Shirish Chouriya is a dedicated youth leader committed to inspiring grassroots environmental protection through Wild Roots Nursery & Nature Community Resource in Kurai village, Madhya Pradesh. He aims for environmental conservation by nurturing rewilding, agroforestry, and promoting forest-based livelihoods. He has also recognised gaps in the public education system and has leveraged his international exposure to enhance educational opportunities at Agrini Public School.
Shraddha, is a passionate community leader from Kurai village of Seoni, Madhya Pradesh, who has transformed her personal challenges into a driving force for change. Despite facing obstacles that prevented her from pursuing higher education, she emerged as a strong advocate for climate action and environmental conservation. As the sole earning member of her family, Shraddha has taken on significant responsibilities while nurturing her love for education and community service.
Pratap Kumar Deo, hails from Chhamunda village, a tribal-dominated rural area in Jujomura block of Sambalpur district, Odisha. He is an enthusiastic young leader with a strong passion for community work, particularly in the fields of climate change and sustainability. With a post graduation degree in Rural development & extensive active citizenship experience through his involvement with the organisation Patang, Pratap has been dedicated to grassroots initiatives for many years. He is a self-starter who embraces responsibility for his community and learns through hands-on experiences.
Monuwara Begum is a 23-year-old social activist and environmental advocate based in Dakhingaon, Guwahati, Assam. With a strong commitment to instigating positive change within her community, this young post graduate in social work, has dedicated herself to promoting climate action and sustainable practices. After completing her graduation, she became actively involved with YUVA, where she has worked on various initiatives aimed at fostering social change, work rights, women empowerment and environmental awareness.
Omen Pertin, a dedicated 22-year-old agriculturist and co-anchor of the Gepo Ali initiative hails from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. Deeply rooted in her community, Omem possesses a profound understanding of local issues and geography, which informs her commitment to creating climate-resilient farming practices. Growing up in the region, she has witnessed significant changes in food practices and is passionate about preserving traditional agricultural knowledge.
Dimum Pertin, is a passionate young social entrepreneur based in Dambuk, Arunachal Pradesh, dedicated to empowering women from tribal communities through her initiative, Gepo Aali. An Agro-ecology scholar , she is dedicated to empowering local women farmers by building a network of "Agripreneurs." Her motivation stems from personal experiences, particularly the challenges her grandmother faced in accessing native healthy food in her old age. Dimum's work focuses on promoting indigenous varieties of millets, aiming to preserve traditional farming practices and enhance local food security.