Prajwal Naveen Halalae, a Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics student at BGS National Public School, Bangalore, Karnataka; Kavin Sharma, a Biology student at Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, Rajasthan; and Divaa Uthkarsha, a Science student at National Public School RNR, Bangalore have been named in the top 50 shortlist for the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2024.
The annual $100,000 prize, now in its fourth year, is given to one exceptional student that has made a real impact on learning, the lives of their peers and on society beyond. The three Indians were selected from over 11,000 nominations and applications from 176 countries.
Prajwal Naveen Halalae
The 17-year-old co-founded CloudAttack Edutech to bridge the global skill gap through gamified learning. His AI tool, NetraAI, aids visually impaired children with emotionally nuanced text-to-speech. As school captain, he tackled bullying and launched a Student Well-being Program, enhancing mental health support. Prajwal’s academic excellence and innovations like the Smart Water Tap and COVID-19 AID app have earned him international recognition and awards. His commitment to societal betterment, environmental conservation, and global citizenship is evident in his projects and advocacy, inspiring technological solutions for social issues.
Divaa Uthkarsha
The 16-year-old driven by her family’s medical background and personal tragedy, excels academically with a 4.0 GPA and leads in Olympiads. She founded a non-profit, Project Surya, aiding type 1 diabetic children and influencing policy through advocacy. Despite facing age and gender biases, she perseveres, fostering a supportive community and engaging in creative arts. As a global citizen, Divaa presents at the UN, networks internationally, and champions education and healthcare. Her journey embodies resilience, a dedication to learning, and a commitment to impactful community service.
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Kavin Sharma
The 17-year-old from Mahapura, Jaipur, overcame adversity to found Mauka, a platform linking students with NGOs, and Janam, improving women’s health. Mauka, inspired by social media, expanded from WhatsApp to a web system and now has started to operate in other countries, aiming for global reach. Kavin excelled academically, earning top IGCSE and IB scores, and was recognised by Yale Young Global Scholars. His initiatives raised significant funds for NGOs and addressed student mental health. Kavin’s creativity led to the Mauka app, educational YouTube content, and international collaboration, striving for a united, empathetic global community.
Chegg.org partnered with the Varkey Foundation to launch the annual Global Student Prize in 2021, a sister award to its $1 million Global Teacher Prize. The intention was to create a powerful new platform that shines a light on the efforts of extraordinary students everywhere who, together, are reshaping our world for the better.
The prize is open to all students who are at least 16 years old and enrolled in an academic institution or training and skills program. Part-time students as well as students enrolled in online courses are also eligible for the prize.
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Heather Hatlo Porter, Chegg’s Chief Communications Officer, said: “Our finalists this year have made a huge impact in areas from the environment to equality and justice, from health and wellbeing to education and skills, from youth empowerment to ending poverty. I can’t wait to see how this year’s inspiring cohort of changemakers use this platform to lift up even more lives.”
The top 10 finalists of the Global Student Prize 2024 are expected to be announced in September and the winner, who is expected to be announced later in the year, will be chosen from the final 10 by the Global Student Prize Academy made up of prominent individuals.
*Info: Global Student Prize 2024