Instituted by EducationWorld and sponsored by GlobalScholar, a Seattle-based education technology transnational, the annual awards acknowledged, rewarded and celebrated India’s top young achievers in four categories at a high-profile event in Mumbai. Summiya Yasmeen reports
The presentation of the GlobalScholar-EducationWorld Young Achievers Awards 2009 on January 9 in Mumbai in the chandeliered ballroom of the Grand Hyatt hotel before a 100-strong cheering audience, allayed apprehensions about the intellectual and emotional quotient of gen next, generated by the rash of student suicides in the country’s commercial capital recently. The eight finalists short-listed from 1,500 nominations received countrywide dazzled the audience with their achievements in arts and music; sports; science, maths and technology; and social work.
Chelsea De Souza (arts and music category), Aniruddha Anand Bapat (science, maths and technology), Rekha (sports) and Jaimeet Gandhok (social work) were adjudged winners of the Global Scholar-EW Young Achievers Awards 2009, and showered with cash prizes, holiday packages, gifts and trophies.
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The chief guest at the awards ceremony was Dr. Indu Shahani, sheriff of Mumbai for the past two years and principal of the H.R. College of Commerce. Lauding the young achievers, she exhorted them to develop the noble attribute of compassion as they pursued their aspirations. “Most young achievers succeed in their chosen endeavours because they possess competence and commitment. But young achievers can transform into societal leaders if they nurture another ‘C’ — the attribute of compassion. This is the most important ‘C’ and I hope that the eight GlobalScholar-EducationWorld young achievers will go on to pursue their aspirations with competence, commitment and compassion to make a positive difference to the world we live in,” said Dr. Shahani speaking on the occasion.
Instituted in 2005 by EducationWorld, India’s pioneer and sole education news and analysis magazine with an estimated readership of over 1 million countrywide, and sponsored by Global-Scholar, a Seattle-based education technology company with a presence in over 10,000 schools worldwide, the annual awards acknowledge, reward and celebrate youth achievement in arts and music; maths, science and technology; sports and social work.
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“As a company whose mission is to empower the world to learn, GlobalScholar is privileged to be associated with these national youth awards for the second year in a row. India has the world’s largest youth population and an abundance of young people with bright ideas, talent and achievements. Through these awards we hope to provide a national platform to young achievers to showcase their ideas and achievements, and become role models of children and youth countrywide. We hope that when they step into the world they will utilise their talent with responsibility and lead from the front to help solve many of our country’s and the world’s problems,” said Kalyan (‘Kal’) Raman, the Seattle-based founder chief executive of GlobalScholar, in a video message telecast to the awards function, which he couldn’t attend personally for unforeseen business reasons.
A graduate of the Guindy College of Engineering, Chennai, the 40-something Raman overcame poverty and adversity in rural Tamil Nadu to rise to top positions in blue-chip corporates including the Tata group in Mumbai and in several Fortune 500 companies in the US including Walmart and Amazon.com. In 2006 he accepted an offer of American business tycoon and philanthropist Michael Milken, co-founder chairman of the Los Angeles-based Knowledge Universe Learning Group of companies, to promote GlobalScholar.
The process of selecting India’s top young achievers began with an ad campaign in EducationWorld and a poster/direct mail campaign to schools and colleges across the country. The advertisements/posters invited nominations from young (Indian citizens) achievers aged 12-25 years with outstanding achievements in four categories — science, maths and technology; arts and music; sports; and social work. The 1,500 high-quality nominations received by mail/online were assessed and scrutinised by IL&FS Education and Technology Services — India’s largest school curriculum and content development company — which made a preliminary shortlist of eight achievers in each category. They were then interviewed telephonically by Neena Paul, the Bangalore-based vice president of IL&FS ETS.
For the final round of assessment and adjudication, two highest rated individuals in each category were invited (all expenses paid) to Mumbai for interview by a high-powered jury comprising Dr. D.P.N. Prasad (former principal of the Bombay Scottish School and now a Nashik-based educationist); Neena Paul; Satya Divi (managing director of the Delhi-based Education First); Dr. Vijayam Ravi (chairman and managing director of Academy for Global Education Services, Mumbai); and Dilip Thakore (publisher-editor of EducationWorld).
