Future Leaders Tackling ‘Wicked Problems’ to Reduce Avoidable Deaths

Aditya is a student at National Law University Odisha, Cuttack. A wildlife photographer, he works with communities protecting Olive Ridley Turtles and Black Bucks. As a native of Odisha, he writes about local disasters, with articles at https://bigwire.in/author/aditya-anurag-nanda/. He is also an entrepreneur promoting millets.

Eduardo co-leads ‘SAFER ODISHA – Securing Agriculture from Environmental Risks,’ an initiative to protect rural Odisha’s agriculture from climate change. He holds a BSc in Political Science from ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon and an MSc in International Economics and European Studies from ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics and Management. His thesis explored the impact of climate change on developing countries and their economic vulnerability.

Giulia, a Leicester Economics BSc graduate, is the founder and Vice-President of the Sustainable Leadership Forum. She leads initiatives on plastic awareness and its impact on health and the environment. Collaborating with ADN, she highlights the dangers of ungoverned microplastics accumulation in the Global South.

Yunes co-leads “SAFER ODISHA – Securing Agriculture from Environmental Risks,” focusing on a community-led approach to climate resilience in rural Odisha. With a Bachelor of Engineering in Rescue Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Cologne, he has experience in civil protection, emergency response, and disaster risk reduction, particularly in drinking water security and emergency supply in Germany.

Arkoneil Ghosh, currently studying at Neev Academy in Bangalore, boast proficient in English, Spanish, Hindi, Bengali, and Chinese, with basic skills in Japanese. Passionate about coding, he works on projects educating underprivileged children in Dharavi, Mumbai. Since 2020, he has been a Junior Champion with ADN, raising awareness about preventable deaths.

Lauren has recently returned from the Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN) India Hub in Odisha where she worked on avoidable snakebite deaths outreach workshops with students through the University of Leicester’s Institute of Environmental Futures Visiting Fellowship Programme. She has a Master of Science in Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management from the University of Leicester and has contributed to the ADN as a Research Administrator and Activity Coordinator.

Anushka Konar, a 12th grader at La Martiniere for Girls School, Kolkata, contributes her voice and creativity to Junior Champions Magazine. She excels in writing, amplifying youth perspectives, and is pursuing her +2 education in science. An active Science Club member, she has contributed to various publications.

Asad is the founder president of the Sustainable Leadership forum. He is a dynamic civil servant with over 20 years of experience in various public and private sector organizations, including international NGOs and donors. Holding an LLB and a Master’s in English Literature, he is an internationally certified facilitator and prolific writer, he regularly contributes to national newspapers and has authored two bestselling books.