Young Indian Social Entrepreneur wins the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award
Richa Gupta, co-founder and CEO of Labhya, was recognized at the 11th Annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Richa, a globally recognized social entrepreneur and advocate for children’s well-being and education in India, was one of the distinguished honorees at this prestigious event. She accepted the award on behalf of Labhya, a nonprofit that integrates well-being programs into India’s public education system, deeply impacting the well-being and mental health of millions of vulnerable children.
Richa was awarded for embodying Muhammad Ali’s values of compassion and service to others. Under her leadership, Labhya is making a significant impact on over 2.4 million children across 22,000+ government schools in India. “We are not stopping till we impact 30 million children by 2030!” says the young social entrepreneur.
This year’s Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards also celebrated other outstanding individuals for their contributions to youth empowerment and social change. NBA Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neal, received the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian of the Year Award, while Grammy-Award-winning music producer, Nile Rodgers, was honored with the Global Citizenship Award. Public interest attorney, Bryan Stevenson, received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and award-winning journalist Dawne Gee was recognized as the Kentucky Humanitarian.
The event celebrated Richa Gupta alongside other young changemakers, including Deja Foxx, Sophia Kianni, Shah Chowdhury, Mohammad Yasir, Lianna Genovese, and Charlot Magayi, who are all committed to enacting sustainable and positive change, globally. Together, these young leaders exemplify the values and vision of ‘The Greatest’, Muhammad Ali, continuing his legacy of service, justice, and empowerment.
The Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, established in 2013 by Muhammad Ali’s wife, Lonnie Ali, and his family, honor individuals whose work and lives reflect the core principles that defined the legendary boxing champion, humanitarian, and global icon. The Seasoned Awards celebrates those who have dedicated their lives to service, while the Six Core Principles Awards spotlight young changemakers.
About Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center, located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA, is a multicultural center and museum inspired by the ideals of Muhammad Ali. It is dedicated to promoting respect, hope, and understanding while inspiring people to be as great as they can be. Through its awards and initiatives, the Center upholds Ali’s legacy by honoring individuals and organizations working toward social change.
About Labhya:
Labhya is a visionary education nonprofit that has pioneered the children’s wellbeing movement in India. Labhya is dedicated to institutionalizing programs that improve the quality of education and wellbeing for children in government schools of India.
For more information, please contact:
Ananya Chatterjee
Head of Communications, Labhya
Email: ananya@labhya.org
