From transforming agriculture in rural Gujarat to reshaping financial literacy for India’s youth, Adani International School students Ayan Patel and Devarsh Khatri have won the UK’s prestigious Gold Crest Award. Their journeys highlight how the school, guided by Promoter Ms Namrata Adani, fosters curiosity, innovation and real-world change.
In a world where young voices are reshaping the future, two students of Adani International School, Shantigram, Ahmedabad, have earned one of the UK’s most prestigious recognitions for innovation and problem-solving—the Gold Crest Award. While Ayan Patel is revolutionising farming in drought-prone Gujarat, Devarsh Khatri is advancing financial literacy in the age of digital credit. Together, their achievements exemplify the power of education to create real-world impact.
Farming Smarter: Ayan Patel’s Krishimitra
In the sun-scorched fields of Lanva, North Gujarat, 16-year-old Ayan Patel has launched Krishimitra (“Farmer’s Friend”), a platform combining artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools with sustainable farming practices. His standout innovation—SaurSinchAI, a solar-powered, AI-enabled Agribot—helps farmers monitor soil health, optimise irrigation, and reduce pesticide use without the need for Wi-Fi or expensive infrastructure. He was the recipient of the coveted Gold Crest Award for his pioneering project SaurSinchAI, which promises to revolutionise farming in the arid North Gujarat region.
Pilot trials across 15 farms have yielded striking results:
- 7 million litres of water saved annually
- 35% reduction in pesticide costs
- 30% increase in crop yield
The initiative has also empowered over 3,300 farmers across five villages, trained 24 youth leaders, and created women-led microenterprises that have quadrupled household incomes. Rooted in family legacy—his great-grandfather was a farmer leader and martyr—Ayan sees Krishimitra as both innovation and duty.
Financial Futures: Devarsh Khatri’s BNPL Research
While Ayan is working in the fields, his senior schoolmate Devarsh Khatri has turned his focus to the financial marketplace. His Gold Crest-winning project, The Relationship Between Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Usage and Financial Literacy, explores how digital credit platforms impact consumers — especially those with limited financial knowledge.
Drawing on the Financial Literacy and Inclusion in India Survey 2023, Devarsh’s research reveals how low awareness can lead to impulsive spending and long-term financial instability. More importantly, his work proposes practical solutions—including targeted financial education, responsible lending practices, and consumer awareness programmes to ensure BNPL becomes a tool for empowerment, not debt.
A School That Shapes Changemakers
What unites Ayan’s and Devarsh’s journeys is not just the Gold Crest Award, but the environment that shaped them. At Adani International School, classrooms extend far beyond textbooks. Guided by Ms Namrata Adani, Promoter of the institution, the school has built an ecosystem where curiosity meets purpose—through initiatives like the Changemaker Lab and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Innovation Programme.
The school’s philosophy blends academic rigour with empathy and application. Students are encouraged to identify pressing social problems, explore interdisciplinary solutions, and test them in real contexts—from robotics to rural development, from finance to community enterprise.
Beyond the Awards
For Ayan, the next step is scaling SaurSinchAI across Gujarat and mentoring rural youth in agri-innovation. For Devarsh, it’s expanding his research into a framework that can inform policy and strengthen financial literacy nationwide. Both see their achievements not as destinations, but as beginnings.
Their success stories underscore a larger truth: when education nurtures innovation and responsibility, students don’t just learn about the world—they change it.
As the sun sets over Lanva’s revitalised fields and as policymakers examine BNPL reforms, the impact of these two young minds shines bright. With Ayan and Devarsh leading the way, and with Adani International School as their launchpad, the seeds of transformation are already bearing fruit—in farms, in households and in the financial choices of a Viksit Bharat.