This year, 27 Indian students have found a place in the ‘Roll of Honour’ of Diana Awards. ‘These exceptional young people have demonstrated their ability to inspire and mobilise new generations to serve their communities and create long-lasting change on a global scale,’ an official statement read.
Instituted in memory of the late Princess Diana, the award is the highest recognition a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts. It is supported by both her sons, HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, and presented by a charity bearing the same name.
Meet these Indians:
Aarush Kapur
Aarush Kapur, a 17-year-old student of Vasant Valley School in New Delhi, has been awarded the Diana Award for bringing positive change and creating a lasting social impact through his NGO, BambooTree Children’s Foundation. Inspired by his own experience of being separated from his cousin, Aarush co-founded BambooTree Children’s Foundation (BCF), an NGO actively working with children of separated families, to combat Parental Alienation.
To fight parental alienation, Aarush spearheaded a nationwide survey of family court litigants and legal professionals to document and uncover the true extent of the problem. As per BCF, he then led a nationwide campaign, mobilising over 600 families across 12 cities for Parental Alienation Awareness Day on April 25, 2024, reaching over 3,000 people.
Now, BCF has expanded its volunteer network from 15 to 300 individuals, launched an email helpline, and organized counselling sessions to support affected families.
Anaya Singhi
A 16-year-old, Anaya has developed a pioneering early learning curriculum for tribal children aged 2–5, focusing on motor skill development using sustainable, cost-effective, and locally available resources such as mud, sand, and leaves. While interning with an NGO, Anaya saw the disparity in resources compared to her own childhood experiences with occupational therapy in Mumbai. This led her to creating ‘SkillSnap’, a sustainable app designed to foster motor skill and sensory development, ensuring equitable early education opportunities. Through rigorous testing and collaboration with experts, her curriculum has significantly improved the skills of children in Kanha and is now poised for expansion with the potential to transform early education across rural India.
Angad Tathgir
Angad’s journey as a social entrepreneur began with a determination to address the e-waste crisis in his community. Despite various challenges initially, Angad raised $1,000 to launch ‘EcoBinRecycle’, an initiative focused on collecting and responsibly recycling e-waste while raising awareness about its harmful effects. Starting with just 15 households, Angad has grown his project to serve 12 offices and 70 households, collecting 1.5 tons of e-waste. He also founded ‘The Ambassadors Programme’, rallying youth to join his cause, and secured partnerships with organisations like ‘5RCycle’. Angad’s efforts have established a citywide e-waste collection system, inspiring sustainable practices for future generations.
Anvi Kumar
17-year-old, Anvi is a mental health advocate and artist transforming mental health education in India through her initiative, ‘The Mind Canvas.’ By integrating art and storytelling, she has reached over 250,000 students and educators across 6,000 schools, breaking stigma and fostering resilience. Her comics, workshops, mentorship and awareness programs promote early intervention and emotional well-being in young learners. Anvi also explored intergenerational perceptions of mental health and identifying current gaps in mental health scholarship, with her findings accepted for publication in the International Journal of Indian Psychology. Anvi also now champions universal access to mental health services, advocating for the removal of India’s 18 per cent tax on such essential support systems.
Bhavna Dahiya
Bhavna (27) is the founder of ‘RefugeEase’, a platform designed to support climate-displaced communities through AI-powered emergency responses, education, economic empowerment, and mental health services. Inspired by her heritage and experiences with refugees, Bhavna’s work aims to address global displacement challenges. She has represented climate-displaced communities at international forums, advocated for policy changes, and founded the ‘International Council on Human Rights, Peace and Politics’ (ICHRPP). Bhavna has trained over 1,200 young leaders and mentored youth across 40 countries. Through ‘RefugeEase’ and ‘ICHRPP’, Bhavna continues to create lasting impact, empowering displaced individuals and advocating for systemic change.
Diya Loka
Diya, a 17-year-old, is a founder of ‘E-Cycl’, a youth-led initiative focused on raising awareness about e-waste and its environmental impact. Starting at the age of 14, she launched e-waste collection drives and educational seminars across Hyderabad, later expanding to major cities in India. Through partnerships with organisations like SOIF Futures and Meta, Diya has collected over 10,000 kg of e-waste and reached 3,000 students with her message. Her work has reached over 5,000 individuals through global advocacy and conferences, such as WFSF (UNESCO) and GNIT’s WLC. Diya continues to inspire young people globally to take action on environmental issues and is dedicated to creating sustainable, youth-driven change.
