Who is founder of Youth Well-Being organization?

You are the founder of YWB. Tell us about the organisation.

YWB (Youth Well-Being) is a youth-run non-profit organisation that works towards all aspects of well-being for the young. It's also an Indian Under-18 Organisation working towards youth welfare.

What inspired you to set up YWB?

This journey started during the pandemic when I came across a research paper on how intellectual well-being is necessary for one's growth. I also read about other factors people may not be aware of. After a lot of research, I found out that there aren't many organisations for the well-being of youth in India that speaks about such aspects. That is what inspired me to start YWB.

What would you suggest to young people who would like to start an organisation?

There may be discouraging responses from society because of your age. You may not be able to set aside enough time towards it. But if you are interested in making a change, you should try to overcome these problems. Start an organisation with a small crew comprising neighbours, friends, and family willing to join the initiative, and slowly build it up. Before that, read up and acquire as much knowledge as you can. I went through many research papers, articles, and a lot of books before I set up YWB.

What is your learning through this journey?

Leadership skills. Leading a number of people at a global level improved my leadership qualities. Reaching out to like-minded people has taught me that age, gender, and other factors don't matter. The important thing is to do what we can to make a change for the better.

Tell us about your music band PAUSE. PAUSE stands for Perform for a Cause. We are a band of young musicians. We perform at public venues, carnivals, etc. These are all free concerts, and we are funded by donations. The funds that we acquire through these concerts are donated to a social cause. With it, we helped differently abled girls who can't afford education.

What role does music play in your life?

I started learning music when I was three. Both my grandmothers and my father are musicians. I was professionally trained in Hindustani music and also Carnatic music. Slowly, I started learning Western and other forms of music too. My hobby turned into passion. I took part in a lot of music competitions as a kid. As I grew, I started using music as a way to spread positive messages to people who face challenges.

What kind of volunteering services do you do?

Recently, I started working with the gender equality forum of the United Nations. This forum works towards fixing gender-based problems in Mexico and Paris. The memebers work on the right to equality and present it to world leaders. I was also part of the young feminist programme, and a member of the decision- and policy-making panel on global health, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for women and young girls. I also volunteered as a public speaker for the Gender Equality Forum as an adolescent panelist.

What is the one change you want to see in society?

The cultural norms that affect people's health. Some of them are really meaningful, and I respect them a lot. But some of them are pointless. It is important for people to know the scientific reasons for these norms.

What are your hobbies?

Apart from music. I like art. I enjoy writing personal anecdotes and poetry. As singing is my main hobby, I enjoy songwriting, and set my poetry to music. I also like baking and public speaking.

What message would you like to convey to people?

That our well-being is very important. Whatever we like to do, be it singing, writing, or whatever, will lead to our well-being. We should do what we love, and use it to help people.

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Who is the founder of The Cinnamon Chat?

What motivated you to start The Cinnamon Chat with Nethila?

When I started to help my dad with some work, I happened to interview a CEO. That was my first interview, and I decided to start a video channel, where I interview successful entrepreneurs and CEOS. I usually interview them such that the younger generation can have an idea of their ways of being successful. This channel is now The Cinnamon Chat with Nethila.

How many successful people have you interviewed to date?

I have interviewed a bunch of people, and have learned new lessons from each one. Each one is different from the other, and I gain a lot of knowledge from everyone.

What's your role as the brand ambassador of Child Action Lanka?

Many children don't have access to shelter, resources, and they live below the poverty line. They are less privileged. Being a brand ambassador of Child Action Lanka, I speak up for homeless children who require help.

What kind of challenges have you faced in your journey?

I am lucky I didn't face many challenges while preparing for my podcast, launching my academy, or while creating videos for my channel. When it comes to preparing for my videos, I use all kinds of techniques on my camera. Some could think my childhood is not being spent joyfully and that instead, I am working on my entrepreneurship. But I don't consider it a big hurdle, and just keep moving.

What are your hobbies?

I play badminton, tennis, and the piano. And I am crazy about building sets.

Who is your source of inspiration?

I look up to my dad. He is my mentor and teacher on all aspects of entrepreneurship. Another great inspiration is Elon Musk. I look up to him; I want to be like him. He is a great entrepreneur. His goal is to make trains that run on magnetic energy, which is only one of his brilliant ideas.

What change do you want to make in society?

I would like to educate children on entrepreneurship so they become successful at a very young age. I am launching an academy soon to teach kids about developing skills for entrepreneurship. I would like all young children to come forward and learn entrepreneurial skills.

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What is your role as a V-Force volunteer for United Nations Volunteers India?

As a V-Force volunteer, I have served in five campaigns since last year. These were related to youth, women empowerment, and Sustainable Development Goals. A major part of it was the 'Fight Against Corona campaign, which took place over a few months last year. We worked with Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan and NSS of the Indian government to support corona recovery in India.

What is Girl Up? What is your work as a member?

Girl Up is an initiative by the United Nations Foundation. Its aim is to spread the ideals of gender equality, and uplift girls and women by reinforcing their leadership and policy-making roles. I contributed in over 18 initiatives and projects under Girl Up in the last five to six months. The most significant one is definitely the campaign that commenced on Army Day 2021. A few veterans from the Indian Army, both male and female officers, were invited for the panel discussion on women in Indian Army and upcoming opportunities. After the session, we formed a decentralised community to assist young girls who aspire to be officers in the Indian Armed Forces.

What is StudoMatrix? What role do you play as its joint secretary?

StudoMatrix aims to provide holistic development to youth, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. It was set up during the pandemic last year. A lot of talent lies unrecognised in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities because not many opportunities are available for these bright minds. Over the last one year, through StudoMatrix we've reached over 25,000 students across 150 cities in India. As its joint secretary, I oversee the management, administration, and program ideation as part of the core team.

Tell us about your experience with the UN System Staff College and Peace Operation Training Institute, the U.S.

I've had a wonderful experience. I've completed over 550 courses offered by various prestigious UN Institutes such as the United Nations System Staff College, Peace Operations Training Institute, United States Institute of Peace, Ivy League Universities, etc. The courses have been on diverse topics, from sustainable development, health, and women's rights to human rights, peace keeping, good governance, administration, and international law. Recently, I was selected by the Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development of the UN System Staff College for a course on Climate Change and Paris Agreement, with the UN Secretariat, government officials, and other stakeholders from around the world.

What is your motivation behind spreading peace?

My motto is ‘The time to think was yesterday, today is the time to act’. We have spent a lot of time just talking, and with climate change knocking at our door, we have to act now. My aim is to make this world a better place to live in. Peace is very crucial for attaining sustainability since security and development go hand in hand.

What do you discuss in your meetings with Presidents, Prime Ministers, ambassadors, and other stakeholders?

I have had meetings with over a thousand stakeholders, including policymakers, Presidents, and ambassadors from around the world. We discuss a variety of topics such as upliftment of youth integration of artificial intelligence and education, sustainable development, policy coherence, climate change, and bilateral and multilateral relations.

Any memorable recognition for your work?

In 2017, I was awarded the AWWA Award of Excellence for my work in science and technology and community upliftment through sustainable development. This included transitioning barren land patches of Thar Desert into green science parks made up entirely of waste and recycled material.

If you get a chance to change one thing in the society, what would it be?

Our attention spans are getting shorter and we are becoming meaner, and I would like to change that. A lot of people, especially teenagers and young adults are blindly following random trends for the sake of looking cool. Also, we aren't very good listeners. Most of the time, we listen just to reply and not to understand, and this is one of the reasons for instability in interpersonal relations nowadays. With these issues addressed properly, society can progress as a whole.

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