The Junior Changemakers’ Club | A Shy Girl With a Big Dream: How One Teen Is Making Classrooms Safer for Girls Across India

This Children’s Day, we at The Better India reached out to young achievers across different sectors to learn about the change they wish to see in the country. From tackling a city’s water crisis to becoming a wildlife photographer at just 10, these kids have fresh ideas, high ambitions, and an inspiring spirit to make our nation truly a ‘Better India’. Here’s what they have to say on this special day.

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To Sumeet Mehta,
Education Leader

Subject: A young innovator’s appeal for continued mentorship to help girls find their voice and purpose

My name is Khushboo Jain. I’m 15 years old, studying in Class 10 at Nagarjuna Model School, Kadapa. I wanted to write this letter because my journey began as a shy girl from a small town, and today I’m working to build solutions for learners across India. This change happened only because someone gave me the confidence to learn, create and dream bigger, and mentors like you played a huge role in that.

I grew up with limited exposure, yet I was full of curiosity. Growing up, my world was all about memorising lessons, writing model answers, and remaining inconspicuous. I was scared to share my ideas because I felt they were never good enough; small-town life meant limited access to technology and almost negligible exposure to innovations. I honestly believed that it was all about the marks that decided everything.

Then came LEAD at my school. Classes became interactive, digital, and interesting. For the first time, I felt excited to learn. Slowly, I moved from silently sitting at the back to actually speaking in front of my class. That small shift started everything else in my journey.

Failure, learning, and trying again

The real turning point came in 2022 when, through Atal Tinkering Lab, I joined Tinkerpreneur. After months of work, my first product didn’t get selected, and I cried a lot. But then, two things changed the way I thought: My mentor, Phaneendra Sir, said, “If you are making mistakes, then you are doing something.” My parents always told me that failure is not the opposite of success, but it's actually a part of it. These words made me try again.

In 2023, I rebuilt everything with a clearer focus and founded Eklakshya. My motivation was to help children build a strong educational foundation from a young age, while making learning an exciting and meaningful experience. That year, my project was selected among the top seven in India, and from there, my journey grew in ways I never imagined. I had the opportunity to:

• Mentored more than 80 students in our ATL

• Lead initiatives in digital skills, entrepreneurial development, and innovation

• Host three “HandholdMe” sessions at Tinkerpreneur for students across India

• Design my school’s newsletters, comics, and website

• Win first place at CSIR-NAL’s Aerofest 2024 and secure a national top-20 rank for our team

• Contribute learning content to the Tinkerpreneur portal

Building Eklakshya

At the beginning, Eklakshya was just an e-bookstore. But as I interacted more and more with students, I understood that what they needed wasn't just content; they needed skills, confidence, and guidance. Thus, Eklakshya became the platform to teach digital design, creativity, communication, teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

I built it for students from small towns, for girls who hesitate to speak up, for those with limited digital exposure — for anyone who wants to create but doesn’t know where to begin. For me, Eklakshya is not just a platform; it is the beginning of my purpose.

Everything changed once I realised my purpose to pursue entrepreneurship. We set up ATL projects, digital work, and innovations. I got to present our comic book on business innovation that was completely made in our ATL lab. I presented it with all the confidence I had. What came next I did not expect. You valued this a lot and told me that my clarity and storytelling were better than what you see even from many adults.

Knowing that my presentation played even a small part in inspiring it means a lot to me. It made me believe that even a student can spark change.

My dream for India

I want to become an entrepreneur and build solutions that are made in India for innovation, growth, and opportunities. I want learning to be safer and more inclusive, especially for girls. These days, many girls are still being told what they can and cannot study. I want to help change that mindset because when you educate a girl, you uplift a whole family.

Looking ahead while preparing for my Class 10 board exams and working on my first TED-Ed talk on the power of the right mindset, I realise how much mindset shapes our dreams.

Thank you, Sir, for believing in students like me. Your encouragement didn't just motivate me; it changed the way I think. It taught me to dream big. Start small. Keep going.

Someday, I hope Eklakshya grows into something that makes you proud and helps thousands of students dream boldly and create with confidence.

Yours sincerely,
Khushboo Jain
A young innovator

All images provided by Khushboo Jain