Aakarshan Verma, Anant Verma

Nominee in the Spotlight

Children are not just the Future, They're the Present Too

Aakarshan Verma (17) and Anant Verma (16) from India, discovered a striking gap in the law: Children can create new inventions, but they face legal barriers when signing professional contracts. They decided to challenge this barrier at the highest level.

The two submitted a formal Letter-Petition to the Chief Justice of India, challenging the ‘Void ab Initio’ doctrine of the Indian Contract Act and calling for capable children to have the constitutional right to enter professional contracts. They also developed the Youth Innovation Companies Bill, a 100-page legislative framework offering a practical solution for the State.

Their work has reached around 3,000 to 4,000 students and faculty members, encouraging young people to see themselves as present leaders. Their Supreme Court PIL and work through the Government e-Marketplace have also reached an estimated 300 to 500 decisionmakers, including procurement officers, legal scholars and judicial clerks.

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