5 teenagers trying to make this world a better place

Rashima Nagpal

December 19, 2016
5 min read
TEDxGateway

TEDx talks have been a great source of inspiration over the years

While it’s motivating to hear all stories of strength, courage and determination, watching kids talk big tends to amuse us all the most. We had the opportunity to talk to two young achievers- Sparsh Shah & Capri Everitt- who made way to the recent TEDx Gateway held in Mumbai and such wonders they have come out to be! Other than these two, there are three other TEDx speakers that we’ve dug out for inspiration:-

Sparsh Shah

“Music is my biggest antidote. It’s better than any kind of medication I believe. Whenever I feel low, I put on some inspirational songs. And then it makes me ready to get back up. It is my ultimate inspiration,” says the 13-year-old rapper. Being born with an ailment called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Sparsh has had some challenges to face but has overcome them all with his undying spirit and passion for music. “I believe that whatever happens in life happens for a reason. And everything is a part of god’s divine plan. I feel that right from my birth to discovering my condition to TEDx Gateway, it was all destined. All the pain is a learning experience that god has put out there for me. No matter wherever I go I always try to be positive, happy, and optimistic. It plays a huge role in my life. And every performer should have the ability to generate positive vibes.”
Also known as Purhythm (pure + rhythm), this young boy is an Eminem lover. Here, in one of his gigs, he gives one of Eminem’s rap a classical twist:-

Capri Everitt

Known as the ‘International Anthem Girl’ after having sung 80 national anthems in 80 countries respectively, this 12-year-old is making efforts to curb poverty and be of use to the orphaned/ abandoned children world-wide. Through speeches, talks or hymns, Capri with the support of her parents, organises various fund-raising events. “The tremendous poverty in the world, especially in the developing countries, has always concerned me. I have observed Malala do great work and Nelson Mandela & (Mahatma) Gandhi are my inspirations. So together with my parents’ help, we decided to travel the world and try and change it for good. Educated or not, national anthem is something that every national knows of and can relate to. So that is how my Dad came up with the idea of performing national anthems as part of Around the World in 80 Anthems,” says the little one. Singing is something that is close to her heart, and so she keeps on coming up with song covers like these:-

Angad Daryani

An extraordinary teenager with a passion for ‘making’ things, Angad Daryani is an entrepreneur since his early teen-age. He likes to call himself a ‘social’ entrepreneur as he makes scientifically modelled products for the betterment of the society. One, for instance, has been a braille printer (the kind that is used for printing books for the visually impaired) which is way cheaper than most braille printers in the market. He explains the usage and effectiveness of it in this TEDx talk. Another invention of his is called Cardio24. It is an easy to install/wear, reusable, ECG belt synchronised with a diagnostic app that can be used to share the data with a doctor sitting in any part of the world. And the cost of which is merely US 20$. He believes in the idea of affordability and is working for it. There’s more to this kid’s wonders:-

Ishita Katyal

An author by 10, and the youngest to conduct a TEDx Youth talk in the Asia-Pacific region, Ishita Katyal is a brave example of ‘age is just a number’. And this is precisely what she talks about in this video. Reckoning the most frequent question to a kid- ‘What do you want to be when you grow up’, she has some reasonable arguments to make. And by having written a book by the age of 10, she shows kids her age why they don’t have to wait till they grow up to become something (Parents might as well take notes):-

Praharshitha Veeramraju

Praharshitha comes across as a rather sensible and mature person for an 18-year-old. Many have known about the therapeutic nature of music. But the way she explains the psychic nature of it in detail, is mind-blowing. She refers to herself as a philanthropist and firmly believes in the medicinal nature of music.