LONDON, March 15: A Delhi-based innovator whose low-cost electric invention helps overcome power cuts and a mental health campaigner from Haryana are the Indian winners among 20 worldwide recipients of the Diana Legacy Awards, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Diana Award charity set up in memory of the late Princess of Wales.
Uday Bhatia, founder of Uday Electric, and Manasi Gupta, founder of Huesofthemind Foundation, received their awards from Prince William, the older son of Princess Diana, at an awards ceremony in London’s Science Museum on Thursday evening.
Taking place every two years, the Diana Legacy Award is a prestigious accolade for exceptional young people from around the world for their social action or humanitarian work.
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“The paths taken by these young people have not always been easy. Many have overcome adversity and prejudice, but they are driven by courage, compassion and commitment – qualities shared by my mother,” said William, Prince of Wales, in his speech.
“Over the next two years, the Diana Award, alongside many of their partners here today, will equip these young people with the skills to have an even bigger impact. I am excited to see what they can all do together,” he said.
When Uday Bhatia began mentoring students as a 16-year-old schoolboy in the slums of Bichpuri, Uttar Pradesh, he saw how frequent power cuts rendered children unable to study. To tackle the power crisis, he developed his ground-breaking invention called the Outage Guard bulb, as a low-cost solution designed to provide uninterrupted lighting for up to 10 hours during power cuts.
It has reportedly resulted in 950 families receiving stable and reliable power, boosting their educational and employment opportunities.
“Being a social innovator means tirelessly solving problems for the community. I view the Diana Legacy Award as a means to generate a ripple effect that inspires social innovators to change the way we view global issues,” said 18-year-old Bhatia on receiving the honour.
“My late grandmother always motivated me to be a changemaker and to be the best version of myself. I hope that I’ve made her proud. More than just recognition, it has provided me with a launchpad and a vast network of connections to enhance my impact,” he said.
Bhatia’s aim now is to focus on energy generation alongside energy storage, with the goal of “lighting every house across the globe, one bulb at a time”.
Manasi Gupta, 24, was recognised for having personally delivered over 100 sessions globally to encourage an emphasis on mental health support.
Impacting over 50,000 lives through her non-profit Huesofthemind Foundation, she is credited with creating an empathetic community focused on mental health support, and in collaboration with over 200 stakeholders, has delivered innovative campaigns, projects and events globally.
Gupta’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic was recognised by the former Health Secretary of India at the IHW (Integrated Health & Well-being) Digital Health Awards.
“It’s such a heart-warming experience to receive the Diana Legacy Award. I feel truly humbled by the trust the panel has in the work of my organisation, Huesofthemind Foundation,” said Gupta.
“I believe that we have a long way to go to make mental health services more affordable in India and to destigmatise conversations around mental well-being. In Gandhiji’s words, I continue to use that barrier as motivation to keep being the change I wish to see – by leveraging the power of communities, expressive arts and compassion,” she said.
Gupta has also created an illustrated book to raise funds and increase awareness through social media, reaching more than 1.2 million viewers in the past four years.
Bhatia and Gupta joined young changemakers from around the world, including the UK, US, UAE, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Oman, Romania, Jamaica, Cayman Islands and Australia, at the awards ceremony this week.
Princess Diana’s younger son, Prince Harry, made an appearance via video call from his California home to interact with the winners.
In addition to receiving the Legacy Award, recipients receive bespoke personal and professional development support to enhance their social action work with the long-term aim of inspiring and mobilising other young people to engage in social action.
“As we mark the start of our 25th Anniversary year, these young people couldn’t be a more fitting tribute and legacy to Diana, the late Princess of Wales, and her belief that young people have the power to change the world. Through their courage, selflessness and sheer determination, they are making change happen, often, in the face of huge adversity,” said Dr Tessy Ojo, Chief Executive of the Diana Award.
The 20 Legacy Award recipients were chosen by an independent judging panel, which had the task of selecting just 20 from a pool of exceptional individuals already recognised for their impact on society with the Diana Award in 2022 or 2023. (PTI)
