India Philanthropy Alliance Essay Contest Winners Address Diverse Issues

Photo (Top Row, Left to Right): Sia Lakshmi Sampson, Arya Goel, Caroline Praveen
Photo (Bottom Row, Left to Right): Nirmal Melam, Aditya Munish

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC – The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), the YUS-based coalition of 20 nonprofit, philanthropic, and charitable organizations focused on India, announced the winners of the fifth annual essay contest.

Winners will present their award-winning ideas at a philanthropy summit in Cambridge, MA, on October 25. This national gathering will bring together business leaders, philanthropists, and nonprofit executives to discuss and act on critical issues facing India, a press release said. Winners will also direct a grant of $1,000 to the charity of their choice, and runners-up will direct a $500 grant to the charity of their choice.

This year’s competition prompted students to address the question: “Which developmental issue in India do you feel is most pressing and why?” Participants were encouraged to delve into the lesser-known challenges and impacts posed by their chosen topic and suggest how we, as Americans, can be a part of the solution.

Leaders of the competition noted that it has provided a stepping stone to further philanthropic engagement. Past winners have volunteered with IPA’s key network organizations and served on India Giving Day’s Youth Leadership Council.

Essay topics varied significantly and covered issues such as mental health, educational disparity, child labor, food waste, sanitation, gender discrimination, discrimination of the disabled, access to health care, and more.

Nirmal Melam, winner in the high school category, wrote about the digital divide and spent a portion of his summer installing solar power on a school in India so that they would have consistent access to the internet.

Caroline Praveen, one of two runners-up in the high school category, expressed her excitement: “I find it surreal that my ideas and opinions as a high school student are being seriously taken into consideration by such a high-impact organization. It makes me feel that I can actually be the change that I so desperately want to see.”

Arya Goyal, also a runner-up in the high school category, emphasized the importance of inclusivity: “Investing in people who are differently abled and neurodivergent will allow India to unlock the immense potential of millions of its citizens, fostering a society where everyone contributes to a brighter, more inclusive future.”

Sia Lakshmi Sampson, the middle school winner, aspires to be a medical doctor some day and sees opportunity in medical volunteers in India. “I hope my essay is a reminder to Indian healthcare students and providers here in the US, how valuable it would be to share their skills to improve lives in India as well.”

Aditya Munish, the middle school runner-up, is passionate about gender inequality. “I wanted to speak out about the hardships women face, not only in India, but all around the world. I truly believe that education can expand and open the minds of people in order to solve the problem.

“We are gratified to see this inspiring program mature and witness so many young change makers feeling empowered to take action as a result of this competition,” says Jay Sehgal, Vice-Chair of India Philanthropy Alliance and one of the competition sponsors. “We all benefit when we invest in young people and work together to ensure a brighter future.

The Sarva Mangal Family Trust has sponsored the competition since its inception and Sehgal Foundation has also lent its support.

The winners, runners-up, and finalists in each category:

High School Winner: Nirmal Melam, Grade 9, Des Moines, Iowa; High School Runners-up: Arya Goyal, Grade 11, Scarsdale, New York, and Caroline Praveen, Grade 11, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; High School Finalists include: Arhaan Iyer, grade 9, Dallas, Texas; and Ayushi Agarwal, Grade 9, Oak Park, California.

Middle School Winner: Sia Lakshmi Sampson, Grade 7, New Market, Maryland; Middle School Runner-up: Aditya Munish, grade 8, Little Elm, Texas; Middle School Finalists: Rishaan Sharath, Grade 6, Bargersville, Indiana; and Swati Premkumar, Grade 8, Bothell, Washington.