society of science and engineering. “I have always been enthusiastic about roles that allow me to contribute to the growth and dissemination of knowledge in my area of interest to inspire and support young innovators globally,” she says.

As an Ambassador for ISSIP and a Lead in IEEE Young Professionals Education Society, as well as in other roles with Sigma Xi and the IEEE Technical Committee on immersive learning, her responsibilities involve promoting service innovation and strengthening collaboration among professionals from various industries and academic disciplines. “I work to bridge the gap between technology and its practical applications, ensuring that innovations positively impact businesses and society. This includes organising conferences, workshops, and seminars to disseminate the latest research and technological developments,” she tells.

[caption id="attachment_38207" align="aligncenter" width="566"] Hybrid IEEE event conducted by Rupal Jain for UICT Nakawa, Uganda[/caption]

Recently Rupal had the opportunity to be a guest mentor and speaker at a hybrid IEEE event at UICT Nakawa in Uganda. “This event, initiated under the IEEE YP and IEEE Mentoring-Meet program, was an enjoyable experience where I interacted with a large group of professionals about strategies in goal setting in the semiconductor industry. There was a lot of interest and many questions regarding advancing Uganda's growth in the microchip industry,” she shares.

Rupal has also had engaging experiences as speaker and mentor at other events, such as the Nile University and the IEEE Meet in Nigeria, where she addressed topics related to microchip excellence, quality management using AI-IoT, and more.

Exploring technology as an author

With a knack for multitasking, Rupal is also a prolific author whose works aim to empower professionals in her field with practical knowledge and innovative insights. Rupal’s book ‘Mastering Project Management: PMP and Agile for Leaders’, published by BEP, USA, addresses aspiring and current project managers. It imparts transferable skills applicable across industries such as semiconductor, engineering, IT, and construction in a global context, covering critical topics like Agile, CSM, and leadership development.

Her second book, ‘Advancements in AI and IoT for Chip Manufacturing and Defect Prevention’, published by River Publishers, Denmark, addresses the dynamic landscape of semiconductor fabrication and chip manufacturing. It explores the significance of defect prevention and the transformative potential of AI and IoT technologies in optimising manufacturing processes. “It's tailored for semiconductor professionals, interdisciplinary researchers in chip development, and electrical, electronics, and AI-ML professionals seeking knowledge and industry practices for IC (chip) manufacturing fabrication processes,” she explains.

[caption id="attachment_38208" align="aligncenter" width="485"] Rupal Jain[/caption]

Her third book, ‘Semiconductor Essentials: A Leader's Express Reference to Electronics Concepts’, serves as a comprehensive reference. “It condenses essential topics and equations crucial for device concepts, semiconductor development, and design into accessible formats,” she mentions. “This book is particularly useful for quick access to support research and innovation across various fields such as electronics, applied physics, photonics, and material science.”

Looking ahead

The engineer, innovator and writer aspires to further drive innovation and excellence within the microchip manufacturing and electronics industry. She aims to lead initiatives that push technological boundaries while cultivating a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Her goal is to mentor the next generation of leaders, ensuring a sustainable and forward-thinking future for the field. “The microchip and semiconductor industry has a great impact on society as it powers the technology that underpins modern life,” she remarks.

[caption id="attachment_38210" align="aligncenter" width="456"] Rupal Jain[/caption]

She is consistently attuned to these aspects, motivating herself to make contributions in the ever-changing technological landscape. Reading books on technology, leadership, and personal development is one of her favourite pastimes. Rupal also loves exploring new places, spending time with family and friends, and staying active.

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Meet Zara Xavier, the young leader uplifting underprivileged students by bridging the digital divide

(March 7, 2023) 'Education', they say, 'is the base of any great nation'. However, in today's technology-driven world, underprivileged students find it quite difficult to keep up with the rapid rate of innovation. The inability to access technology has deprived several youngsters of essential resources, impacting the quality of their education. Helping bridge this growing digital divide is sixteen-year-old Zara Xavier, who works to provide digital literacy to underprivileged students under the 'Know More School' campaign. Over 13,737 students have benefitted from the youngster's initiatives thus far. [caption id="attachment_28387" align="aligncenter" width="742"] Over 13,737 students have benefitted from the 'Know More School' campaign thus far[/caption] "My parents started the Know More School (KMS) in 2015, an organisation under which they set up free-to-use computer labs at three underprivileged schools intending to help those students become digital citizens," shares the young leader, as she connects with Global Indian, adding, "I joined KMS during the pandemic and started helping in making small changes to the syllabus being taught at the school already under the organisation. However, eventually, I started getting more and more interested in the work the foundation was doing. I wanted to scale up the project to create more social impact.

ung leader, as she connects with Global Indian, adding, "I joined KMS during the pandemic and started helping in making small changes to the syllabus being taught at the school already under the organisation. However, eventually, I started getting more and more interested in the work the foundation was doing. I wanted to scale up the project to create more social impact. That was when I decided to explore more schools and get them on board with us."

