When a caregiver failed to avail public healthcare benefits for his father when he took ill, Aarush Aggarwal (17), a class XII student of Gurugram’s top-ranked The Shri Ram School, Moulsari, swung into action to organise community enrolment camps under Project Svasti (‘well-being’) to help eligible individuals register for the PMJAY (Prime Minister’s Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance) scheme. Thus far, his team of 17 volunteers have enabled 1,000 beneficiaries in the national capital to avail PMJAY benefits, an initiative launched by the Union government’s health ministry.

“I sent my core team members to select locations, manage logistics and connect applicants with state health agency officials. We selected ration shops/ dispensaries in areas with high number of beneficiaries and communicated with local community leaders. Initially, our camps were organised with tech support — laptops, internet hotspots and verification systems — to help generate the Ayushman Bharat e-card on the spot. Subsequently, our volunteers engaged with beneficiaries explaining card usage and documents submission. Soon our team successfully trained local residents to manage the enrolment process independently,” says Aarush.

The elder child of Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India, and Anu Krishna Aggarwal, a civil servant, Aarush is hugely inspired by his grandparents whose values have shaped his outlook on life and community. “Grandpa taught me the philosophy of ‘my world is one family’ and urged me to expand my vision beyond immediate family to respect every person with love and dignity. This belief became the watchword of Project Svasti,” says this young new-age social evangelist.

To conceptualise and operationalise his community welfare project, Aarush is thankful to TSRS’ dedicated team of CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) framework coordinators who mentored him. “Aparna Mam, in particular, was the most encouraging,” he adds.

After completing Plus Two, Aarush plans to enroll in a computer science and information systems degree program. “My goal is to use technology not just as a career path, but to create meaningful change in society,” he says.

Dipta Joshi (Mumbai)