Youth Stars and Entrepreneur Honoured at Scottish Parliament
The young Edinburgh and West Lothian-based winners honoured for excellence in academics, leadership, and creativity were:
- Stem Wizard – Kanav Jain (15, West Calder, West Lothian)
- He is a 15-year-old STEM prodigy. A licensed, self-taught drone maker who led a Drone Workshop in Glasgow recently with BYITC. He builds custom drones that help farms, festivals, and local groups.
- Young Intellect – Chinemenma Okorie (17, Livingston, West Lothian)
- She is a 17-year-old and has never received less than an A in her academic journey. A gifted artist and resilient fighter, she has overcome multiple health challenges to achieve outstanding results, recently earning the prestigious Naismith Award for best academic performance in her school.
- Maths Grandmaster – Alden Arun (12, Edinburgh)
- He is a natural maths prodigy and four-time Maths Olympiad winner who has sharpened his skills at BYITC. A Chess Champion, the Clan Chief of his school and a gifted violinist, he has truly proved himself to be a grandmaster.
- Dynamic Achiever – Arush Gosain (14, Livingston, West Lothian)
- This 14-year-old is a remarkable achiever won the Maths Olympiad in the highest age category and raised £3,000 for River Kids Charity through the YPI event. A brilliant student and prolific writer, his work has been published on multiple websites. He never calls it a day without writing!
- Rising Marvel Young Author – Kenisha Jain (14, West Calder)
- This brilliant 14-year-old mind has secured the UKMT Gold Award, triumphed in a Robotics Competition at Heriot-Watt University, and is now embarking on her journey as a writer—preparing to publish her first novel.
- Tanwi Bhattacharya (Nikkan Dance Academy) – Artistic Visionary of the Year in the new Business Excellence categories.
The Edinburgh winners reflected the diversity and brilliance of the Inspire Awards, spanning academic excellence in STEM and mathematics through to entrepreneurship and the creative arts.
Tanwi Bhattacharya, founder of Nikkan Dance Academy, was singled out for her contribution to dance and cultural innovation, inspiring her students and the wider community. She was celebrated for her performances across India, Scotland, and Europe and for inspiring the next generation.
Dr Rashmi Mantri, founder of BYITC, said the atmosphere in the room was electric: “There was a real buzz on the night – pride, joy, and celebration filled the chamber.
“Our young winners have shown talent, perseverance, and creativity beyond their years, while our business leaders demonstrated vision and innovation that inspire future generations.
“Together, they represent the very best of what Scotland, and the UK, has to offer.”
Alden Arun’s parents said: “Alden’s passion for maths has grown beautifully, and we are so proud of him. His confidence soared with each Olympiad win, and now the INSPIRE Awards have given his confidence a further push!”
2025 Inspire Awards – Children’s Winners:
Academics
- Stem Wizard: Kanav Jain (15, West Calder, West Lothian)
- Rising Mental Maths Star: Atchaya Venugopal (9, Basingstoke)
- Maths Grandmaster: Alden Arun (12, Edinburgh)
- Mental Maths Superhero: Hansini Haripriya Chilakapati (9, Glasgow)
Sports
- Sports Icon: Ekamkar Singh (10, Chadwell Heath)
- Sports Superstar: Maaran Thandvan Mariappan (6, Nottinghamshire)
- Rising Chess Master: Advik Mittal (11, Glasgow)
Cultural & Social
- Star Performer: Nishad Mehendale (12, London)
- Shining Rockstar: Shraddha Harinarayanan (14, Slough)
- Environment Crusader: Saanvi Anand (14, Hamilton, Glasgow)
- Budding Author: SaiNimeesha Maddi (13, Altrincham, Manchester)
Art & Creativity
- Budding Artist: Varnika Nuguri (8, Birmingham)
All Rounder
- Young Intellect: Chinemenma Okorie (17, Livingston, West Lothian)
- Fearless Achiever: Diah Patel (14, Birmingham)
- Supernova: Venisha Valluri (8, Newcastle)
- Versatile Champion: Lishaan Mayurathan (10, Middlesbrough)
- PowerPlay Performer: Jocelyn Dixon (11, Scarborough)
- Dynamic Achiever: Arush Gosain (14, Livingston, West Lothian)
- Rising Marvel – Young Author: Kenisha Jain (14, West Calder)
- Rising Prodigy: Tarun Vusikala (15, Glasgow)
- Wonderkid: Eivaan Lamba (9, Jersey, Channel Islands)
Special Awards
- Trailblazer Apprentice: Olivia Dougal (18, North Ayrshire/Glasgow)
- Shakuntala Devi Mantri Exceptional Award: Aadya Kumar (6, Wokingham)
2025 Inspire Awards – Business Excellence Winners:
- Artistic Visionary of the Year: Tanwi Bhattacharya, Nikkan Dance Academy (Edinburgh) – Dance
- Innovation Hero: Krishna Yerra, MillionLogics (London) – IT Industry
- Icon of Influence: Sarica (Knowledge Buddy), Knowledge Buddy (London) – Media & PR
- Dynamic Leader of the Year: Rishi Harani, Mergify (London) – Financial Advisory
- Brilliant Brandmakers: Ali Malik, Awaz FM (Glasgow) – Media & PR
Dr Mantri added: “This year’s Inspire Awards proved that excellence has no age limit. From our youngest winner, just six years old, to our established business leaders, each story we heard was remarkable. These awards are about celebrating achievement, yes, but also about inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and aim higher.”
The Inspire Awards 2025 highlighted not only the incredible achievements of individuals but also the growing spirit of community, innovation, and leadership across the UK.
The judges were: Barry Gunn, lecturer at Clyde College; and Derek Timpany, Associate Dean: Business & Management, City of Glasgow College.
Supporters and sponsors of the event included: Whitebridge Financial Services, Masala Twist, Oakminster Care Homes; and ScottishIndian.com.