The 16-year-old student of the International School Hyderabad, who is also a student ambassador in her school, recently set up a computer lab at the New Bloom High School in the city, which is not only helping the students learn the basics of digital literacy but is also providing various coding lessons to set them up for success in the future.

"I feel it is important for the kids to learn technology skills, which can help them get a good education or work opportunity in the future. In a highly tech-based world, these young children lack the basic digital skills to get by and are at a huge disadvantage. I changed a lot of the school syllabus as I found that it was outdated and wasn't going to be useful to the student. I also wanted to make the classes more hands-on, where the students have the liberty to explore the computer programmes by themselves," says the young leader, who regularly visits the schools, plans innovative quarterly camps, conducts meetings with the teachers, and manages the school with a full-time KMS manager. Currently, over 2500 students from grades I to X attend three classes per week in each KMS lab, amounting to 12 classes per month and 636 per year.

Leading the way

Zara recalls the experience of identifying an underprivileged school for the organisation. "I remember when I first visited the school, I was just looking around and noticed that all the kids there were quite friendly. I really like the energy of the school," she says. "There are about 600 students at the New Bloom High School, so it is smaller than the other schools that we have under the Know More School campaign. But what really motivated me to pick this school was the excitement of the students here to learn and the fact that they were hard-working. Once we finalised the school, we went ahead with designing the lab, getting the computers, and then finding a teacher who would not only teach, but also encourage the kids to explore and learn on their own."

[caption id="attachment_28167" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Zara with student at the New Bloom High School[/caption]

Through this young leader's initiative, thousands of underprivileged students now have access to various online classes being conducted across the globe, and they can also access resources available on the net for any educational research, instead of relying only on their textbooks. Students are also taught computer basics including Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), editing documents, making posters, videos and podcasts, and the fundamentals of developing a website. The new syllabus designed by Zara provides students access to platforms like Khan Academy, BBC Bitesize, Google Colab, and Canva which help the students broaden their horizons.

Despite being busy with her own schoolwork, Zara makes sure to physically visit the school every 10 days. "One of the things that bothered me when we started the new computer lab was if it was making the impact we intended for. And the only way to find that out was to go and visit these labs once every week. While other volunteers do a tremendous job at ensuring the kids learn something new every time, I like to be there as often as I can to ensure that everything is running smoothly. Even if I am very busy, I still find time to make sure and visit the labs and hang out with the kids there," the young leader says.

Zara has been involved in various volunteering activities since she was a young child. Motivated by her parents, Sabina and Xavier Augustin - who are engaged in numerous non-profit projects - the young leader feels that being able to help other people is also a privilege. "My parents have taught me to be grateful for all we have in our lives, and that we have to make efforts to give back to the community. So, I have been involved in various volunteering activities since I was young, including raising funds for the Heal-a-Child Foundation, which helps save the lives of sick children from very poor families," she says. In 2021, Zara joined the “Angels of Heal-a-Child’ programme and raised funds from friends and family to pay for the treatment of poor and critically ill newborns.

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But it is not just her parents that this young leader is inspired by. "Many of my friends are also volunteering or running campaigns for various causes, and that inspires me a lot. As a generation, we are aware of the various issues plaguing our society and are ready to take things into our own hands and explore various solutions to help society at large," shares the young leader, who also raised funds to provide over 1000 PPE kits for front-line medical workers at high risk during the first and second COVID waves in the country.

The road ahead

Passionate to give all the students an equal education platform, the young leader is also planning on including more schools under KMS. In fact, only last month, Zara and two of her friends - Bhavani and Manya - organised a week-long coding camp for around 20 kids, who were taught the basics of Python.

"We recently started organising coding camps for the kids at our school to help them learn various coding languages and platforms, which is a skill so much in demand these days. Next, we are working on establishing libraries at the schools to ensure that the kids can access various educational resources free of cost. I also pick up ideas from various places during my travels. I remember seeing 3D printed eco-schools in Dubai during my visit there, and would really like to do something like that with KMS," says Zara, who is also the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, and recently attended the summer programme at the New York Times.

[caption id="attachment_28388" align="aligncenter" width="529"] The new syllabus designed by Zara provides students access to platforms like Khan Academy, BBC Bitesize, Google Colab, and Canva[/caption]

Always driven, Zara - who is currently working on organising the first ISH TEDx at the Hyderabad-based T-Hub - plans on starting her own business after finishing her education. "I am going to graduate from school next year, and after that, I want to go to study eco or business management," she says.

While she wants to start a profitable organisation, this young leader is quite conscious about creating a positive impact through all her initiatives. "Once I graduate, I plan on coming back to India and setting up a social enterprise. One area of entrepreneurship in which I am very interested is edtech. I would really like to explore ways to make education and various learning resources available and accessible to all. As much as I would like to make a profit and monetise an idea, I would still want to help those who are in need," shares Zara.

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