Founder Child Rights Matter
Ayaan Goyal, a 12th grader from The Modern School, Barakhamba Road, residing in Delhi, the Capital of India. Ayaan's profound empathy and sharp sensitivity towards the social imbalances have turned him into a responsible and action-oriented person. He started his journey with questions regarding child labor and education, which soon turned into activism at the grassroots level. Through his activism with CRY and the Child Rights Matter campaign, Ayaan has united thousands in Delhi to commit against child labor and for fair access to education.
His guidebook, Ensuring Child Rights: A Guide for Socio-Behavioral Practices, supported by preeminent organizations, has emerged as a standard for ethical supply chain transformations. At TriLegal, he worked on policy studies on the Juvenile Justice Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses Act, blending legal expertise with grassroots understanding. A national award nominee for social leadership, Ayaan remains a tireless advocate for transformation across the system of law, policy, and humanity to create a future in which each child's right to education and dignity is protected.
Youth Icon of the Year
The Creative Thinking Forum
Ayaan has played a pivotal role in advancing The Creative Thinkers Forum’s (TCTF) mission through his leadership in mobilizing INR 4–5 lakhs in CSR funding to support education, sanitation, and child rights initiatives. His efforts culminated in the launch of TCTF’s Digital Literacy Program, which empowers marginalized youth aged 14–24 from migrant communities by equipping them with essential digital skills—from basic computer use to graphic design and AI fundamentals. Through his vision and action, Ayaan has helped bridge the digital divide for underserved children, earning him TCTF’s prestigious Youth Icon of the Year Award for social impact and innovation.
CREST Gold Recipient
Published Research Scholar
Ayaan authored a paper on Child Rights and Legal Ethics, published in the International Journal of Education and Management (IJEM), where he integrated legal frameworks with behavioral science insights. His work earned him the Crest Gold Award for academic excellence and social relevance.
Titled “Children at Work: A Global Analysis of Child Labor Trends and Regional Realities,” the study presents a comparative evaluation of child labor incidence across five major economic regions worldwide.
In addition, Ayaan conducted a five-week research project titled “The GDP Lens: Sectoral Analysis and Creative Curriculum Design.” Using SPSS and Excel, he analyzed the sensitivity of sectoral indices to GDP fluctuations and developed innovative financial literacy workshops and AI-driven storyboards that connected economic theory with real-world applications.
Yale Youth Global Scholar
Solving Global Challanges
Selected from over 13,000 applicants worldwide, Ayaan was chosen to attend the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program under the Solving Global Challenges track, designed to nurture the next generation of global leaders. During the program, he led a solution-focused cohort on governance and ethics, facilitating discussions on policy innovation and youth-led reform. His capstone presentation featured a child rights guidebook proposal, which was highly commended by Yale mentors for its actionable approach to legal awareness and community empowerment.
Tennis Achievements
A dedicated tennis player since Grade 6, Ayaan has represented his school in 15+ interschool tournaments, securing 3 IPSC gold medals, 2 CBSE bronze medals, and multiple zonal golds in both individual and team events.
As captain of the Under-17 team, he led his squad to a memorable IPSC Championship gold (2022–23), demonstrating exceptional leadership and mentorship to younger players.
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His consistent performance and sportsmanship have earned him two PTA Awards for excellence in tennis and the Sports Day Award for outstanding all-round athletic achievement (Link to Tennis Certificates & Awards)
Editor-In-Chief (Sandesh)
School Editorial Board
Ayaan joined as the youngest member of the Editorial Board and worked his way up to become the Editor-in-Chief of Sandesh, the annual publication of his school. As head of a seven-member editorial team, Ayaan was responsible for setting the creative direction of the magazine and mentoring junior writers and ensuring editorial excellence across all sections.
He liaised with headmasters and teachers to curate content on academics, culture, and school milestones, while also overseeing design, photography, and publishing coordination. From conceptualizing to print, he managed the magazine-a blend of creativity and precision that polished his leadership, editorial judgment, and project management skills to yield a publication that reflected the vibrant spirit of the school.
Speech & Drama
Ayaan has played lead roles in four major school productions, including Founders’ Day and Independence Day, earning recognition at the House Function 2024. He holds a LAMDA Grade 5 Distinction in Solo Acting and Devising Drama and is preparing for Grade 7 in December 2025.
Beyond school, he has performed in five productions with the Joy of Drama Club under Vaishali Chakravarty’s mentorship. His portrayal of Mohammad Ali Jinnah in The Unification of India was especially lauded for its authenticity and depth. Theatre has honed Ayaan’s empathy, discipline, and leadership, providing him a meaningful platform for creative expression.
