Shiv Nadar School Noida Student Wins Asia Pacific Recognition at IB Community Inspiration Awards

Mahesh Balakrishnan, Business Development Senior Manager, India and Nepal, International Baccalaureate, India, says Kayana Monga’s work reflects IB’s mission; Kayana Monga, Diploma Programme Student, Shiv Nadar School Noida, India, calls the award a responsibility toward rural mental health

Mumbai, February 17, 2026: Kayana Monga, a Diploma Programme student at Shiv Nadar School Noida, has been named the Asia Pacific recipient of the inaugural Community Inspiration Award presented by the International Baccalaureate.
The award recognises members of the IB community who have made meaningful contributions aligned with the organisation’s mission and values. Representing the Asia Pacific region, Monga was recognised for founding Project Muskan, a rural mental health initiative that has reached more than 500 children in and around Delhi. The initiative has identified over 40 cases of suicidal ideation and connected those children to professional care.

Project Muskan works in collaboration with psychologists and local partners to design structured interventions for children who have limited access to mental health services. The initiative has also contributed to discussions around children’s mental health at administrative and policy levels, including recognition from the Delhi Health Ministry and the Chief Minister.
Beyond mental health advocacy, Monga has contributed to UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children report and led initiatives in sustainability, Model United Nations and community service.

Kayana Monga, Diploma Programme Student, Shiv Nadar School Noida, India, said, “To receive this award is to be reminded that awareness carries obligation, and that meaningful change begins when care deepens into responsibility. For me, Project Muskan grew from my own experiences with anxiety into a way of ensuring that children in rural India are seen, heard, and supported without stigma or financial barriers.”

Mahesh Balakrishnan, Business Development Senior Manager, India and Nepal, International Baccalaureate, India, said, “Kayana embodies the very best of what an IB education aims to nurture: compassionate, reflective individuals who care deeply about their communities and apply their learning to create solutions that address broader societal challenges.”

The IB Community Inspiration Award recognises one recipient from each of the organisation’s three global regions: the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Africa, Europe and Middle East. Kayana Monga will be honoured at the Asia Pacific IB Global Conference scheduled to take place in Mumbai in March 2026.
Founded in 1968, the International Baccalaureate offers four educational programmes to students aged three to nineteen and works with more than 6,000 schools across over 160 countries.

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