Young Achievers

What began as a wildlife encounter became a story of courage, queerness, and healing — told through the lens of a 23-year-old filmmaker.

Born with Down Syndrome, 19-year-old Anu once struggled with writing, maths, and confidence. With her mother’s steady support, she slowly built a thriving lip balm business from home. This is her story.

A girl who studied through audiobooks after an acid attack left her blind. A teen who lip-read every class to crack JEE Mains. A boy with quadriparesis who wrote all his Class 10 exams by hand. These five CBSE students cleared not just their board exams, but challenges no classroom prepares you for.

Aayan Chopra, a 17-year-old student from Gurugram, is trying to help rural India move away from diesel. Through his initiative Project Surya Chakra, he’s replacing noisy, polluting chakki motors with clean solar power, saving workers money, reducing emissions, and restoring peace in their homes.

From a plastic-covered tent in Kashmir’s Pulwama, 17-year-old Shabnam Sadiq studied without electricity or coaching and scored 92% in her Class 12 exams — with only her parents' quiet support and her own unshakable will.

When Samaira Hullur’s mother was captivated by the respect of uniformed pilots, she planted a seed of ambition in her daughter. That spark led Samaira to chase the skies, and at just 18, she became India’s youngest pilot to hold a commercial license.

Shraddha Rangarh, a 20-year-old kickboxing champion from Haryana, overcame financial struggles, gender bias, and no support to rank No. 5 in the world. With multiple gold medals and a self-made career, her story is a reminder that determination is the mother of all sports.

Kerala’s Diya Joseph, 22, is the youngest female Bullet mechanic. A mechanical engineering student, she works alongside her father, fixing and servicing Royal Enfield motorcycles like a pro.