At an age when most students are still exploring their passions, Aryann Khokha has already carved a niche as one of India’s most inspiring young changemakers. Blending compassion with creativity and courage, Aryann is on a mission to transform education and empowerment for underprivileged children.

Through initiatives like the Dronashala Safe Kids program and his ENalanda Foundation, he is not just teaching skills but also fostering confidence, safety, and curiosity among children who need it the most. Recently honored with the “Young Education Changemaker” title at the GEA – Global Excellence Awards 2025, Aryann exemplifies a new generation of innovators determined to make learning inclusive, impactful, and transformative.

At such a young age, what inspired you to start ENalanda Foundation and focus on education and empowerment for underprivileged children?

I started the eNalanda Foundation in memory of my grandfather, my Nanu, who was born in Chirwa Village in remote Maharashtra. As a child, I often heard his stories about the struggles of growing up in a village where education was a privilege, not a right. Despite facing social and financial hardships, he went on to earn a doctorate in Agriculture and carried a lifelong dream of opening a school in his village.

In many ways, eNalanda is my way of carrying that dream forward. I founded the initiative as a tribute to his courage and as a step toward making quality education accessible to every child, regardless of where they come from. Through eNalanda, I hope to continue his mission—to make learning equitable, empowering, and filled with opportunity for all.

Dronashala Safe Kids: Can you tell us more about the Dronashala Safe Kids initiative and how it addresses both safety and skill-building for children?

I started DronaShala along with my mentor, Biru Sir, with the initial goal of teaching basic Taekwondo to underprivileged children in Tigra Village. However, as we began interacting with these children, we realized that many of them had faced physical abuse or lived in unsafe environments. That insight reshaped our mission from just teaching martial arts to building awareness, safety, and resilience.

I began designing workshops focused on personal safety, self-defense, and confidence-building. Over time, we added new modules that address safety in different surroundings, along with mindfulness, meditation, and focus training. Beyond physical defence, our goal is to help children develop independence, mental resilience, and the courage to face challenges in life. Through our workshop we are building skills related to decision making – assess situations quickly and make safe choices. It also teaches them situational awareness and critical thinking. We train children in groups where they learn to trust, cooperate, and respect others boundaries.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while implementing your projects, and what key lessons did you learn along the way?

In the beginning, the toughest part was simply getting entry into remote government schools. No matter how many calls or visits we made, it was hard to meet the principals or get permission to organize workshops. Then one day, I realized we did not have to do it alone we could partner with NGOs already working in the education space. That decision changed everything and helped us bring eNalanda gain direct access to School Principals. Later through references & word of mouth we were able to over several schools in Haryana, Delhi NCR and some parts of UP.

The biggest lesson I learned was to never give up. Sometimes, success just means trying one more way, with a little more patience and creativity.

Recognition and Impact: How do the recent awards, such as the “Young Education Changemaker” title and the ENalanda Foundation’s recognition, influence your work and future project

Receiving the Young Education Changemaker title and seeing eNalanda Foundation gain recognition has been both humbling and motivating. These awards remind me that the work we are doing matters that even small steps toward educational equity can create ripples of change.

I also view it as a responsibility to keep improving to reach more schools and inspire other people to take action.

How do you leverage technology and creativity in your initiatives to make education more accessible and engaging for children’s?

At eNalanda, we use technology as a bridge to make learning more accessible and exciting for rural children in under-resourced schools. We design interactive science simulations, games, and videos that explain complex concepts in simple, visual ways. We also provide them curated toolkits to practice at home. Creativity plays an equally important role. We use storytelling & everyday examples make learning joyful. Recently, we have been conducting GenAI workshops with school students, and the response has been incredibly positive and encouraging.

Vision for the Future: Looking ahead, what is your vision for the ENalanda Foundation and how do you plan to scale your initiatives to benefit more children across India?

Looking ahead, my vision for the eNalanda Foundation is to make quality science and technology education accessible to every child in India, regardless of geography or background. We aim to reach over 1 lakh schools in next 2 years by expanding our network of NGO and grassroot partnerships. I also want to build teacher-training programs, and developing low-bandwidth AI-powered learning tools that adapt to each student’s pace.

Funding and Support: Your initiatives, like ENalanda Foundation and Dronashala Safe Kids, require resources to reach children effectively. Where did the funding and support for these projects come from, and how did you secure them at such a young age?

My parents have been incredibly supportive, and the initial funding for both eNalanda Foundation and DronaShala Safe Kids came from them, along with contributions from my grandparents and extended family. Their belief in my vision gave me the confidence to begin. Later, through the MIT Solve community, I received an initial grant from an education philanthropist who was inspired by our work and encourage

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