Indian Gen Z Solves Problems Beyond Viral Trends

Why this is here: Manya Harsha’s ‘Grandma’s Green Weave’ initiative diverted tonnes of textile waste from landfills while replacing nearly 245,000 plastic bags with reusable options.

Sristi Bose, a 19-year-old student in Manipal, India, started ‘Project Ecosanitation’ to address menstrual hygiene and dignity in rural schools. She provided education, biodegradable pads, and safe spaces for girls across seven states.

Yuvan Aggarwal, age 17, created ‘Hunarsetu,’ a WhatsApp platform connecting over 4,000 artisans directly with customers in Gurugram. Surya Uthkarsha, 14, from Bengaluru, launched ‘The Marg Initiative’ teaching road safety to more than 50,000 children and families after surviving an accident.

Manya Harsha, 15, also from Bengaluru, founded ‘Grandma’s Green Weave’ which replaced roughly 245,000 plastic bags with reusable saree-based alternatives. Karan Kumar, 20, of Delhi, built ‘Finobadi’ to improve pay and dignity for over 70 waste pickers. Avichal Ojha, 25, helped over 10,000 Indian homes adopt sustainable living through ‘TheGreenWealth.’

These young people are addressing practical challenges, but scaling these individual efforts to reach more communities remains a key hurdle. The work of these innovators continues as they seek to broaden their impact.