Elixir Foundation India
Commonwealth Point of Light 229. Madhish Parikh
Madhish Parikh, representing India, aged 32, established ‘Elixir Foundation’, an initiative encouraging thousands of young volunteers nationwide to support vulnerable individuals in their communities through projects such as art and environmental conservation classes, donation drives, and Indian heritage camps.
Madhish, from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, led a group of fellow young volunteers and Presidential Awardees of Government of India in setting up the foundation in 2015 with the aim of demonstrating the power of youth leadership in bringing positive change to communities and individuals in need. Since then, the foundation has grown to a membership of over 2,500 volunteers who have collectively supported more than 100,000 vulnerable people across India. During the COVID-19 pandemic Madhish further launched a national campaign raising £710,000 to feed around 36,000 people, as well as providing 7,500 PPE-kits, 115 oxygen cylinders and 5,000 medicinal kits to frontline workers.
Madhish said:
“It is the greatest honour to be nominated for this award. This award symbolises recognition not just for me, but for my team of over 250 young volunteers who saved countless lives through their unrelenting effort during the pandemic. I am truly honoured and grateful for the recognition.
“In my years of work with young people, I have realised that the youth of today is the key to a better world. A youth demographic that is enabled and empowered can help us solve the world’s most critical challenges.”
Jan Thompson CMG OBE, Acting British High Commissioner to India, said:
“Many congratulations to Madhish for this award recognising his leadership and activism on the key issues of climate change, gender equality, cultural heritage and most notably his efforts to communicate good practice during the Covid pandemic.”
Peter Cook, Deputy British High Commissioner, Gujarat, said:
“Delighted to see this recognition for Madhish for his work inspiring young people and widening awareness of key issues. Madhish has been a stalwart supporter of many important social causes and we are proud to have worked on some of these with him and the Elixir Foundation.”