Hridaan Sharma
The 16-year-old’s passion for education and awareness led him to address the challenges of vision impairment in underserved communities. Observing students struggling to see, he founded ‘Vision to Vision’ to provide free eye tests, glasses, and counselling to students from Delhi’s low-income schools. The initiative’s two-pronged approach includes on-site camps and the ‘Vision to Vision’ app, which empowers users to perform basic eyesight checks at home. Hridaan has impacted over 16,000 students through 43 camps providing glasses to 1,600 students, breaking stigmas around eye care and enabling countless children to fully participate in their education.
Jaisal Shah
From teaching his friends chess at age five to mentoring hundreds in the KVO community, the 14-year-old has championed the transformative benefits of chess. Through free workshops and tournaments, he has instilled skills like critical thinking and confidence in participants of all ages. Awarded the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement and the Global Child Prodigy Award, Jaisal’s initiatives have strengthened family bonds and created a culture of resilience and creativity. As one of India’s youngest TEDx speakers and motivational leader, he inspires others to overcome failures and embrace challenges, leaving a lasting impact on his community and beyond.
Jayveer Sachin Kochhar
Jayveer’s ‘BreatheFree’ project works to improve healthcare in India, especially for marginalised communities. His innovative device tracks breathing patterns to detect spinal and respiratory problems early, which are common causes of disability among disadvantaged groups. By catching these issues early, the device helps protect people’s health and livelihoods. Jayveer worked with healthcare experts and institutions to test the device on 84 individuals and aims to refine it into an economical, accessible and user-friendly diagnostic tool. Supported by a provisional patent, ‘BreatheFree’ holds great promise to significantly impact health outcomes while improving the social and economic conditions of some of India’s most vulnerable populations.
Jeya Malhotr
Jeya has dedicated herself to empowering students with digital literacy and entrepreneurial skills. As a founding member of ‘Tinker Champs’, she has mentored over 90,000 students across India, teaching them crucial skills for launching digital ventures and becoming changemakers. Jeya spearheaded the ‘ATL Tinkerpreneur’ program and created ‘BizBox’, an entrepreneurship kit used by over 100 students. She also led ‘Maker Faires’, engaging 500 participants in innovation and collaborated with Atal Innovation Mission, Niti Aayog, Government of India. With a team of 50, she has provided free education through self-learning portals and workshops, inspiring young minds to break barriers and pursue their entrepreneurial dreams.
Kavya Mukhija
Kavya champions disability inclusion by addressing accessibility, fostering inclusive attitudes, and creating impactful content. A Chevening Scholar pursuing her master’s degree in Disability, Design, and Innovation at University College London (UCL), she combines humour, storytelling, data-driven research, and her own experiences as a disabled person to challenge societal barriers. ‘Namastey Disability’ is a virtual support network empowering people through peer dialogue on inclusion and accessibility. From advocating for ramps in her school to global representation at UN forums, Kavya addresses the issue at every level. Her impactful initiatives include accessible tourism research as an NCPEDP-Javed Abidi Fellow on Disability and her digital content creation, reaching over 100,000 people.
Mannat Samra
The 17-year-old’s work in prisoner rehabilitation and refugee education honours her experiences seeing the ongoing impact of Indian Partition, and the devastating consequences people face when met with a punitive legal system. In prisons across four Indian states, she has organised health camps, donated medicines, and created libraries and recreational gardens. Her vocational training programmes have enabled 160 people to earn money by working with fashion designers, and she is collaborating with psychologists to create a curriculum for young people in the justice system. For refugees, she partners with NGOs to deliver entrepreneurship programmes and has supported over 50 Gazan refugees in pursuing higher education. Mannat’s work champions education, inclusion, and above all, second chances.
Nikhil Tyrone Lemos
Nikhil (16) addresses challenges faced by older people through innovative ventures. His standout project, ‘Meditel,’ is a device ensuring timely medication adherence, enabling safer, more independent health management. He also founded ‘Elder Allies,’ which connects students and older people through tech workshops teaching essential digital skills like online communication. Through these workshops, young volunteers and older participants engage in cross-generational learning, fostering mutual understanding and empowerment. These initiatives promote independence for older people and inspire young people to engage in meaningful community service. With ‘Meditel’ and ‘Elder Allies,’ Nikhil creates impactful connections and drives lasting change in communities.
