The Global Student Prize 2025 has announced its top 50 finalists, and five inspiring changemakers from India have made it to the coveted list. Their work ranges from criminal justice reform and elder care to climate action and rural development. With their powerful stories of purpose and innovation, these students are redefining leadership and rewriting what it means to be young in a changing world.

1. Adarsh Kumar: Bihar’s Barrier-Breaker

From scarcity to solution-building. Raised in Champaran, Bihar, Adarsh Kumar’s childhood was marked by power cuts, poverty, and perseverance. With just ₹1,000 and an old laptop, he left home at 14 to chase his dream of education in Kota. He couldn’t afford coaching classes, so he studied using public Wi-Fi and libraries. That self-learning spirit birthed Skillzo, a platform that has trained over 19,500 underprivileged youth. His earlier initiative, Mission Badlao, brought vaccines and education to rural Bihar. 

Adarsh later co-built Sparkle and Education-21 with IITians, impacting thousands more. He also became the first student to earn a ₹30-lakh full scholarship to JPIS, a story he’s helping others replicate. Today, as a Google Youth Advisor, he champions tech access for all. His next venture, SkillzoX, aims to deliver low-bandwidth AI mentorship tools for rural India.

2. Mannat Samra: Giving Second Chances

Transforming prisons into possibilities. At just 17, Mannat Samra is shaking up India’s criminal justice system. Her reform work has supported over 50,000 prisoners, offering communication skills and helping launch India’s first job portal for ex-convicts. Through Bridge, she supports businesses run by former prisoners, giving them a fresh start. Her compassion also extends to refugee education, mentoring displaced youth and helping them gain admission to top universities like Stanford. 

Mannat’s social enterprise SustainaBite converts food waste into nutritious flour, while SecureSense, an AI system she co-developed, offers protection to borderland communities. With every initiative, Mannat proves that justice doesn’t end with punishment; it begins with dignity.

3. Shivansh Gupta: The Voice of the Invisible

Bringing gender economics to the grassroots. Hailing from Haryana, Shivansh Gupta is not just an academic mind; he’s a frontline activist for gender and youth rights. His published work on unpaid labor and patriarchy’s economic toll has garnered praise in scholarly circles. But theory is only half the story. Partnering with government bodies, he’s trained over 40,000 rural women in financial literacy. 

His nonprofit, The Teen Debater, has taught debate and critical thinking to 10,000+ students in underserved regions of India. Inspired by his great-grandfather, Shivansh invented ParkinStep, a $5 wearable device that aids Parkinson’s patients in walking safely. A national economics medallist, he has represented India at Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge. His mission? To scale ParkinStep and expand education access for marginalized youth across borders.

4. Dhiraj Gatmane: Restoring Dignity to Elders

Blending sustainability with senior care. Growing up in the tribal belts of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Dhiraj Gatmane witnessed firsthand how elderly people often suffer in silence. That empathy evolved into Second Sunrise, a youth-led movement that has now reached over 3.5 million seniors across 20+ countries. His team has built 350 green homes, conducted 120,000 health screenings, and trained 150,000 elderly people in digital skills, all through sustainable Tech Pods powered by e-waste and solar energy. 

Despite battling chronic illness and financial instability, Dhiraj has published AI research at Oxford and Imperial College London. His upcoming plans include drone-deployed labs, AR heritage trails, and a global NFT campaign led by intergenerational artists. His journey reminds us: age may slow the body, but not the spirit.

5. Jahaan Arora: Meals, Mentorship, and a Movement

From a single meal to a million moments of care. What began as an effort to feed 40 HIV+ children has grown into 1 Million Meals, a massive initiative that has now served 950,000 meals to vulnerable children, including those with cerebral palsy and HIV/AIDS. Jahaan Arora’s innovation doesn’t stop there. He created $ocialCred$, a time-banking platform where volunteering hours earn mentorship and skill-building. Over 11,900 students across five countries have contributed 168,000+ community hours through this platform.

His Trash Mafia Kids project has diverted 20 tonnes of waste from landfills, blending environmental action with youth education. A speaker at the World Time Banking Conference, Jahaan aims to reach 1 million meals and 1 million civic hours by 2030. Through service, Jahaan is building a generation of responsible, compassionate leaders.

What Is the Global Student Prize and Who Gives It?

The Global Student Prize is a prestigious international award that celebrates exceptional students making a positive impact in their communities and beyond. It is awarded by the Varkey Foundation, in partnership with Chegg.org. The prize recognizes students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, creativity, and social responsibility. Open to students around the world aged 16 and above, the award highlights those who are not only achieving personal success but are also using their education to improve the lives of others. Each year, the top 50 finalists are selected from thousands of applications. The Global Student Prize serves as a powerful reminder that young people have the potential to lead global change.

The Future Is Already Here

From tribal villages to global think tanks, from AI-powered healthcare to refugee classrooms, these five young Indians are not just dreaming of change. They’re leading it. Their lives echo a simple truth: when education meets empathy and vision meets action, age becomes irrelevant. These finalists remind us that young voices are not future leaders; they are present changemakers. And their stories are not just about awards; they are blueprints for a more just, inclusive, and inspired world.