A philanthropist realises the need to give back to society — irrespective of wealth or age. At first glance, Chaitnaya M.R.S.K. doesn’t strike as a person who, at 21, is capable of taking on the task of changing society. But the moment he starts talking, his intense passion shines through.

At 17 and just out of school, he was awarded the Young Laureate of Youth Assembly by the United Nations for conducting AIDS awareness and medical camps and propagating computer literacy in a village near Medak. His efforts later got him an invite to the Global Young Leader conference in Washington DC. “It was after meeting the world leaders that I realised that I want to continue giving back to the society. And that’s how Passionate Foundation came into being,” he recalls. The Foundation has adopted the Government Primary School at Bowenpally

“With the help of generous funding we aim to provide the school with modern amenities,” he says. However, it has been no cake walk for the youngster. “Initially, people we approached were apprehensive because of my age. They doubted my reliability. But, persistence always pays off,” he says.