This Children’s Day, meet India’s most inspiring Gen Z changemakers - Manya Harsha, the eco-warrior; Manikya Sanghi, the mindful author; and Archit Patil, the teen innovator saving mothers’ lives.They truly represent the unstoppable spirit of India’s youth who are using their passion and purpose to build a better tomorrow. Their stories remind us that the future belongs to those who dare to dream big, act fearlessly, and inspire others along the way. MANYA HARSHA - The Gen Z Climate Warrior Turning Waste into Wonders At just 15, Manya Harsha from Bengaluru stands tall as one of India’s most inspiring Gen Z EcoHeroes, proving that age is no barrier to changing the world. Her innovative projects have redefined sustainability and inspired thousands of young minds to act for the planet.

Manya is the visionary behind Grandma’s Green Weave, an initiative that transforms discarded sarees and bedspreads into beautiful, reusable eco-bags. By upcycling over 2,200 sarees and 230 bedspreads into 28,000 sustainable bags, she not only prevented more than 1.2 tons of textile waste but also empowered local tailors honoring her late grandmother’s eco-conscious spirit. Through her workshops, she has influenced over 25,000 participants, spreading climate awareness and sustainable living practices.

During the lockdown, Manya turned adversity into innovation with her breakthrough DIY Vegetable Peel Paper. Using onion skins, corn husks, and pea pods, she created vibrant handmade paper that replaces tree-based paper, saving countless trees. Her creativity extended further when she began turning festival waste into paper and packaging wrappers into school stationery like eco-friendly brown-paper pens and seed pencils.

Through her Back-to-School Workshops, Manya teaches children to make seed pencils and plantable stationery, ensuring sustainability begins at the school desk. As an author of nine nature-themed books and editor of the Sunshine Fortnightly environmental magazine, she continues to promote climate literacy and youth climate action.

Guided by Swami Vivekananda’s words - “Youth are the pulse of the planet”, Manya Harsha embodies the voice of a generation determined to heal the Earth. Her message is clear and urgent: “The Earth is not for sale. We are the generation that will restore it.” MANIKYA SANGHI - 17 Year Old Bestselling Author, Polymath, and Meditation Practitioner At just 17, Manikya Sanghi is more than a best-selling teenage author—he is an internationally award winning polymath, philatelist, philanthropist and a visionary creator building a literary universe that blends epic fiction, life-skills education, and wisdom gained through meditation. Through his acclaimed Chronicles of Tierra series, award-winning novels, and over 21 books including innovative comics like City Without Water, Manikya’s storytelling goes beyond entertainment to empower and inspire readers of all ages.

A dedicated meditation practitioner since early childhood, Manikya published his first book at just five and began conceiving Chronicles of Tierra during an advanced meditation session soon after his ninth birthday in 2017. What began as vivid stories in his mind evolved into Wizard (of Sansanadia)—the first novel of the saga—followed by Resurrection, Awakening, and more. His books are available globally across platforms including Pothi, Scholastic, Amazon, Flipkart, and Google Books.

Manikya credits his creativity, focus, and academic excellence to the daily practice of Sidhshakti Meditations under the guidance of his honourable mentor, and world renowned Spiritual Scientist Sri Maa Sidh Sidhshakti Ji. Allowed on the basis of his solid inner progress at age nine, to advanced practices like Bright Future Meditation and Astral Travel Meditation, he believes these techniques have been the foundation of his clarity in life.

Meditation, he says, is the silent force behind his transformation from a gifted child author into a polymath and conscious creator. It fuels his purpose—to use storytelling as a medium for upliftment, compassion, and self-realization.

Through story telling and his other endeavours, Manikya proves that with the right guidance, positive lifestyle, and inner discipline, children can truly unfold their highest potential—and inspire the world through their actions rooted in awareness. You can follow him on Instagram @manikya.official ARCHIT PATIL - The Teen Innovator Revolutionizing Maternal Healthcare with His Life-Saving PPH Cup Archit Patil is a Gen Z hero whose empathy and ingenuity have translated into a life saving medical device for new mothers. Growing up with doctor parents who worked as a gynaecologist and an anaesthesiologist, Archit often accompanied them to the hospital and witnessed both surgical triumphs and the devastation of maternal deaths. That early exposure sparked his curiosity about postpartum haemorrhage and the glaring lack of a reliable method to measure blood loss during childbirth. Motivated to solve this critical gap, he conceived and developed the PPH cup, a device designed to provide precise, real time measurement of post delivery blood loss and to enable timely clinical intervention.

The idea originated in grade six while working on a science project when he studied menstrual cups and repurposed a spare cup into a prototype using a metal mold. He refined the design with feedback from obstetricians in his parents’ network and subjected the device to safety and toxicity testing at the Indian Drugs Research Laboratory in Pune in March 2020. Made from medical grade silicone, the cup features two ports, one for attaching a blood collection bag and another for suction to remove clots, allowing clinicians to prevent atonic postpartum haemorrhage by maintaining an unobstructed drainage system. The device is reusable after autoclaving and has been adopted by more than fifty hospitals across India, where it is credited with saving mothers’ lives.

Archit’s work earned him the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in 2021. He epitomises Gen Z leadership by combining compassion with technical creativity, by tackling a real world healthcare challenge, and by creating an affordable, scalable solution that protects lives.

As we celebrate these Gen Z Heroes of India, it’s clear that the future is already taking shape in the minds and actions of our youngest changemakers. From eco-warrior Manya Harsha leading a sustainability revolution, to bestselling teenage author Manikya Sanghi inspiring readers through mindful storytelling, and teen innovator Archit Patil transforming healthcare with his life-saving PPH Cup, these young visionaries are redefining what it means to create, lead, and care in the 21st century. Their journeys remind us that India’s youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow. They are the innovators, activists, and creators shaping today. As the world watches this new wave of Gen Z innovation and compassion, one thing is certain: these young icons are building a brighter, greener, and more conscious future for all.

(Note: This Children’s Day, 2025 The Update India and its partner platforms proudly recognise these extraordinary Gen Z achievers who have been selected after a careful evaluation of their authentic impact, social contribution, innovation, consistency of work, and the positive influence they create among young Indians. Manya Harsha, Manikya Sanghi, and Archit Patil were chosen because their contributions are not symbolic but deeply transformational. Each of them has demonstrated measurable change in their respective fields through dedication, originality, and a genuine desire to serve society. Whether it is sustainability, literature, personal development, or life-saving healthcare innovation, these young leaders embody the values that define India’s future. Their journeys prove that when passion meets purpose, age becomes irrelevant and the youth of India can lead the world with empathy, brilliance, and unstoppable determination.) (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with NRDPL and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR