India has the world's largest diaspora. According to the United Nations, more Indians live outside their own country compared to any other nation. And global Indians are not just heading corporates around the world, but also winning innumerable prizes in innovation and sustainability.
YONO is all set to recognise some trailblazing global Indians, all under the age of 20. Six of the brightest have been shortlisted for the YONO SBI 20 under 20 award. The YONO SBI 20 under 20 award was instituted to celebrate a year of YONO, SBI's new age digital bank, and to connect with a new generation of influencers from all walks of life, who have found inspiration or success at a young age.
Among the jury members was Anand Chandrasekaran, ex-director of Facebook, who remarked, "These profiles have been absolutely incredible, and I am delighted to have been part of the YONO SBI 20 under 20 process, and I hope Indians all over the world vote for these candidates."
The names have been shortlisted for their personal stories of grit and courage and for their contribution to the society. Needless to say, all of them have won several awards for their work already, across global platforms.
17-year-old Angelina Arora from Sydney has developed a completely biodegradable bio-plastic made from prawn shell and sticky protein from the silk of silkworms. 19-year-old Muskan Devta from Auckland New Zealand was born premature, at 1.2 kg, and developed paralysis on the right side of her body. Today, Muskan is a writer, a radio jockey and an inspirational speaker at many events, overcoming challenges by her sheer will. 14-year-old Shreya Ramachandran from California leads The Grey Water Project, a non-profit that promotes the safe reuse of grey water and water conservation as a way to address drought. Grey water - the gently used water from household sinks, showers and laundry - can be used to build "laundry to lawn" grey water systems using organic detergents such as soap nuts, a natural berry shell that release soap when placed in water.
Among the boys, Amol Punjabi, 19, of Marlborough, Massachusetts, has developed a software that could help drug makers develop new therapies for cancer and heart disease. 18-year-old Anurudh Ganesan of Clarksburg, Maryland, is the inventor of VAXXWAGON, a wheel-powered portable refrigeration system that enables doctors to transport vaccines safely and effectively. Former US President Barack Obama recognised Ganesan for his work. 15-year-old Sparsh Shah was born with almost 40 fractures, and a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta.
The Indian-American child artiste, singer, songwriter, rapper and motivational speaker was one of the speakers at the Goafest 2018. Sparsh has starred in his own documentary Brittle Bone Rapper, as part of a series by the YouTube channel Real Stories.
All of these young achievers have speed, flexibility and versatility, which resonates with the values of YONO, SBI's digital bank. YONO is the legacy bank's move to be more fluid and in tandem with a new-age audience that likes to bank at their own convenience on digital platforms.
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