Comments Neena Paul: “Although the number of nominations received was modest, they were high-quality and emanated from the breadth and depth of the country including small towns and villages. This is very encouraging because it means that parents even in small town India appreciate the importance of all-round development and are encouraging their children to pursue co-curricular and extra-curricular education. But I was disappointed by the low number of nominations received in the social work category. I hope next year more young social activists will come forward and share their ideas on how to address pressing problems such as illiteracy, child labour, and environment degradation.”
Winners and finalists of the GlobalScholar-EW Young Achievers Awards 2009 are profiled on the pages following.
ARTS & MUSIC
Flowering diva
An expert pianist and western music vocalist, Mumbai-based Chelsea De’Souza (16) was unanimously adjudged winner of the GlobalScholar-EW Young Achievers Awards 2009 in the arts and music category. This class XI student of Mumbai’s highly-rated Cathedral & John Connon School wowed the five-judge panel with a short rendition of Paganini Jazz by Fazil Say on a pianoforte, which was specially transported to the Grand Hyatt ballroom for the awards ceremony.
Born into a family of musicians — both her father, a merchant navy captain and homemaker mother play a variety of western musical instruments — Chelsea took to music from a young age. “I began playing the piano when was I five years old and three months later I won my first inter-school competition. With my parents support I began training under Shanti Sheldon and later Blossom Mendonca, both renowned pianists in Mumbai, who encouraged me to take the exams of the world famous Royal School of Music and Trinity College, London,” says Chelsea who is also a trained opera singer and pop vocalist.
Simultaneously, an academic topper who averaged 96 percent in her class X ICSE boards last year, Chelsea has passed the grade I-VIII piano exams of the Royal School of Music with distinction. And recently in the LTC diploma examination of Trinity Guildhall, London she achieved the rare distinction of being among the youngest worldwide to score 93 percent.
Earlier in 2004, when she was 11, Chelsea won the first prize in an all-India piano competition organised by the Mehli Mehta Foundation, Mumbai while in 2007 she was adjudged second all-India. However her most treasured awards are the summer scholarships she won to study music at the Koln Hoschule, Germany, and the International Institute of Young Musicians, Kansas, USA.
“Music and art are universal forms of expression which transcend boundaries of race, religion and nationality. Through my piano recitals, I have been able to express myself more vibrantly and reach out to people worldwide,” says Chelsea who has performed at several events across the country including the Mrs. World beauty pageant held in Amby Valley in 2005.
An all-rounder who readily participates in elocution, debate and drama competitions, Chelsea’s prime interest is music, a field she’s determined to make a career in. “I plan to study music at the university level abroad. Unfortunately very few Indian universities offer music at the undergrad level. It’s a lacuna which education planners must address, because music or any other performing art is a profession and a well-paid career choice,” she says with quiet determination.
Percussionist perfectionist
A class VI student of Jubilee Public School, Hyderabad, Siddharth Nagarajan (12) is listed in the Limca Book of Records as India’s youngest drummer and film musician. He entered the record books when as a mere nine-year-old he played the drums for a Tamil feature film song (‘Heart is cool’). Unsurprisingly, as a precocious pre-teen he has won several awards including the Bharat Vikas Parishad Award (2004), Pogo Amazing Kids Award (2005), Bala Kala Ratna prize (2007) and Bala Ratna (2008) conferred by the Andhra Pradesh government, and Young Achievers Award of Rotary International (2008). Moreover he has performed on the drums in over 120 concerts impressing audiences in India and abroad, including the judges panel of the GS-EW Awards.
Given that his grandfather was a percussionist, father Nagi a rhythm/music director and mother Vidya a trained vocalist, Siddharth was drawn to percussion music like a duck to water. As a one-and-half-year-old he would wander into his father’s music room and play the drums for hours. “Realising my interest in percussion instruments, my father started tutoring me. Six months later when I was two-and-a-half, I gave my first solo performance at the Chitra Pournami festival in Thiruverkadu Temple in Chennai. Since then I have performed in over 120 events in India and abroad,” says this talented percussionist who lists his performances at the Indian Film Festival in Malaysia; MTV Awards Nite in Sri Lanka; former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s birthday celebrations in Rashtrapati Bhavan; Oscar winner A.R. Rahman’s Jai Ho concert, and Rajiv Gandhi Awards ceremony in Mumbai, among his most cherished moments.
