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Indian teenager who launched non-profit wins $100,000 Global Student Prize
He bested almost 11,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries around the world
- PUBLISHED: Thu 2 Oct 2025, 1:20 PM
An 18-year-old student from Bihar, India, who grew up in poverty and left home at 14 to pursue a better education, has been named the winner of the Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2025.
Adarsh Kumar bested almost 11,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries around the world. He received a $100,000 award given for making a “real impact on learning, the lives of their peers, and on society beyond.” He was just 13 when he launched the non-profit Mission Badlao with his sister-in-law, mobilising his community and achieving real change, including securing land for a new government school, facilitating 2,000+ COVID vaccinations, distributing menstrual health products, and planting 3,000 trees.
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The prize, launched in partnership between Chegg.org and the Varkey Foundation, is the student equivalent of the renowned Global Teacher Prize. Now in its fifth year, the award aims to shine a spotlight on young changemakers who are driving transformation in and beyond the classroom.
