Hridaan Jhunjhunwala
When a serious medical diagnosis like cancer strikes a family, the financial and emotional shockwaves extend far beyond the hospital bed. For low-income families traveling to major medical centres in Kolkata from distant towns, prolonged treatment results in complete household disruption. Children in these circumstances endure a dual vulnerability: many are enduring painful treatments themselves, while countless others accompany an ailing parent, missing months of school, regular meals, and simple play. Recognizing this overlooked reality at a young age, high school student Hridaan Jhunjhunwala set out to build a holistic safety net that restores dignity and joy to young lives in distress.
Hridaan's connection to the cause began at age four-and-a-half when his maternal grandfather went through treatment for cancer. Spending long days at Tata Medical Centre with his mother, Hridaan began sitting with the children outside the treatment rooms. Rather than offering mere sympathy, he sought to build genuine empathy and human connection. Armed with Ludo boards, colouring books, and chocolates, he turned dreary waiting spaces into shared play areas.
Observing that many displaced children were falling behind in education because their parents lacked resources, Hridaan initiated a "Book Reading Week". He brought in volunteer teachers to teach nursery rhymes, basic crafts, and yoga. As Hridaan grew older, he began teaching and playing chess with the young patients, giving them a mental outlet to build confidence despite their circumstances.
His practical awareness of the kids' everyday needs sparked continuous seasonal drives. During monsoon months, he organized drives for raincoats and umbrellas. When new school terms approached, he collected new backpacks, tiffin boxes, and stationery. To support caregiving mothers facing immense emotional strain, he introduced Mother's Day events featuring movie screenings and cooking competitions.
As neighbourhood families, school peers, and hospital staff witnessed Hridaan's persistent involvement, their collective support swelled. To structure these expanding resources, Hridaan co-founded LiveStrong Foundation India together with a close family friend. The foundation evolved from personal outreach into a formal platform capable of addressing a family's medical, financial, and psychological needs.
Under Hridaan's leadership, LiveStrong Foundation India delivers both systemic medical relief and community-driven care. The foundation funds chemotherapy cycles and life-saving treatments while providing emergency food packages and educational support. To finance these continuous efforts, Hridaan coordinates local charity sales, organizes fundraising pop-ups-such as selling handcrafted table mats at the Taj hotel-and recruits youth volunteers across Kolkata.
Through his hands-on commitment, Hridaan has developed a mature understanding of privilege, resilience, and civic responsibility. As he prepares his university applications for applied physics and engineering programs abroad, his work with the foundation demonstrates sustained, impactful leadership. His long-term vision remains firmly anchored in his home country: to complete his global education, return to India, and apply his technical training toward solving real-world challenges while continuing to expand his philanthropic footprint.
