Adarsh Kumar, 18, Wins Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2025
Adarsh Kumar, an 18-year-old innovator from Bihar, India, has been named the winner of the prestigious Chegg.org Global Student Prize 2025. The prize, a sister award to the Varkey Foundation's Global Teacher Prize and Global Schools Prize, recognizes Kumar's significant impact on learning and society.
Kumar was selected from nearly 11,000 nominations and applications from 148 countries. He plans to use the $100,000 prize money to launch SkillzoX, an AI-powered mentorship platform for rural learners, and the Ignite Fellowship, a global accelerator for student changemakers.
Kumar's journey is remarkable. Born into poverty, he traveled alone to Kota, Rajasthan, at 14 with just 1,000 Rupees in search of better education. He won a full scholarship to Jayshree Periwal International School worth 30 lakh Rupees by independently sitting for his Grade 10 board exams. At 13, he launched Mission Badlao, achieving real change in his community, including securing land for a new government school and facilitating over 2,000 COVID vaccinations. He later founded Skillzo, empowering over 20,000 underserved high school students with mentorship and real-world opportunities.
Kumar's dedication and impact have earned him the Chegg.org Global Student Prize. His future plans, including SkillzoX and the Ignite Fellowship, promise to continue his mission of empowering learners and driving societal change.
