'If I win, it will be a message to every young person from less privileged backgrounds that their struggles can transform into strength.'
Adarsh Kumar, a Class 12 student from India, has been shortlisted among the top 10 students in the world for the Chegg Global Student Prize 2025 (external link).
As many as 11,000 students participated in the competition from 148 different countries. Adarsh is among the exceptional few to be selected for his contribution.
Adarsh, who founded Skillzo when was he was in Class 10, is being recognised for his efforts at promoting skill development and making education accessible to all.
Since 2023, Skillzo has helped upskill and mentor over 20,000 students across different cities in India.
"Being recognised as a top 10 finalist is already a huge honour," Adarsh tells Divya Nair/Rediff.
"Coming from Champaran, where access to opportunities was almost non-existent, this recognition shows that stories like mine, and the dreams of millions of students like me, deserve to be heard. If I win, it won't just be my recognition; it will be a message to every young person from less privileged backgrounds that their struggles can transform into strength."
Adarsh Kumar, whose father is a subsistence farmer, built Skillzo on his laptop with zero budget. You can read Adarsh Kumar's inspiring story HERE.
Skillzo is just the beginning, says the 18 year old who is currently studying at Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur on a scholarship.
"My plan is to scale it into a global ecosystem where every student, no matter their background, gets mentorship, exposure, and skills for the future. I want to build entrepreneurship programmes in schools, a teen entrepreneurship playbook, provide mentorship from global university students, and storytelling platforms to showcase student journeys."
"Skillzo is the seed, but the aim is to help build a generation that can solve India's biggest challenges," he adds.
What is the Global Student Prize?
The Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2025 is a prestigious international award that recognises exceptional students who have made a significant impact on learning, the lives of their peers, and society at large.
This year marks the fifth edition of the prize, which is presented in partnership with the Varkey Foundation.
The contestants are narrowed down to a Top 50 shortlist followed by Top 10 finalists. The winner is chosen from the top 10 finalists by the Global Student Prize Academy.
The winner for Global Student Prize 2025 will be announced later this month.
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