Four Young Indian Akshay Makar, Soumya Dabriwal, Kaushal Shetty and Shrutika Silswal have been shortlisted for the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work. They are among the 50 social entrepreneurs, environmental champions, and human rights activists from across the Commonwealth shortlisted for this year’s Youth Awards.

The Commonwealth Youth Award mainly honours the young people aged between 15 to 29 years of commonwealth countries involved in development work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the Shortlisted Indians

Akshay Makar has been shortlisted under SDG13 Climate Action. He is the CEO of Climatenza Solar company that is working to decarbonise the industrial sector.
Soumya Dabriwal has been shortlisted under SDG 5 Gender Equality. She started Project Baala which aims to provide innovative menstrual hygiene solutions for young school going girls.
Kaushal Shetty has been shortlisted under SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Nostos Homes, a non-profit organisation that builds sustainable emergency shelters for people displaced by natural disasters.
Shrutika Silswal has been shortlisted under the SDG 4 Quality Education. She is the head of the Simple Education Foundation in Uttarakhand that supports 200 government school children in 5 government schools by delivering contextual and sustainable school transformation programmes.
Every year 20 people are shortlisted for the award and five regional winners from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe and Canada and the Pacific are chosen. This year 50 people have been shortlisted to celebrate the 50 years of the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. There are 17 SDGs goals.

Commonwealth

It is a voluntary association of 56 Independent countries that were once ruled by Britain. However it also includes countries like Rwanda, Mozambique, Gabon and Togo who were never ruled by Britain.

The British Monarch is the head of the Commonwealth and at present it is headed by King Charles of Britain.