Krish Aggarwal

Krish Aggarwal (16), Is from the United States living in India. Growing up in New Delhi, Krish knew air pollution as part of everyday life — as a child, he suffered breathing problems and frequent nosebleeds until a doctor recommended an air purifier, which changed his health for the better. But he also knew not every family could afford one.

That realization led him to found Project Vayu, tackling children’s right to health and clean air. Krish invented a low-cost air purifier so that clean air wouldn’t be a privilege only wealthier families could access.

He chose to focus on classrooms, where children spend most of their time and face the highest exposure to pollution. Working directly with school administrations, Krish helped install his low-cost filtration solution across multiple schools, reaching over 13,500 children in different cities.

Beyond his invention, Krish built a growing community platform of over 3,000 members, who meet regularly online to discuss air pollution, climate change, and sustainability.

With his family’s encouragement behind him, Krish turned his own health struggle into cleaner air for thousands of children.