September 11, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Peg Fourre
India Philanthropy Alliance
mobile: 612-718-3772
email: peg@indiaphilanthropyalliance.org

Middle and High School Youth Design a Future of Their Own
Winners of #FutureByYou, IPA’s 2025 Youth Essay Competition, Speak Out

Washington, DC, USA, September 11 — The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), a U.S.-based coalition of 22 nonprofit, philanthropic, and charitable organizations focused on India, announce the winners of IPA’s 6th Annual Youth Essay Competition. This year's theme, #FutureByYou, emphasized youth agency and empowerment in building a future that they envision for themselves and for others. Judges evaluated essays based on originality, relevance, research, and tangible solutions that everyday people can employ to be a part of the solution.

Essays were received from all corners of the U.S. with a record number of students responding. The winners will be traveling to San Francisco to present their findings at the Indiaspora and IPA Philanthropy Summit on October 2, which will be held at the Indian Consulate. Their session will be moderated by writer, director, and performing artist Isheeta Ganguly, who also serves as an India Giving Day Ambassador.

Aneesh Gupta, winner in the high school category, wrote his essay on the devastating impact of unregistered birth throughout a child’s life and into adulthood. “One of the reasons I wrote my essay was as a call to action, to make sure that every child is counted,” says Aneesh. “Making sure that a child’s birth is registered might not seem like a big deal, but it is actually one of the most transformative acts that you can do to ensure a child’s future.” Asheesh will be granting his $1,000 award to CRY America, whose supported Projects include birth registration as part of their community work.

Eesha Kondapalli, winner in the middle school category, wrote about the devastating impact of Rabies on people of all ages and locals, but particularly children and those living in poor and rural areas. She was inspired to write about Rabies due to its prevalence. “With India’s stray dog population of nearly 60 million dogs, and the associated Rabies problem, it’s impossible not to be affected by them no matter where in India you are,” says Eesha. Eesha advocates following the model of the SARAH program in Sikkim, a program that pairs international NGO’s with local communities and government organizations to vaccinate dogs. Eesha will be granting her $1,000 award to the Stray Animal Foundation of India.

Published essays of the winners, runners-up, and finalists in the middle school and high school categories can be found on IPA’s website.

Since the competition’s inception, shortly after IPA's public launch in 2020, it has served as a platform for young voices to engage with global challenges and philanthropic action. Students are encouraged to research one of the most challenging issues facing India and write a well-researched and compelling essay that outlines the challenges and opportunities of their chosen topic. The essay competition underscores the power of writing as a tool for influencing change and shaping perspectives. By encouraging students to articulate solutions to pressing challenges, IPA continues its commitment to engaging young people in philanthropic endeavors.

About the Youth Essay Competition
The inaugural Youth Essay Competition was launched in 2020 as a way to inspire philanthropic thought and action among today’s youth and generate future leaders with a commitment to serve the common good. The competition is open to middle and high school youth who are U.S. citizens or residents and challenges them to identify the most pressing issues facing India today and propose ways in which we can be a part of the solution.

About the India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA)
The IPA (http://www.indiaphilanthropyalliance.org) is a coalition of nonprofit, philanthropic and charitable organizations that mobilize people and funding in the United States (and elsewhere) for development and poverty-reduction programs in India. The twenty-two core network organizations include Aarti for Girls, Agastya USA, Akanksha Education Fund, Akshaya Patra, American India Foundation, Antara International, Arogya World, ATREE, Children’s Hope India, CRY America, Community Pure Water, Foundation for Excellence (FFE), Indiaspora, Karya, Pratham USA, Project ECHO, Sehgal Foundation, Teach for India U.S., Vibha, Vicente Ferrer Foundation, VisionSpring, and WISH Foundation.

For more information contact Peg Fourre at peg@indiaphilanthropyalliance.org

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