You don’t need to grow up to follow your dream and passion!– Ishita Katyal

She is just 10 years old and is the youngest Indian to speak at TED talks. Her words and thoughts are totally different from other children who are of her age.

Not a tinge of nervousness, only confidence and a mind to change the world. Ishita Katyal, the youngest TED YOUTH speaker, is from Pune and studies in 5th standard at The Vibgyor High School at Balewadi. 

Much before standing in front of so many well-experienced and qualified audiences, Ishita debuted as a writer at 8. Her first book was Simran’s  Diary (2014), which deals with the funny things an 8 years old girl goes through. Here is the picture of the book, along with its link.

She initially accompanied her mother to these TED events and enjoyed them. Later on, she decided to organize talks like that at her school. Ishita confidently cleared her two Skype interviews with Global Volunteers and finally became the youngest youth organizer in the Asian Pacific Region. All the students of her school took active participation in the event and came out with some really good topics. At this very young age, where girls dream about barbies and buying dresses, Ishita looked forward to doing something unique and inspiring.

Ishita, the little wonder girl, got her dream moment, an invitation to speak at the New York TED Youth. Her topic was “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE NOW,” which focused on children and how they can make a difference despite their age. Her reaction after getting selected was, “The TED team wrote to me and asked whether I’d like to participate at TED Youth, New York. I went through two rounds of Skype sessions and eventually got selected. It was really exciting to get my first YouTube video shot at the event.”

Like many 10 years old girls, it was really difficult for Ishita to cope with her mixed bag schedule, which included school works, blogging, preparation for talks, and writing. Ishita began waking up early in the morning; initially, it was really difficult, but slowly and steadily, she managed to do all her works, including blogging and talks. But, she never gave up, nor did she find any excuses, but decided to change her routine instead.

You will be happy to know that wonder girl Ishita is on the verge of finishing her next book, including lots of animal characters. But that’s not all for this 10-year-old; the TEDx Youth@Balewadi is all set to organize their second event by April 2016.

If you have a message for this powerhouse of talent, then do share it with us. Use the #ishitakatyal_icytales and share your thoughts. Enjoy reading, and definitely don’t forget to share.