Though stage performances and a rigorous practice regimen (“two hours daily”) compel him to be away from school for long periods of time, Siddharth is an excellent student. “My school and teachers support and encourage me to excel in my musical pursuits. I’m fortunate that I’ve had the opportunity to play and test 50 rhythm instruments during my travels around the world. Being a good drummer requires constant practice and dedication, and my greatest reward is the enjoyment and appreciation of audiences. Music is a great de-stressor and I’m happy that I can help ordinary people unwind and forget their daily troubles,” says Siddharth, identified as one of the seven ‘child geniuses’ of the world by National Geographic television.
Citing music as his top priority and future, Siddharth wants to follow the path of his idols — legendary percussionist and mentor Sivamani, and international drummers Dennis Chambers, Eric Singer and Tico Torres — and develop into a world-class percussionist. “Ever since I began playing the drums, that’s been my dream. And I’m fortunate that I have very encouraging parents to back me. My request to other parents is not to over-emphasise academics, and encourage children to pursue extra-curricular interests, especially in the arts and music. It will give a new meaning and purpose to their lives,” says this young achiever who displays the grit and spirit of a winner.
SCIENCE, MATHS & TECHNOLOGY
Polymath scientist
A maths genius and budding astronomer who has proved his mettle in several national and international maths and astronomy olympiads, Pune-based Aniruddha Anand Bapat (17) was adjudged India’s top young achiever in the science, maths and technology category. Blessed with a scientific bent of mind and spirit of enquiry since childhood, Aniruddha’s first major break came at the age of 13 when he was selected as one of six Indian students to represent the country at the World Year of Physics 2005 Conference in Taipei, Taiwan. This international exposure emboldened him to actively participate in national and international olympiads. In 2007 he was selected to represent India at the Astronomy Olympiad (IOA) in Simiez, Ukraine, where he won the gold medal. This was followed by a bronze at the IOA, 2008 held in Trieste, Italy, and a silver medal at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, 2009 conducted in Tehran, Iran.
A class XII student of the Army Public School, Pune, Aniruddha attributes his olympiad successes to the inspiring guidance of sister Asilata, a student of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, who encouraged him to explore the mysteries of outer space and the galaxy. “She advised me to enrol for maths and physics olympiad training sessions at the Bhaskaracharya Pratishthan and later at Pune’s Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics. This training helped me to prepare for the olympiads which unlike school exams, test one’s problem solving and application skills,” says Aniruddha who was recently chosen to attend the prestigious five-week ‘Canada/USA math camp’ at the University of Puget Sound, USA.
The only son of a former army colonel and pediatrician mother, Aniruddha believes that special efforts have to be made by Indian academia and government to develop and nurture scientific talent in India. “Our country has a lot of latent scientific talent, but most youth are wary about pursuing careers in science research because of lack of facilities and incentives. Consequently we lose our few best scientists to the West. To stem this brain drain the government must enter into partnerships with private industry to build research and development institutions offering world-class facilities. It is only through rigorous research can we invent great products and services to improve the lives of ordinary people,” says this young scientist who recently won commendations from TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research) scientists for a project on the effects of solar flares on the ionosphere.
Unmindful of the long years of study a career in science research entails, Aniruddha is fully committed and gearing to pursue a full-fledged research career in the pure sciences. “Contrary to popular belief, science is interesting, stimulating and great fun,” he enthuses.
Robots builder
The youngest individual to make it into the final interview round of the GlobalScholar-EW Young Achievers Awards 2009, Treksh Marwaha (12) is a tech whizkid and robots inventor. A class VI student of Billabong International School, Bhopal, Treksh was adjudged winner of the Indian Robotics Olympiad 2008, organised by Techtronics India Ltd. This win qualified him for entry into the World Robotics Olympiad, 2008, sponsored by the Denmark-based toy manufacturing giant Lego Group, and held in Japan. Though young Treksh didn’t win top honours, he did the country proud by being placed 13th among 49 contestants representing 40 countries around the world. Moreover last year when the World Robotics Olympiad was staged in South Korea, Treksh bettered his standing and was ranked ninth from among 50 contestants.
Encouraged by his industrialist father Vivek and homemaker mother Rakhi, Treksh developed an early interest in the esoteric world of robotics and mechanics at the age of seven. “Three years later, using a Lego kit I built my first robot — Jony 5 Robo — who walked, talked, reacted to touch and even danced to music. This year I’ve created an improved version of Jony 5 which can move its hands and body,” says Treksh.
