India Philanthropy Alliance Youth Essay Competition: #FutureByYou

6th annual youth essay competition encourages students to shape the future through research and the power of writing

By Arun Kumar

The India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA) has announced its 6th Annual Youth Essay Competition on the theme, #FutureByYou, emphasizing youth agency and empowerment in building a better tomorrow for the world, and for India in particular. The deadline to submit an essay is July 1, 2025.

The competition encourages students to research one of the most challenging issues facing India today and write a well-researched and compelling essay that outlines the challenges and opportunities of their chosen topic, according to a press release by the U.S.-based coalition of 21 nonprofit, philanthropic, and charitable organizations focused on India.

Each year around 10 essays are published on the India Giving Day website, giving students an opportunity to have their voices and ideas heard and to identify allies in advancing their visions of a better world.

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“We believe young people have the ability to think of complex social challenges in new ways and propose innovative solutions,” said Alex Counts, Executive Director of the India Philanthropy Alliance. “This competition reinforces that they have the power to shape India’s future through thoughtful analysis and pragmatic ideas.”

The competition will be judged separately for Middle School and High School youth by a panel of nonprofit professionals. Winners in each category will have the opportunity to present their ideas at a national gathering of philanthropists, business leaders, and nonprofit executives in the fall of this year and to direct a grant of $1,000 to the charity of their choice.

Runners-up can direct a $500 grant to a nonprofit they select and have their essay promoted on IPA’s website and social media channels, and to its network organizations. Winners will be notified in late August or early September, at which time they will be contacted to coordinate travel plans. Airfare and accommodations to the philanthropy conference will be provided by the IPA.

Sia Lakshmi Sampson, winner in the 2024 Middle School category, said about her essay. “I hope my essay is a reminder to Indian healthcare students and providers here in the U.S., how valuable it would be to share their skills to improve lives in India as well. People in the U.S. cannot totally solve India’s government funding shortage or staffing shortage to improve their healthcare system. But medical volunteering can be a missing piece of the puzzle that strengthens Indians’ access to healthcare.”

Nirmal Melam, winner in the 2024 High School category, wrote about a trip to India where he witnessed the lack of reliable internet in many homes and the effects of this shortage on education, health care, and multitudes of other issues.

“The process has deepened my understanding of the digital divide and has motivated me to help drive meaningful change,” said Nirmal. “I am thankful for this competition because it allowed me to deep dive into this topic and to share my views and findings with a community that wants to make a change in this world.”

The IPA Youth Essay Competition underscores the power of writing as a tool for catalyzing change and shaping perspectives. By encouraging students to articulate solutions to pressing challenges, IPA continues its commitment to engaging young people in philanthropy.

Since the competition’s inception, shortly after IPA’s public launch in 2019, it has served as a platform for young voices to engage with global challenges and philanthropic action, the release stated.

The competition is open to middle and high school youth who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and challenges them to identify the most pressing issues facing India today and propose ways in which we can be a part of the solution.