Sri Nihal Tammana

Sri Nihal Tammana (16), from the United States, was just 10 years old when he learned that used batteries dumped in landfills can leak toxic chemicals into soil and water. Realizing children like him would inherit the consequences, he founded Recycle My Battery (RMB) to protect kids’ right to a clean, safe environment.

Nihal’s Battery Challenge has expanded to more than 20 schools, empowering students to lead recycling drives that have collected over 170,000 used batteries. He has mobilized more than 1,000 youth volunteers worldwide to organize drives and spread awareness, and through school programs, social media, and youth summits, he has educated more than 75 million people about environmental protection. He even developed a prototype, the Residual Charge Project, to extract leftover energy from used batteries for recycling plants.

Beyond recycling, Nihal co-founded Global Young Founders, mentoring young entrepreneurs ages 12 to 25 to build ventures aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. He also created Aura, a wearable device promoting mindful technology use among young people.

With his parents’ encouragement since childhood, Nihal continues turning curiosity into real-world environmental and social impact.