OurChampions

Cohort2|2025-26

FromtacklingheatimpactsinindigenousandmarginalizedcommunitiestobuildingamodelsolarvillageinJharkhand,NYCCClimateChampionsledpowerfulgrassrootsclimateactionacrossIndia.Oursecondcohortwith34ClimateChampionsfrom32StatesandUnionTerritories,workedonseaweed-basedlivelihoodsinLakshadweep,indigenousknowledgepreservationthroughdocumentaries,wastegamification,research,advocacy,andcommunitymobilization,collectivelyimpactingthousandsofyoungpeople.WhileseveralchampionsalsomadelocaltoglobaladvocacypossiblebyrepresentingNYCCattheUnitedNationsEnvironmentAssembly(UNEA)inNairobi,withparticipationatCOP30aswell,takinglocalclimatevoicestoglobalplatforms.

Wayanad, Kerala

Abhina Jose

Abhina Jose is a research scholar at Central University of Hyderabad working on risk perceptions and a practitioner working at the intersection of community engagement, youth leadership, and environmental justice.

Chandigarh

Ananya Rana

Ananya Rana is a youth researcher working at the intersection of climate justice, water, sanitation, and inclusive urban resilience.

Assam

Ankita Sarmah Bordoloi

Ankita Bordoloi is a biodiversity advocate from Guwahati, Assam, working at the intersection of river conservation, youth engagement, and community awareness.

Himachal Pradesh

Aparna Gautam

Aparna Gautam is an Environmental Consultant with a Master’s in Environmental Studies from Panjab University and a Bachelor’s in Forestry from Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, working to protect the sacred Beas River and its tributaries.

Jharkhand

Aparna Kumari

Aparna Kumari is a renewable energy practitioner from Dantoo village, Bokaro (Jharkhand), with a Diploma in Electrical Engineering.

Delhi / Uttar Pradesh

Arnav Singh Rana

Arnav grew up in the Western Himalayas, in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, where the relationship between people and climate is immediate, lived, and unequal.

Meghalaya

Banrisa Warjri

Banrisa Warjri effectively grounds her Master’s degree in Biochemistry in the traditional ecological knowledge of her native Meghalaya.

Bihar

Bharti Kumari Thakur

Bharti Thakur is a climate practitioner from Bihar who leverages her Sociology background to drive behavioral change and rural resilience.

Nagaland

Boka K Rochill

Boka K. Rochill is an urban policy analyst, civil engineer, and Indigenous youth leader from Dimapur, Nagaland, working at the intersection of climate governance, urban resilience, and regenerative systems.

Madhya Pradesh

Deepti Tomar

Deepti Tomar, born and raised on the banks of the sacred Narmada, is a journalist, social worker, and compelling public speaker who has addressed over three lakh people, inspiring action on social and environmental issues.

Tripura

Ishika Chakma

Ishika Chakma, an indigenous climate advocate from Tripura and a Literature postgraduate, began her work by combining storytelling with grassroots engagement to highlight environmental and social issues within her community.

Punjab

Lakshay Behal

Lakshay Behal, a BCA student from Jalandhar, is a committed youth changemaker driving urban environmental action.

Mizoram

Lalsang zuali

Lalsang Zuali, a PhD scholar in Biotechnology at Mizoram University, works at the intersection of scientific research and grassroots sustainability.

Arunachal Pradesh

Lisha Umpo

Lisha Umpo, the first female documentary filmmaker from the Idu Mishmi community of Arunachal Pradesh, engages in the documentation and preservation of indigenous ecological knowledge through interdisciplinary methods combining visual media, ethnographic documentation, and community participation.

Ladakh

Mipham Jigmet

Mipham Jigmet, an environmental engineer from Ladakh with a Master’s from IIT Bombay, combines technical expertise with grassroots innovation to address climate challenges in high-altitude ecosystems.

