Young activists, humanitarians and entrepreneurs from India are among 189 winners from 31 countries of this year’s Diana Awards, created in memory of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Sanya Sharma, founder of 'Scarlet Udaan', has won for her efforts behind a global youth organisation that raises awareness on female genital cutting (FGC) and empowers young people to take action. Sanya has also been recognised by the United Nations (UN) for her efforts and is a Gender Equality leader with UN Women.
Another Indian winner is 14-year-old Divaa Uthkarsha, a student of NPS Rajajinagar, Bengaluru, for her humanitarian project, Project Surya, in the field of healthcare for underprivileged children suffering from diabetics in Karnataka.
"This award wouldn’t have been possible without the support of my mentors at 1M1B. I conceptualised my project at the 1M1B Future Leaders programs and got outstanding mentorship to execute,” said Uthkarsha.
The 1M1B or One Million for One Billion is a UN accredited not-for-profit organisation that mentors youth under the Future Leaders Programme. Under Project Surya, Uthkarsha has donated more than 500 insulin syringes to poor diabetic children.
“Over the last four years, eight 1M1B students have been recognised by the Diana Awards and this is a matter of pride for all of us. 1M1B’s goal is to empower and activate young people to become human-centred leaders is core to our mission,” said Manav Subodh, Founder, and Chief Mentor of 1M1B.
The 2023 roll call of Diana Awards honours recognise exceptional young people have demonstrated their ability to inspire and mobilise new generations to serve their communities and create long-lasting change on a global scale.
“These young people demonstrate that young people have the power to change the world; a belief also held by Diana Princess of Wales. We know by receiving this honour they will inspire more young people to get involved in their communities and begin their own changemaking journey,” said Tessy Ojo CBE, CEO of the Diana Award.
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Established in memory of Princess Diana, the award is given out by the charity of the same name and has the support of both her sons – William, the Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.
The exceptional young leaders are recognised for transforming their communities, driving lasting change and creating a fairer, more equitable society for all. Their causes and backgrounds are varied, but they are united in their innate desire to affect positive change, mobilising and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
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*Info: Diana Awards 2023