Nikhil lives in Northern California, where he attends Phillips Brooks elementary school in Menlo Park. Nikhil’s favorite subjects are history and language arts because he finds them fascinating and they allow him to bring out his voice. Nikhil’s passion is music; he plays the piano and loves listening to classical music. He is also an avid tennis player and enjoys reading.
IndyKids: What motivated you to become a kid journalist?
Nikhil: I have always been interested in the news. I have watched the TV show Fareed Zakaria GPS since I was little, and love learning about social and political issues around the world. I was so excited to have the opportunity to become a published journalist and write about social issues that people care about.
IndyKids: How did you first get involved with IndyKids, and what do you most enjoy about the workshops?
Nikhil: I wanted to learn how to be a journalist and started researching opportunities online. I was so excited to find IndyKids. The workshops were amazing—they assign you a topic in line with your interests and mentor you through the entire process.
IndyKids: Why do you think social justice news reporting is important?
Nikhil: It’s important to raise awareness about issues concerning fairness, equality and equity. Without social justice news, many people would not be aware of these problems and would never hear the stories that impact so many people’s lives.
IndyKids: What topics do you most enjoy writing about and/or feel most passionate about?
Nikhil: I really enjoy writing about the environment and climate change, since it is such an urgent issue for our generation in the world today. Recently I interviewed Charlie Amáyá Scott, a Navajo advocate and influencer, and learned about the impact of colonialism on identity, language and culture. It was really amazing to hear about Charlie’s experiences.
IndyKids: What advice do you have for kids who want to start writing?Nikhil: My advice is to be bold and just start writing. At first, many topics may seem intimidating, but as you start researching and learning more about your topic, you will realize that it’s not so hard and actually really fun!
