The Tracking Indian Youth Attitudes Media Fellowship presents the next in a series of stories capturing the socio-political views and experiences of young people across India.
For Sahil Kaushar, founder of the Noble Citizen Foundation, change is a journey. From Champaran to Delhi, he has built a mission around youth leadership, sustainability, and climate action.
“In social work, success cannot be defined by one milestone.”
Read the full story below. Profile by Nehal Gupta.
Nehal: Can you tell us about yourself?
Sahil: My name is Sahil Kaushar. I’m the CEO and founder of the Noble Citizen Foundation. I belong to Champaran, Bihar. When I was 20, I came to Delhi for higher education and better opportunities.
Nehal: You came to Delhi at such a young age. How was your journey?
Sahil: It was quite normal for us to leave our village as we grew older. Going to a new city for work felt like the norm. We were used to it, so leaving home didn’t feel particularly sad.
Nehal: What was your motivation to start the Noble Citizen Foundation?
Sahil: Back in Bihar, we hadn’t really heard about social work or NGOs—they weren’t very visible. But since childhood, we grew up hearing stories of change, especially about Mahatma Gandhi.
When I came to Delhi, I became more aware of issues like beggars and ragpickers. I also heard about child trafficking and how common it was among child beggars. That’s what pushed me towards social work.
Nehal: Can you tell us about some of the social projects you have worked on?
Sahil: We started with interventions at the individual level, but now we are also pushing for policy change—for example, working towards getting a bill introduced in Parliament to end child begging. This issue cannot be solved through individual efforts alone; it’s a massive challenge. That’s why we are preparing policy suggestions and exploring ways to institutionalise solutions. Our legal team is working on this, and hopefully, in the coming years, the impact will be visible.
Another major initiative is Future Leaders for Sustainability. Through this programme, we train students and conduct workshops to help them become sustainable leaders who can address climate challenges innovatively. So far, we’ve trained over 2,000 leaders and collaborated with 20 universities.
Our third project focuses on green space redevelopment in urban areas. In Gurugram, the Mewaki Project creates green spaces within a short span of time. The fourth initiative is park restoration. In Delhi-NCR, poor waste management has turned many parks into dumping grounds. Recently, in Gurugram, we restored one such park by removing nearly 2,000 kilograms of waste and creating green zones. Earlier, the park saw only 40–45 visitors a day; now it attracts 500–600 people daily. This project also actively involves youth from the Future Leaders programme, helping them understand local challenges and their role in solving them.
Nehal: Changing public behaviour is very difficult. Even something as simple as using dustbins is often ignored. How can this mindset improve?
Sahil: Interventions need to happen at two levels. First, civic sense should be taught in schools so it becomes a natural habit as children grow up. Second, awareness must be created at the community level through campaigns, media, and local initiatives.
However, even if people start using dustbins, another challenge emerges—what happens to the collected waste? Cities are already overflowing with garbage. So alongside civic sense, we need innovative waste management solutions. This is where young leaders can play a crucial role. They need platforms where they can bring and implement new ideas.
Nehal: What inspired you to focus on the environment and conservation?
Sahil: I come from a village where floods are a regular occurrence. Every year, nearly half of our crops would be destroyed. Over time, riverbank erosion made the situation even worse. As a child, seeing my village struggle left a deep impression on me.
Later, when I moved to Delhi, I witnessed problems like severe air pollution. That’s when I began to understand the root causes. We may not be able to undo all the damage, but we can certainly prevent it from worsening if we act now.
Nehal: Do you find today’s youth genuinely engaged with these issues?
Sahil: It’s a mixed picture. Every month, 100 to 200 volunteers join us, but only about 10 per cent remain actively involved. Retention is a major challenge. Many young people lack platforms where their ideas are valued or where they can sustain their interest long-term. There’s also a prevailing belief that social work doesn’t offer a viable career path, which discourages participation. But if we create opportunities where young people can make an impact and also sustain themselves financially, more of them will stay.
Nehal: What kind of career opportunities exist in this sector?
Sahil: According to recent government data, the CSR budget last year was between ₹20,000 and ₹30,000 crore. That’s a significant amount for the social sector. However, many NGOs still lack innovation, which creates demand for young professionals who can bring smart, scalable solutions.
Beyond CSR, there are opportunities through government projects and individual donations. These opportunities will only increase, especially in green jobs. With growing climate challenges, careers in renewable energy, waste management, sustainability, and conservation will become essential. Students who prepare now can build strong, meaningful careers in these fields.
Nehal: How do women participate in your projects? Are there specific challenges for them?
Sahil: In cities, participation is fairly balanced. Around half of our volunteers are women, and many of them take on leadership roles. In rural areas, however, the situation is different. For every ten male volunteers, you might find only one or two women. Social restrictions still limit their participation. Women’s empowerment needs much stronger focus in rural India.
Nehal: In your opinion, are current government policies sufficient to address conservation needs?
Sahil: No, they are not sufficient. Many officials lack both the capacity and the willingness to push effective solutions. Policy-making committees should include people with real grassroots experience, not just political appointees. When genuine changemakers are involved, implementation becomes much stronger.
Nehal: Do you think the media covers these issues adequately?
Sahil: Mainstream media rarely gives these issues the attention they deserve. At best, they focus on disasters, such as floods in Uttarakhand, but even then, they fail to discuss the root causes. If a disaster is man-made, the media should question why it happened and how it can be prevented. Unfortunately, such conversations are largely absent.
That’s why people working in this space need to raise their own voices. Social media is a powerful tool—it shouldn’t be limited to entertainment. It should be used to build awareness, challenge mindsets, and mobilise action.
Nehal: Finally, what does success mean to you and your NGO?
Sahil: In social work, success cannot be defined by a single milestone. It’s an ongoing journey. The more lives we touch and the more impact we create, the closer we feel to success. Challenges will never end, and neither will our work. For me and my organisation, success means creating long-lasting impact and meaningful change in people’s lives, no matter how big or small.
This is an ongoing series of profiles documenting the experiences of young people across India. Stay tuned for more stories from young workers across India. Follow us on social media for more updates.