Four Indian youth leaders among finalists for 2023 Commonwealth Youth Awards
text_fields
Edinburgh: The Commonwealth Youth Awards have shortlisted four young Indian leaders among 50 social entrepreneurs, environmental champions, innovators, and human rights activists.
Inspiring individuals - Akshay Makar (SDG13 Climate Action), Soumya Dabriwal (SDG 5 Gender Equality), Kaushal Shetty (SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities), and Shrutika Silswal (SDG 4 Quality Education) - aged between 15 to 29, have been recognised for their initiatives that actively contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Expressing her admiration for the young achievers, Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, said, "Each year, I am always amazed by the innovative and transformative work these young people are undertaking to create a better world for us all. I am particularly proud that 50 young leaders are being honoured in this Commonwealth Year of the Youth. I have always been of the view that development should be youth-led. Those who have been shortlisted prove that young people are not just passive bystanders, waiting to see what the future will bring. Instead, they are actively shaping it."
The achievements of these remarkable individuals demonstrate their commitment to driving positive change in their communities and beyond.
Akshay Makar, the CEO of Climatenza Solar, leads a mission-focused company that is at the forefront of decarbonising the industrial sector. The company collaborates with global giants such as Coca-Cola, Tata Group, and Unilever to implement 23 MW of decarbonisation, cutting 37,430 tonnes of carbon emissions. Makar aims to manufacture 273 MW of capacity in the next five years, saving over 650,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.
Soumya Dabriwal, a development practitioner and Economics Graduate from the University of Warwick, founded Project Baala after witnessing girls in Ghana missing school during their periods due to a lack of access to menstrual hygiene products. Since 2018, Project Baala has provided 1.5 million reusable pads and conducted over 4,000 awareness workshops, benefiting 500,000 women and girls across India and four other countries.
Kaushal Shetty, the Co-Founder and CEO of Nostos Homes, is dedicated to providing sustainable emergency shelters for people displaced by natural disasters. These low-cost, data-driven shelters have already facilitated over 481,000 nights of shelter in India and on the African Continent.
Shrutika Silswal, a Dalai Lama Fellow and the Head of Programmes at the Simple Education Foundation in Uttarakhand ensures quality education for over 200 government schoolchildren by delivering sustainable school transformation programs. Silswal is currently designing a new program that will impact over 100 government schools in Uttarakhand, promoting academic and social-emotional skills.
Out of the 50 shortlisted, 20 will be selected as finalists, and the overall winners will be invited to the awards ceremony in London on September 14. Each of the 20 finalists will receive a trophy, certificate, and 1,000 Pounds to expand the impact of their work. The top finalist from each region will be recognised as the regional winner, receiving GBP 3,000. One of the five regional winners will be crowned the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2023, with an award of 5,000 Pounds.
This year, the Commonwealth Youth Awards witnessed a significant increase in the number of shortlisted individuals - 50 instead of the usual 20 - to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Youth Programme. The selection process involved a rigorous judging process, with high commissioners, development experts, and youth leaders from across the Commonwealth serving as judges.