Almost three years ago, I made a choice. I chose not to give into the oppression and pressure forced on me by my own government. So instead, I chose to step into a new chapter of my life.One where I could be the writer and the warrior of my own story. I could fight for what I wanted. With that being said, let me give you a little bit of information about myself so you guys get to know me.I was 16 when for the very first time I came here in the United States, especially in this college. Stepping to the class ...

million. When you hear that number, what comes to mind. According to UNESCO, out of the world's 2.3% billion children, 251 million have never set foot in a classroom.Not once. That's one in every 10 children who have never had the opportunity to attend even a single day of primary school. 251 million children not attending school.Does this only impact their lives or is this a global problem affecting our entire planet. Hello everyone. I'm Nishika Balisurya 12 years old in your 7 and today I'd like to share ...

Personal Journey & Motivation - The speaker emphasizes the importance of leaving a positive legacy and impacting the lives of others, rather than solely focusing on personal achievements and financial success [2][3] - The speaker's experience of working with QS, a global ranking agency, shifted his perspective on the value of education and its potential impact [4] - The speaker's return to his village in Goa revealed the lack of improvement in local schools, prompting a desire to contribute to their betterment [6][7] - Inspiration was drawn from individuals who made significant contributions to their communities through education and infrastructure development [10][11] PAC Foundation & Initiatives - The speaker and his wife co-founded PAC Foundation in 2023 to support rural schools in Goa with basic necessities and improved learning environments [12] - PAC Foundation has impacted 20 schools and 6,000 students in Goa within two years, without government or corporate support [13] - The Goa Super 100 scholarship program was launched to provide 155 fully funded undergraduate tuition fees and hostel accommodations for marginalized students from Goa [14][15] Call to Action & Fundamentals - The speaker encourages young people to return to their roots and contribute to their communities, starting with small actions [16] - Nine fundamentals are shared, emphasizing curiosity, analysis, research, effort, daring, innovation, endurance, and manifestation [17][18][19][20][21]

Core Message - The speaker emphasizes the importance of finding dignity and respect in ordinary, basic things [11][12] - The speaker connects this concept to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting that each goal represents a story and a deeper meaning beyond just a number [5][6] - The speaker advocates for a return to basics in addressing sustainability, drawing parallels between the SDGs and fundamental needs like hunger and education [8] Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - The speaker shares a personal anecdote about initiating a school project in a jungle, emphasizing the impact of providing a simple meal to improve a child's attendance [4] - The speaker uses the example of a fisherman in Kerala to illustrate that climate action (Goal 13) is about individual choices and stories [6] - The speaker encourages simple actions like saving water and switching off lights as contributions to sustainability [12] Personal Philosophy - The speaker believes that impact is not measured by the size of the audience but by the number of people affected [7] - The speaker uses the analogy of a rocket shedding propellers to illustrate that while some things may leave, the core values and basic needs remain [10][11]

Educational Landscape & Challenges - India has over 140 million children facing challenges in accessing opportunities [1] - Talent is equally distributed, but opportunities are not, creating a major challenge [1] - A "Chakravyuh 2.0" exists with seven barriers, including infrastructure, finance, language, limited exposure, digital divide, teaching resources, and career confusion [1] - 70% of India's population (approximately 1 billion people) have limited exposure [1] Navodaya Vidyalaya System & Impact - Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) provide quality education to children from rural areas, with over 660 schools across India and over 14 million alumni [1] - JNVs select only 80 students per district, while each district has approximately 200,000 to 250,000 children needing quality education [1] Khoodko's Approach & Principles - Khoodko aims to create ecosystems based on three principles: Engage, Enhance, and Empower [2] - Khoodko aims to establish at least one school in each of India's 6,000+ underserved blocks in the next 10 years [2] - Khoodko operates 16 schools with over 10,000 students and collaborates with various government schools [3] Technology & Education - Technology should speak the language of the people, not replace teachers [3] - Khoodko's AI, Medha AI, incorporates input from over 30 President Award-winning teachers to think and help in an Indic way [3] Empowerment & Future Vision - The goal is to bring real-life innovators from villages, including doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, businessmen, and farmers [3] - The vision is to have schools like Khoodko in every block of India, with inspired teachers creating roadmaps for every child's dream [3]