Lakshadweep

Mohammed Sijahudheen EK

Mohammed Sijahudheen EK, a marine biologist from Kalpeni Island with a Master’s from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, is driving community-led marine conservation and livelihoods in Lakshadweep.

Uttarakhand

Mohd Gulfam

Mohd Gulfam is a dedicated indigenous leader from the semi-nomadic Van Gujjar pastoral community in Uttarakhand, committed to preserving traditional knowledge and advancing community-led climate action.

Manipur

Moirangthem Bidyasagar Singh

Bidyasagar Moirangthem is a trauma-informed arts and peer support practitioner working with conflict-affected and marginalized communities in Manipur.

Delhi

Molly Dua

Molly Dua is a biotech graduate from Amity University and a youth climate advocate working at the intersection of menstrual health, gender dignity, and sustainable waste management in Delhi.

Rajasthan

Nana lal

Nanalal, a proud member of the Girasia community from Sulaav village in Udaipur, is a grassroots changemaker working at the intersection of education, livelihoods, and environmental restoration.

Karnataka

Nandhini Devi

Nandhini, a Bengaluru-based innovator, is the creator of Bin It Right, a one-minute interactive game that simplifies waste segregation through play, making waste literacy engaging and accessible.

Andhra Pradesh

Nikhil Srikar Karthik

Nikhil Srikar Karthik, a Political Science postgraduate from Pondicherry University, is a coastal researcher from Andhra Pradesh focused on the Blue Economy and sustainable livelihoods.

Telangana

Pothanaka Manideep

Manideep Pothanaka, a management professional from Kamareddy, Telangana, brings expertise in finance, operational strategy, and stakeholder engagement to drive impactful, youth-led climate action.

Tamil Nadu

Nishanth Kuttan R

Nishanth Kuttan R is a prominent indigenous climate organizer from the Toda community, with a strong background in advancing forest rights and bringing indigenous perspectives to global platforms like the African Climate Summit.

Goa

Priya Bharti

Priya Bharti, an Environmental scientist, Biodiversity caricature artist, and former Research Associate at Goa University, combines scientific expertise with creative outreach to advance biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.

Sikkim

Seela Lepcha

Seela Abigail Lepcha is a documentary filmmaker and community conservationist from Pakyong, Sikkim, working at the intersection of indigenous storytelling and climate action.

Jammu and Kashmir

Shahid Saleem Gujjer Pathan

Shahid Saleem is a researcher, storyteller, and founder of the Himalayan Pastoral Trust, belonging to the nomadic Gujjar-Bakerwal tribe of Jammu & Kashmir.

Assam

Shriram Singh

Shriram Singh, a Post-graduate student in Development Studies from IIT Guwahati, is a committed climate practitioner working at the intersection of disaster resilience and environmental justice.

Maharashtra

Shubham Dipak Gurav

Shubham, with a Bachelor’s degree in Forestry and a Master’s in Environmental Science, brings together strong academic grounding and hands-on field experience in agroforestry, ecotourism, and climate research.

West Bengal

Soumyadwip Barman

Soumyadwip, a geospatial science student pursuing his Master’s in Remote Sensing & GIS from Adamas University, works at the intersection of technology and grassroots climate action in the Indian Sundarbans.

Andaman and Nicobar

Sunita Sil

Sunita Sil, a 23-year-old climate practitioner from Wandoor village in South Andaman, is working at the intersection of waste management, menstrual health, and community awareness in fragile island ecosystems.

Uttarakhand

Tanupriya Joshi

Tanupriya Joshi is a socio-legal advocate and practicing lawyer at the Uttarakhand High Court, working at the intersection of ecology, governance, and social justice in the Kumaon region.

Chhattisgarh

Tumlesh Kumar Neti

Tumlesh Kumar Neti is a young Adivasi filmmaker from Chhattisgarh who uses storytelling to highlight the deep connections between nature, culture, and community life.

Gujarat

Upadhyay Jay Sanjaykumar

Jay is an agriculture innovator and researcher working at the intersection of technology and sustainable farming.