Niyati Sharma
The 24-year-old founded the ‘Pratisandhi Foundation’ at 17 to tackle taboos surrounding sex education in her community. Under her leadership, Pratisandhi has grown into a youth-led safe space that trains over 1,000 young volunteers and has directly impacted more than 75,000 people through training, advocacy, and outreach. Despite challenges and opposition, Niyati has worked tirelessly; she has built extensive volunteer networks, distributed thousands of condoms and sanitary products, and created India’s first free digital sex-ed library with over 1,000 resources. In 2023, she also spoke at the FemNet4GTE conference and the UN, advocating for her vision of a youth-led, inclusive, and transformative approach to sex education.
Radhika Dadhich Lambert
Radhika grew up in Rajasthan, witnessing severe water scarcity that hindered agricultural productivity and caused financial strain on local farmers. Motivated to find a solution, she founded ‘WaterAid’, introducing a cost-effective greywater recycling system made from sustainable materials like activated charcoal, moringa seeds, and crushed corn cob. Her initiative has installed over 620 systems across 950 households, improving irrigation efficiency, boosting crop yields by 90 per cent, and enhancing incomes by 20 per cent. Radhika’s leadership includes mentoring 120 young people, organising 30 workshops on sustainable practices, and overcoming challenges like social resistance and supply chain disruptions. Her efforts help foster environmental stewardship and long-term resilience in communities.
Ratna Singh
Growing up, Ratna found her closest companion in nature, but as she grew older, she witnessed the rapid pollution of the Ganga River. This inspired her involvement in the ‘Clean India Campaign’, alongside organising climate strikes, cleanup drives, and workshops. Ratna expanded her efforts globally, hosting seminars, interviewing environmental scientists, and creating I Can’t Breathe, a climate comic showcased at COP27. With her initiative, ‘Earth Safety Valve’, Ratna has reached young people from 15 nations across 5 continents, educating over 50,000 students and mentoring schools to adopt sustainable practices. Her programme ‘Ecofreak’ combines climate action and education, conducting engaging nature-based workshops.
Rohit Sinha
Rohit founded ‘Leidlik’ to bridge educational and developmental gaps in rural India. Through initiatives like TechMastering, Innovation Port, and Nexture Summit, he has provided free education to over 10,000 students in need, fostering innovation and connecting them with industry leaders. He is also spearheading ambitious projects in Rasabeda and Phulbani, a rural village in Jharkhand and Odisha respectively. Rohit funds these efforts through TechMastering and strategic partnerships, ensuring sustainability. As a learner, mentor and writer, he inspires young people by sharing his journey from a middle-class background to becoming a dynamic young entrepreneur.
Shreya Agarwal
Witnessing the myths and taboos around menstruation and moved by her domestic helper’s lack of access to menstrual products, Shreya founded ‘Period Power’. This student-led organisation combats period poverty by providing menstrual products, conducting self-defence sessions for empowerment, and promoting menstrual hygiene education. Through ‘Period Power’ Shreya has raised over Rs 1 lakh, distributed more than 70,000 pads, and introduced the idea of sanitary pad vending machines in schools. Initially managing everything independently in Jharkhand, she expanded to Rajasthan, building networks and recruiting youth volunteers. Her goal is to create a stigma-free society where no one is hindered by their menstrual cycle.
Tanishka Ravikiran Nale
Tanishka, following the loss of a family member due to delayed medical help, launched ‘Every Citizen a Life Saver’ to bring emergency preparedness to rural areas. She collaborated with local hospitals to organise CPR workshops, first aid training and roadside trauma assistance, reaching over 5,000 people in 15 months – from schoolchildren to factory workers. Introducing the concept of ‘health messengers’, Tanishka trained two representatives in each village to address emergencies like cardiac arrests and natural disasters. Her efforts also include annual blood donation camps and fundraising to install defibrillators in village panchayats, ensuring swift medical assistance in remote areas.
Tara Sarna
Tara founded ‘Youth for Youth’ (YfY) to support teenagers struggling with bullying, low self-esteem, and learning difficulties, inspired by her own experiences in school. Recognising the lack of support for students, especially in government schools, she developed YfY to promote peer-to-peer support and foster emotional wellbeing. The programme combines mindfulness, breathing exercises, and confidence-building workshops, helping students cultivate empathy, collaboration, and critical thinking. YfY’s hybrid model has impacted over 650 schools in 20 states, improving leadership skills, academic performance, and self-esteem among participants. Tara envisions expanding YfY globally, creating youth-led networks that address bullying and mental health challenges in communities worldwide.
