Sanjana Sanghi: Leading India's youth voice

Actress opens up about representing India on the world stage, her message to global leaders, and how she balances cinema with her humanitarian pursuits

- Vidhi Santosh Mehta

From making her acting debut as a teenager in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar to representing India at the United Nations, Sanjana Sanghi has carved a remarkable path that bridges art, advocacy, and global impact. As UNDP India's Youth Champion and a Distinguished Judge for the UN's Young Leaders for the SDGs cohort, she continues to inspire a generation of young changemakers. In an exclusive interview with The Free Press Journal, Sanjana opens up about representing India on the world stage, her message to global leaders, and how she balances cinema with her humanitarian pursuits. Excerpts:

Q. You recently served as a Distinguished Judge for the UN's Young Leaders for SDGs cohort. How did it feel to represent India on such a global platform?

A. It has been a huge honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of being a Distinguished Judge for the Young Leaders for the SDGs and to join so many incredible changemakers that I've long looked up to, like Malala Yousufzai, Dia Mirza, and Lily Singh. It also marks the next phase in my humanitarian journey, mentoring and advising young changemakers using the experience and knowledge I've gained over the past decade of working in this space.

Q. What stood out to you most about the young changemakers you evaluated as part of the UN panel?