This 15-year-old city lass staunchly believes in the power of simple steps - and doing your bit, irrespective of where you are. A passionate blogger, a child author, a sculptor and an entrepreneur are some of the tags she closely identifies herself with. While her debut book for children, The Secret of Ada's Wisdom found takers by the hordes, it was social entrepreneurship which brought this grade 10 student from Greenwood High School, Bengaluru into the limelight.
The spunky girl from Bengaluru is broadening her horizons and that of others with her creative pursuits and search of knowledge and progress.
Accolades galore
After clinching a gold medal and being awarded with the stature of ‘National Honoree’ at the Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards 2016 at New Delhi, there was no looking back for this girl. “As a ‘National Honoree’, I was invited to Washington D.C to represent India in the felicitation events for Spirit Honourees from participating countries all over the world and to visit U.S Senators on Capitol Hill in May 2016. I was honoured at a gala event at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. and shared my experiences and ideas with the Spirit Honourees from other countries,” she reveals, feeling rather stoked. One accolade led to the other, and Nikhiya was chosen as the Global Winner of the Outstanding Youth Economic Citizenship Award 2017. “I was invited to attend The Global Inclusion Awards Ceremony hosted by the German G20 Presidency and Child and Youth Finance International at Berlin, Germany on May 3, 2017. This award highlights the activities of children and youth to raise awareness of the importance of financial education for young people in schools and community settings,” she enthuses. Nikhiya has also been a recipient of awards like the High Honors Certificate and an Award Pin from The Johns Hopkins University, USA, for being among the highest scoring participants in the 2016 International Talent Search. In recognition of her exceptional social activities, the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Karnataka awarded Nikhiya with the Makkala Pratibha Puraskara Prashasthi in 2016. Inspired by her yeoman services to the community, the members of Rotary Bangalore Junction donated Rs 51,000 towards her cause. The Rotary Club District 3190 also conferred The Young Achievers Award 2017 award to her for outstanding achievements as a social activist. “I received the award in the presence of Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi and famous actor Golden Star Ganesh,” she says with obvious pride. She has also been the recipient of National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement 2017.
Social side
Nikhiya’s social venture Bags, Books & Blessings was an idea which sprouted out of an innate passion to provide basic school supplies to less privileged children. Over the past three years, 7,700 students have received school supplies like bags, books, uniforms, shoes and bag full of stationery items. With access to school supplies, the children are not only well-equipped to learn but also have the confidence to succeed. In January 2017, Nikhiya launched her own e-commerce website www.knicnacs.com. The sole purpose is to raise funds to sustain activities of Bags, Books and Blessings and Yearn to Learn. Using these funds Yearn to Learn has sponsored the school and college level education of 25 visually impaired children and has pledged to oversee their education till they graduate.
New projects
I have formally registered my NGO. It is called “Women Have the Same Set of Teeth as Men”, so that I can officially receive donations and can be transparent about how the funds are being put to use. “My aim is to set up 100 laboratories in the next two years and I want every school to have one. I am hopeful that this will spark a passion for science. My short term goal is to get more students to participate in Math and Science Olympiads and in National and International Science Fairs every year,” she concludes.
