Pune student Kushal Khemani’s initiative helps many to fight COVID-19

Pune : The second wave of COVID-19 hit India hard. In March 2021, to counteract the crippling effects of COVID-19, many states in India announced lockdown. Several humanitarian organizations, governments, individuals, and even celebrities have been finding ways to reach out to those affected.. As the government is doing its part to tackle the pandemic, young Indians, even schoolchildren, put their foot forward to help their fellow countrymen. One such student is Kushal Khemani of EuroSchool Wakad, Pune.

Kushal has enabled registration for health check-up camps across India in association with 4 NGOs and through My Gate application at highly subsidized rates under the banner of “Pandemic Health”. He has been in constant touch with Covid impacted areas and organized virtual emotional well-being sessions through mind coach counsellors in Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and Bhopal which helped 93 people. He generously contributed monetarily to NGOs – Persistent Foundation and GD Anklesaria Dialysis Centre NGOs. The monetary contributions were made to organize oxygen camps and arrange concentrators in remote areas of Ratlam and Nagpur. In this pandemic, he has helped in organizing 19 camps in 7 states. His goal for the Pandemic Health initiative is to get health check-up camps organized across 29 states of India.

“Most people in rural India don’t have the same access to healthcare facilities like we have here in cities. In a small way, I tried to provide whatever little I can to fight the pandemic. My family and my school wholeheartedly supported me in this initiative. I hope the pandemic gets over soon and we all can go back to the normal world.” – Kushal Khemani

Renuka Dutta, the Principal, EuroSchool Wakad, Principal, said, “It is overwhelming to see our students thinking beyond the classroom and reaching out to those in need. Kushal has truly set a benchmark for us in the way he has taken up this initiative so personally. He has gone out of his comfort zone and displayed high emotional intelligence in the manner in which he has organized & executed his outreach programs and camps etc. At EuroSchool, we encourage children to discover their inner strengths and bring their ideas to life. Kushal has created a huge impact and is an inspiration to his classmates and all of us. My request to him and other students is to take complete precaution while stepping out to help but to keep going.”

Kushal presently studies in Grade 7 at EuroSchool Wakad. In the first wave, Kushal set up an on-call support system for pre-primary teachers to assist them in their move from the traditional to digital mode of teaching. Kushal has helped to impart training to more than 60 teachers on ways to use video telephony, and understand MS Office and MS Powerpoint for animated and effective presentations for hundreds of pre-primary students. Kushal started his own YouTube channel All spark Infinite in mid-May 2020, to share his learnings with his classmates, as well as to provide free learning to underprivileged children. He has recorded over 60 videos on a variety of topics ranging from elocution tips, ways to end procrastination, how to prepare word documents, etc.

Kushal has also penned a book titled YOU GOT THIS- 11 Secrets to A Progressive Student Life, where he provides motivational tips to students to bring about a change and in still positive thinking among them during these testing times. Kushal is also involved in the Social Entrepreneurship program with GOODCLAP, where he formed SPARKX Animal Welfare to rescue and feed animals daily. Kushal’s first-of-a-kind thoughtful + Sustainable Environment Start-up – 3DR Noble prints customized 3D products from filaments made from used/old plastic bottles, bags, toys, and other recycled plastic. 50% of the profits are being used to feed and rescue Animals through SPARKX Animal Welfare.

For his exemplary and innovative contributions towards a social cause, Kushal Khemani has received accolades and rewards from marque platforms such as bronze medallion from Pramerica, trophy from MeToWe Mission, Shining Star award from TZP, Golden Shield from YUVA, and “Ambassador of Honor, COVID-19 Hero” from India Book of Records.