S M Shadman Khan

S. M. Shadman Khan (17), is from Bangladesh. Growing up as an introverted student in Bangladesh, Shadman faced bullying and his own struggles with mental health throughout school. That experience showed him a critical gap: many teenagers silently struggle with mental health without ever finding a safe space to seek help.

For nearly a year and a half, Shadman has led Mindsphere, built on the belief that every young person deserves to be heard, supported, and empowered. Under his leadership, what started as an idea has grown into a real movement.

Shadman uses Mindsphere’s voice across social media and offline events to break down the stigma around mental health, shifting the conversation from shame to shared understanding. He creates relatable, youth-focused content on topics teenagers rarely see discussed openly, like stress, anxiety, and self-worth, with his top-performing content reaching approximately 17,000 views.

Guided by his mother, a social work lecturer whose empathy shaped his own sense of purpose, Shadman is helping ensure no teenager has to face their struggles in silence.