Among the encomiums showered on this young genius are the Pogo Amazing Kid Award 2009 and Wonder Boy title by Times of India, Bhopal edition. A topper who averages above 85 percent in class exams, Treksh balances his academics and extra-curricular interests with a rare maturity. While acknowledging the support he receives from his school and teachers, his early success is also due to the encouragement and tutoring he gets from his father, a robots enthusiast.
Though not yet in secondary school, Treksh’s heart is in revolutionary invention. “I am currently working on a project to convert wind energy into fuel for vehicles. My ambition is to develop alternate energy sources to reduce global warming, and build robots and other electronic gadgets which will help improve the lives of ordinary people,” says Treksh.
Quite obviously the best of this young achiever is yet to come.
SPORTS & GAMES
Inspired judoka
A second year ba student of Shah Satnamji Girls College, Sirsa, Haryana, and junior national judo champion, Rekha (no second name) was adjudged winner in the sports category of the GlobalScholar-EducationWorld Young Achievers Awards 2009. Her remarkable ascent to the winner’s podium in national and international judo tournaments within a mere span of five years since she took to this combat sport, tilted the judges’ scales in her favour.
Born into a farming household in Karnal village, Haryana, Rekha was introduced to judo when she enroled in class XI of the Shah Satnamji Girls School, Sirsa. Encouraged by the school management, and inspired by her elder sister Ritu, the state’s woman judo champion, Rekha began learning this martial art at the late age of 16 under the tutelage of coaches Ranvir Singh and Nirmala Nain. In less than a year, Rekha mastered the judo throw, and in 2006 in her first state tournament surprised everyone by winning a gold medal. Subsequently in 2007 she struck silver at the 52nd National School Games in Pune. And last year she stood highest on the winners’ podium in the Junior National Championship held in Orissa.
Domestic triumphs apart, Rekha has also donned India colours with distinction. In the Junior World Championship held in the Czech Republic in 2007 she was judged fifth; in the 12th Commonwealth Judo Championship, 2008 held in Mauritius, fourth, and third (bronze medal) in the 10th Asian Judo Championship, staged in Lebanon last year.
Rekha attributes her national and international success to the enlightened management of the Shah Satnamji Girls College where she is a student of arts, and her spiritual guru Sant Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh Ji, leader of the spiritual organisation Dera Sacha Sauda. Sant Ram Raheem Singh Ji has promoted five schools with an enrolment of 10,000 students, and three colleges with 1,000 students in Haryana and Punjab. “My success is the outcome of the support and guidance I have received from my guru whom we fondly call ‘Papa Coach’,” says Rekha who spends four hours everyday training.
Looking to the future, this remarkably fit athlete has set her sights on winning India’s maiden gold medal in judo in the London Olympics 2012. “Given that my performance in international judo tournaments is getting better each year, I don’t believe this is an unrealistic goal. I am determined to train hard to achieve my Olympics dream,” says Rekha.
Power to your elbow!
Promising sharpshooter
Runner-up in the sports category of the GlobalScholar-EW Young Achievers Awards2009, Ashish Tiwari (17) traces his admission into the elite Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC), Dehradun, as the turning point of his life. RIMC is a class VIII-XII CBSE-affiliated school which prepares students for careers in the Indian armed forces and is highly-reputed for its superb sports infrastru-cture and training facilities. His admission into the highly-selective RIMC, which admits a mere 30 students annually, has brought him closer to attaining his life’s ambition of qualifying as an Indian Air Force fighter pilot, and has opened up a thrilling new world of sports for him, in particular competitive shooting.
“I found I had a natural aptitude for the shooting range and the school’s coach and former India shooting champion Capt. Ashok Sahi agreed to train me. A year later in 2006 I began participating and winning in inter-school and state level tournaments,” says Ashish who also attributes his extra-ordinary comfort level with the rifle to his army background. His father Shiv Prakash Tiwari is a subedar in the Indian Army and currently posted in Jammu.
Proving that he is a natural sharp shooter, at the 5th State Shooting Championship held in Dehradun in 2006 he stunned his college and competitors by bagging three gold medals in the 10m and 50m air rifle events. Shortly there-after he struck gold again at the All-India Inter-School Shooting Championship 2006 in the 10m rifle event. But his most cherished achievement is the silver he won in the 10m air rifle event at the recently concluded 53rd National Shooting Championship, 2009.
