Children and business leaders shine together in landmark edition of BYITC Inspire Awards
A packed chamber of the Scottish Parliament witnessed history last night as the Inspire Awards 2025 crowned 28 winners, celebrating both remarkable young achievers and, for the first time, trailblazing business leaders.
Hosted by the British Youth International College (BYITC), the event brought together families, educators, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and dignitaries, with Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP serving as Chief Guest of Honour and Sponsor. Also in attendance was Anas Sarwar MSP, leader of the Scottish Labour party. Headline sponsor German Doner Kebab (GDK) added further prestige to the landmark evening.
This year marked the first introduction of Business Excellence Awards, recognising outstanding adult entrepreneurs alongside the established Inspire Awards for children. Together, the winners represented excellence in academics, sports, arts, culture, innovation, leadership, and enterprise.
Dr Rashmi Mantri, founder of BYITC, said the atmosphere in the room was electric: “There was a real buzz on the night – pride, joy, and celebration filled the chamber. Our young winners have shown talent, perseverance, and creativity beyond their years, while our business leaders demonstrated vision and innovation that inspire future generations. Together, they represent the very best of what Scotland, and the UK, has to offer.”
2025 Inspire Awards – Children’s Winners:
Academics
- Stem Wizard: Kanav Jain (15, Edinburgh)
- Rising Mental Maths Star: Atchaya Venugopal (9, Basingstoke)
- Maths Grandmaster: Alden Arun (12, Edinburgh)
- Mental Maths Superhero: Hansini Haripriya Chilakapati (9, Glasgow)
Sports
- Sports Icon: Ekamkar Singh (10, Chadwell Heath)
- Sports Superstar: Maaran Thandvan Mariappan (6, Nottinghamshire)
- Rising Chess Master: Advik Mittal (11, Glasgow)
Cultural & Social
- Star Performer: Nishad Mehendale (12, London)
- Shining Rockstar: Shraddha Harinarayanan (14, Slough)
- Environment Crusader: Saanvi Anand (14, Hamilton, Glasgow)
- Budding Author: SaiNimeesha Maddi (13, Altrincham, Manchester)
Art & Creativity
- Budding Artist: Varnika Nuguri (8, Birmingham)
All Rounder
- Young Intellect: Chinemenma Okorie (17, Livingston, West Lothian)
- Fearless Achiever: Diah Patel (14, Birmingham)
- Supernova: Venisha Valluri (8, Newcastle)
- Versatile Champion: Lishaan Mayurathan (10, Middlesbrough)
- PowerPlay Performer: Jocelyn Dixon (11, Scarborough)
- Dynamic Achiever: Arush Gosain (14, Livingston, West Lothian)
- Rising Marvel – Young Author: Kenisha Jain (14, West Calder)
- Rising Prodigy: Tarun Vusikala (15, Glasgow)
- Wonderkid: Eivaan Lamba (9, Jersey, Channel Islands)
Special Awards
- Trailblazer Apprentice: Olivia Dougal (18, North Ayrshire/Glasgow)
- Shakuntala Devi Mantri Exceptional Award: Aadya Kumar (6, Wokingham)
2025 Inspire Awards – Business Excellence Winners:
- Artistic Visionary of the Year: Tanwi Bhattacharya, Nikkan Dance Academy (Edinburgh) – Dance
- Innovation Hero: Krishna Yerra, MillionLogics (London) – IT Industry
- Icon of Influence: Sarica (Knowledge Buddy), Knowledge Buddy (London) – Media & PR
- Dynamic Leader of the Year: Rishi Harani, Mergify (London) – Financial Advisory
- Brilliant Brandmakers: Ali Malik, Awaz FM (Glasgow) – Media & PR
Dr Mantri added: “This year’s Inspire Awards proved that excellence has no age limit. From our youngest winner, just six years old, to our established business leaders, each story we heard was remarkable. These awards are about celebrating achievement, yes, but also about inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and aim higher.”
The Inspire Awards 2025 highlighted not only the incredible achievements of individuals but also the growing spirit of community, innovation, and leadership across the UK.
The judges were: Barry Gunn, lecturer at Clyde College and Derek Timpany, Associate Dean: Business & Management, City of Glasgow College.
Supporters and sponsors of the event included: Whitebridge Financial Services, Masala Twist, Oakminster Care Homes; and ScottishIndian.com.