IPA Announces Winners Of 7th Annual Youth Essay Competition
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – Two students have been named winners of the India Philanthropy Alliance’s 7th Annual Youth Essay Competition, which asks young writers to examine challenges facing India and develop possible solutions.
Aditi Soham, the high school winner, wrote about the shortage of resources for neurodivergent and differently abled young people in India and the need for greater support for inclusive education. The 11th grader from Cumming, GA will direct her $1,000 prize to Dharithree USA.
Naga Prerani Kasula, the middle school winner, focused on female infanticide, an issue she said is close to her heart. Her essay seeks to raise awareness of the problem in India and globally and proposes combining technology with long-term education to address it. The 7th grader from Apex, NC will direct her $1,000 award to the Invisible Girl Project.
The competition, themed #YouthWithPurpose this year, received a record number of entries from across the U.S., as well as from U.S. citizens living abroad. Soham and Kasula will travel to Dallas to present their essays at the Indaspora and IPA Philanthropy Summit on September 29 at the Communities Foundation of Texas.
The winning essays, along with those from runners-up and finalists in the middle school and high school categories, have been published on the IPA website.
Launched in 2020, the competition is sponsored by Sehgal Foundation, Ujala Foundation, Mamta Bhandari and the Gupta Giving Fund. The India Philanthropy Alliance is a U.S.-based network supporting development and poverty-reduction efforts in India.
