Meet Avyana Mehta, Ariana Agarwal and Vivaan Chhawchharia: 16-year-old teenagers who became first Indian team to win Earth Prize; created tamarind powder that removes microplastics from water
ETimes June 18, 2026 02:39 AM
In India, there's a saying, "Mil baat ke khao," meaning share and eat with love. While it highlights the country's hospitality and love, it also quietly underscores the fact that not everyone has access to everything and thus, sharing a bit of what you have can help them out. When it comes to fresh drinking water, not everyone is lucky to have an easily accessible and affordable sip. Some have to climb up mountains and dive deep into wells to be able to get a bucket.
This is a problem three 16-year-old teens from the country set out to solve. Avyana Mehta , Ariana Agarwal and Vivaan Chhawchharia, recently won the Earth Prize 2026 for creating a low-cost method to pull microplastics out of water. They were named Global Winners at the Earth Prize awards ceremony in Geneva on May 29. Their invention, Plas-Stick , was chosen a winner by a public vote of 23,000 people from seven regional finalists, becoming the first Indian team to receive the award.
What is Plas-Stick?
The winning project was developed in collaboration with IIT Guwahati . As per Tatler Asia, Plas-Stick has already reached more than 8,000 students and teachers. But what is it?
Well, Plas-Stick is a powder made from waste tamarind seeds that binds microplastic particles into visible clumps. It has been designed specifically for communities without access to clean water or water filtration systems and has the USP of requiring no electricity.
The idea for the powder came to the trio after they saw a child drink water directly from a large plastic container. According to the trio, when added to contaminated water, the powder attracts microplastic particles and causes them to form larger clumps that can later be removed using a handheld magnet. Tamarind seeds naturally contain sticky polysaccharides and binding compounds that may help attract and aggregate particles in water.
Why microplastics are a global concern
Microplastics are extremely small plastic fragments, less than five millimetres in size, created by the breakdown of larger plastic, synthetic fabrics, industrial waste and packaging materials.
A UNICEF report from August 2025 says that almost 2.1 billion people around the world still lack access to drinkable water. Recent scientific studies have found microplastics in drinking water, seafood, human blood, lungs, placentas and even brain tissue.
Following their win, the teens plan to scale their invention and expand it to rural communities across the country.
What is the Earth Prize?
The Earth Prize is considered to be the world's largest environmental competition and 'ideas incubator' for teenagers aged 13 to 19. Founded by the Earth Foundation in Geneva, Switzerland, during the 2019 School Strike for Climate movement, the programme supports youth-led sustainability projects through mentorship, education resources and funding opportunities.
2026 marks the prize's fifth year and over the years, it claims to have reached more than 21,000 students across 169 countries and territories. As Asia winners, the three Indian students received $12,500 in funding to continue developing their project, along with mentorship opportunities and international exposure.
Peter McGarry, Founder of The Earth Foundation, said that the invention is exactly the kind of invention that the prize was created to elevate. “By transforming agricultural waste into a practical tool for removing microplastics from drinking water, these young innovators are addressing a growing global challenge with remarkable creativity and purpose,” McGarry added.
While Avyana, Ariana and Vivaan's win created an invention that can impactfully help communities in need, it has also inspired the country's youth to not only observe problems, but also act upon them.
