A 17-year-old Gurugram private school student who helped identify gaps in mental health awareness and intergenerational perceptions has won the globally renowned Diana Award- a prestigious accolade conferred on a young person for humanitarian efforts or social action.
Anvi Kumar of The Shri Ram School, Aravalli, has been honoured for her significant contributions to transforming mental health education across India, according to a statement.
The Diana Award, established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, celebrates young changemakers who have gone above and beyond to create and sustain positive change worldwide.
Look at this, I just won THE DIANA AWARD️
— Victory Ashaka (@VictoryAshaka) December 9, 2024
"The highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts and it's awarded by The Royal Family (United Kingdom)
Honoured to be a 2024 recipient of this Roll of Honour from the British Royal Legacy. pic.twitter.com/P5FkHT71Dm
Founded in 1999, the award is the only charity that carries the late princess's name, with the support of her sons, the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.
The recognition comes on the special 25th anniversary of the Diana Award. Adding a personal touch to the honour, the recipient also received a letter of congratulations from Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, expressing pride in the awardees' resilience and dedication to changing the world for the better.
Kumar, through her initiative 'Mind Canvas', works for mental health advocacy, using art and storytelling to break the stigma and foster emotional resilience among students across India, the statement said.
Diana Award: I am deeply honored to be recognized by The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) as a recipient of the 2024 Diana Award (@DianaAward), the most prestigious accolade a young person can achieve for their contributions in their field.
— Olivier UWISHEMA (@Uwolivier14) December 5, 2024
The Diana Award was founded on the late… pic.twitter.com/v64LP8yFGj
On receiving the award, she said, "I am truly humbled and overjoyed to receive the Diana Award. Mental health affects us all, and through Mind Canvas, I hope to create a world where young people feel seen, heard, and supported." Through her work, Kumar identified significant gaps in mental health awareness and intergenerational perceptions, the statement added.
Her findings were published in the 'International Journal of Indian Psychology', and she earned the Gold Crest Award from the British Science Association, along with a nomination for the Sigma Xi award, it said.
I am proud to announce that I have received the Diana Award- the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts. This is in recognition of my work in advocating for quality education for all children and girls.#2023DianaAwards @DianaAward pic.twitter.com/ZUHLJjrqit
— Mercy (@anyangomondi_) June 30, 2023
Kumar is also known for advocating the removal of India's 18 per cent tax on mental health support services. She filed a PIL before the Supreme Court, challenging the government's application of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on mental health services and questioning the rationale behind the 18 per cent rate.
Tessy Ojo CBE, CEO of the Diana Award, congratulated all new recipients, saying, "These young people demonstrate that youth have the power to change the world-a belief shared by Diana, Princess of Wales. Their dedication will continue to inspire many more to make a positive impact in their communities." This year, the Diana Award received over 1,700 nominations from more than 30 countries, making it the most competitive year in its history. The honour was bestowed upon more than 200 young people.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed)