At just 14, Aryan has become a strong advocate for children’s rights in his rural village in Bihar, India. Growing up surrounded by child labour, early marriages, and gender discrimination, Aryan founded Sanskriti Setu, a youth-led initiative that uses education, street plays, and awareness campaigns to fight harmful practices and empower children. He organizes learning circles for children who cannot afford tuition, runs workshops on gender equality and menstrual hygiene, and has led campaigns like “Back to School,” which re-enrolled over 100 children after the COVID-19 pandemic. His efforts are shifting community attitudes, inspiring both children and adults to see education as a right rather than a privilege.

Through digital platforms, Aryan has reached more than 3,500 people with awareness campaigns, videos, and online workshops. Offline, he has directly supported over 500 children with education and rights awareness, organized campaigns for hundreds of parents and teachers, and even helped stop a child marriage after peers raised the alarm. With strong support from his family, teachers, and local NGOs, Aryan is showing how children can lead grassroots change and transform their communities by making education and protection a priority.