Although competitive shooting is his passion, Ashish is also an outdoor and adventure enthusiast who regularly participates in cross country runs and mountaineering expeditions.
Poised to enter international tourna-ments, Ashish believes that his recent admission into the prestigious National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune will help him realise his dream of developing into a world-class sharp-shooter. “The NDA offers superb training facilities and international standard coaching for sharpshooters. At the academy I intend to qualify as an IAF pilot and train as a competitive shooter,” says Ashish who is currently preparing for the Indian shooting team’s selection trials to be held this month.
SOCIAL WORK
Committed children’s champion
“I am honoured that the special jury of the GlobalScholar-EducationWorld Young Achievers Awards has recognised my community service initiatives, and efforts in creating public awareness about the importance of protecting human rights,” says Jaimeet Gandhok (17), a class XI student of the CBSE-affiliated Vivek High School, Chandigarh, who impressed the awards jury with his social and ethical sensitivity, and was adjudged winner in the social work category.
An enthusiastic volunteer in charitable activities undertaken by his father Dr. Sarvinder Gandhok, a medical practitioner and social worker, in class VIII Jaimeet enroled in the International Award for Young People (formerly known as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award), a self-development programme which requires students to participate in community service projects and develop life skills. As such, he initiated several community-centric activities including craft and sports workshops and picnics for children of Pustak, a school for the under-privileged; free medical check-ups for poor children; and raised funds for several NGOs such as People for Animals and the Society for the Rehabilitation of the Mentally Handicapped.
In August 2009 Jaimeet was one of four Indian students to volunteer for a Round Square International community project in South Africa. “I was included in a group of student volunteers from around the world who dedicated three weeks of their time to physically build a crèche for slum children in the city of Philipolis,” says Vivek, who was awarded the King Constantine Medal for “selfless service and commitment towards society” by the London-based Round Square International Organisation in 2009.
A well-rounded youngster, Vivek is also an athlete and valued member of his school’s basketball team, plus a regular participant in adventure activities.
With a commitment rarely seen in a teenager, Jaimeet wants to address the injustices which plague Indian society, and is particularly anguished by the lack of quality education facilities for children of the poor. “Sixty three years after independence we are still unable to provide elementary education to millions of children. This is a national shame. Citizens, especially students and teachers must join together on behalf of the poor and voiceless, and demand that government provides a well-equipped school in every village of India. Only education can empower them to break free from the cycle of poverty and illiteracy,” says this earnest young achiever.
Lawyer environmentalist
Runner-up in the social work category, Kush Kalra (22) pursues his twin passions — study of law and environment activism — with equal enthusiasm. A second year LLB student of the Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Patiala, Kush has earned the praise and gratitude of citizens in Patiala for relentlessly campaigning against the use of polythene bags in the city. “In the past two years I’ve been campaigning to educate shopkeepers, consumers and others on the severe environmental damage polythene bags cause. I’ve made a proposal to the Patiala municipal corporation to ban polybags and subsidise the price of jute shopping bags. If I don’t receive a favourable reply from the corporation I intend to file a public interest litigation in the high court,” says Kush who was also a regional finalist of the Interna-tional Climate Champions 2009 contest organised by the British Council.
A prolific essayist, this dedicated eco-crusader has been awarded several certificates of merit for his provocative essays on climate change, environment conservation and education reform by national and international organisations such as the National Knowledge Commi-ssion, Manupatra Legal Research, Unesco, Goi Peace Foundation (Japan), and the World Bank. Moreover he was one of 100 university students selected worldwide to attend the South American Business Forum held in Buenos Aires last year.
While environment preserva-tion is a mission with Kush, he is equally passionate about the study of law. An active partici-pant in moot competitions held in law schools across the country, he has also interned with senior Supreme Court lawyers Dr. Adish Aggarwala and P.P. Rao to develop practical knowledge of the law. Kush, whose parents are entrepre-neurs, wants to utilise his legal knowledge to shape laws to limit environment damage. “There’s an urgent need to draft environment laws which will stipulate fines and imprisonment for offenders, especially those using polythene bags. Strict laws combined with environment education programmes in schools and colleges are the best way to address the challenges of climate change and environmental damage,” says Kush who intends to expand his ‘Ban Polythene Bags’ campaign across Punjab through a series of public awareness programmes and lectures.
Fair winds!