Young Innovators: Vivaan Chhawchharia

Three Indian teenagers have developed an eco-friendly method to remove microplastics from water using tamarind seed powder. Vivaan Chhawchharia, along with two other teenagers, Ariana Agarwal and Avyana Mehta, have made use of waste tamarind seeds to create a powder that attracts microplastic particles. When the powder is introduced into water, microplastics in the water stick to the powder and settle at the bottom. The students believe this water purification solution could help tackle the growing problem of microplastic pollution in the future. The team was among the winners of The Earth Prize 2026 for the Asia region for their biodegradable innovative idea.