Tejas Pugalia
Tejas founded ‘Threads4Good’, to merge environmental sustainability with education. By upcycling 3,000 kg of textile waste, the organisation has created over 2,400 eco-friendly school bags for children across seven cities, whilst saving 60 million litres of water and 55,000 kg of carbon emissions. These schoolbags have enabled more children living in poverty to attend school, who would otherwise miss three months of school during monsoon season, increasing attendance from 44% to 78%. ‘Threads4Good’ has reached over 3,000 people offline and 60,000 online. With 450 volunteers, 20 employees from marginalised backgrounds, and partnerships with textile mills and NGOs, Tejas continues to expand his mission to support education and reduce waste.
Varsha K Purohit
Varsha launched ‘Smira’, aiming to alleviate urban homelessness by providing clean clothing to improve health and hygiene, and instil hope. Motivated by her childhood tradition of donating garments during Diwali, Varsha began with a single drive in Pune, later scaling to 100+ drives across India. ‘Smira’ has since donated 50,000 kg of clothing, as well as providing first aid and food to those in need, impacting 30,000 people. With a vision to expand globally, Smira’s first international drive in Nigeria inspired plans for operations in Algeria and Ethiopia. Varsha’s leadership, volunteer engagement and corporate collaborations, including Tech Mahindra and Decathlon, continue to position ‘Smira’ as a force for social impact worldwide.
Vidhi Miglani
The 17-year-old’s dedication to financial literacy and empowerment has transformed the lives of over 5,000 rural women and established a network of 200 peer educators across four states in India. Through her organisation ‘DhanSarthi’, she has conducted 300 workshops, collaborated with banks to open 2,000 accounts for women, reached over 20,000 people in 10 states with her Guide to Financial Literacy, and is currently working on developing an audiobook and podcast. Vidhi’s hands-on approach, from assisting women with government schemes to organising vocational training, addresses systemic barriers, nurturing a self-sustaining network of women equipped to dismantle patriarchal norms and achieve economic equality.
Vivaan Daga
Vivaan’s initiative, ‘CricMaths’, revolutionises maths education in India by combining his love for cricket and mathematics. Using live cricket scores, the platform teaches math concepts in an engaging, relatable way, addressing a critical gap revealed by ASER 2023: over 50% of Indian students struggle with basic division. Building on his earlier project, ‘Maths Made Easy’, Vivaan collaborated with PlanetRead and other NGOs to pilot ‘CricMaths’. His projects have benefitted more than 1000 students across six schools. His hands-on approach, from coding prototypes to consulting NCERT textbooks, ensures the platform’s impact. With funding secured for expansion, ‘CricMaths’ promises to make math accessible and enjoyable nationwide.
Vivaan Garg
The 17-year-old founded ‘Ignite India’ to empower marginalised women and underprivileged children through financial literacy, microloans, and education. Collaborating with NGOs like Chaupal, Vivaan helped provide $50,000 in microloans to 330 women, enabling them to start small businesses like tailoring and tea stalls. Vivaan also distributed 10,000 booklets to families living in India’s slums, highlighting the government policies and resources available to them. Understanding the value of technology in social justice, he also worked on apps to reduce environmental waste and pollution through trash collection and carpooling, as well as creating websites for underrepresented NGOs that could not afford professional services.
Yash Sharma
Yash founded ‘Official Humans of Queer’ to address the lack of authentic queer narratives in India, aiming to create a safe, representative space for diverse LGBTQ+ stories. Inspired by personal struggles with visibility, Yash launched the platform to provide hope and true representation, showcasing experiences from across India. Initially modest in scope, with a need to build trust among a typically maligned community, ‘Humans of Queer’ has since received an overwhelming response. Reaching over a million people, and featuring thousands of individuals, it highlights underrepresented voices, offers resources, and builds community. Through workshops and mentorship, Yash empowers young queer writers and advocates for youth-led queer initiatives, fostering inclusivity and resilience.
Zehn Kashyap
Born prematurely with Cerebral Palsy, Zehn is a dedicated advocate for inclusion and diversity. Through workshops, mentoring, podcasts, and TEDx talks, she has impacted over 5,000 students and influenced policies in education and employment. Partnering with the Children First Mental Health Institute, she helped secure interventions for 10 underprivileged children with disabilities and raised awareness about special education in over 100 households. Zehn also raised $5,500 to support artists with disabilities and provided educational kits to 500 children in rural India. Her initiatives have reached over 500,000 people globally, spreading her message of empathy and transformative change.