" I, Ayushi Bansal, am an undergrad architecture student at SPA Delhi. I was raised for a major part of my life in Hyderabad but have family roots in Delhi and Haryana. Always a proficient student at school and an all-rounder, I secured a seat in SPA Delhi after scoring well in the joint entrance test and 12th board exams. I have always been very passionate and inclined towards dancing and some other co-curriculars like singing, painting, and teaching. Sometime during my second year in college, unaware then, my mental health started declining and I wasn’t able to associate myself with the adjectives or hobbies I did earlier.

This award came like a sign from the universe when I was thinking that I need something to fuel my healing journey. This will give me the opportunity to invest myself and the money, to learn yoga and teach it as a certified teacher. Dance too has been an important activity as much as yoga and meditation, to help me get better. I plan to use the award money for training in an Indian dance form and learning yoga. I will be forever grateful that I got this opportunity and thank all the members of the Friends of Ambar Foundation for coming together and extending help for this noble cause." 

 " I, Hanna Abdulla, am an undergrad architecture student at SPA New Delhi. Writing stories and poems, then narrating it to my friends was something that I was known for in my schooldays. Video-making has also been a huge hobby of mine since the days we had mobile phones with built in video cameras. But during the time when I was preparing for entrance exam and after, I started to avoid doing the things I genuinely used to enjoy. I thought that it would affect my already poor academics. Stopping doing the things I loved affected my mental health badly. Later on, when I got to know about this award, it made me feel that my interests out of my academics are also valid and has a huge role in defining who I am as an individual. Getting the award gave me the courage and motivation to pursue my interest and explore more in those fields. I am so grateful to the Friends of Ambar Foundation for coming up with this award and helping us learn and grow in the fields we love."

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 " I, Aadithyan KP, from Calicut, Kerala. As an undergraduate architecture student, I found myself deeply passionate about photography and videography. Similar to my fellow architecture enthusiasts, I embarked on this academic journey at SPA, Delhi. Yet, amidst the architectural endeavors, my heart gravitated towards the the art of visual storytelling. From the days of my youth, I found solace in capturing moments through the lens and crafting narratives through videos. However, as academic pressures mounted, I found myself drifting away from these passions, fearing they might distract me from my studies. Despite the pull of architecture, my heart longed for the freedom of creative expression I find in photography and videography. I

t wasn't until I stumbled upon an opportunity presented by The Friends of Ambar- Beautiful Minds Foundation, that my perspective shifted. This award not only validated my interests but also encouraged me to explore them further. It reminded me that my passions outside of Academia are equally valid and integral to shaping my identity. Grateful for this newfound validation and support, I now have the courage and motivation to pursue my dream of a career in videography. Iam immensely grateful to the foundation for providing me with the platform to discover and nurture my true passions during my college years."​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 " I am Fadil Salih , 3rd year Architecture and I am deeply passionate about visual storytelling through multiple art forms. Painting, photography, and cinematography etc. are equally important to me; each offering a unique way to observe, feel, and express the world around me.

I’m also deeply interested in digital art, film, animation, and other evolving forms of visual storytelling. These allow me to blend traditional techniques with modern tools and push the boundaries of creativity.

Receiving the opportunity and support from the Beautiful Minds Foundation was a turning point. The award not only validated my creative interests but gave me the courage to pursue them more seriously. It reminded me that passions beyond academics are valid and essential to shaping identity. I am incredibly grateful to the foundation for offering a platform that allowed me to explore, grow, and stay true to my artistic path during my college years. This experience has given me the motivation and confidence to continue developing my skills and working toward a creative career that brings together all these forms of expression."

 " I'm Rakshita Singh from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, currently pursuing my Bachelor’s degree from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi. I'm an architecture student by profession, but at heart, I’m an artist — someone who finds soul in colors, stories in strokes, and peace in the process of creation.

Since childhood, I’ve had a deep connection with drawing and craft. It isn’t just a hobby, it is an inseparable part of who I am. I’ve always received appreciation and good grades for my work, and creating art gives me a kind of joy and peace that nothing else does. Both my parents are great artists and I believe this talent was passed down to me. This passion for creativity eventually led me to choose architecture as my field, where I could combine my love for design and imagination to shape real, innovative spaces. Seeing a building that once lived only in your mind come to life is a powerful feeling.

But the reality is, architecture is an intense and time-consuming course. I started struggling to make time for my artwork. That’s why I decided to become the Strokes Coordinator for our painting society to give myself the responsibility and push I needed to stay connected with art, no matter how busy life got.

However, being from a middle-class background, I’ve often had to limit my creative expression because of the high cost of quality art materials. That’s when the Beautiful Mind Award made a real difference.

Receiving the award gave me more than just funds. It gave me freedom. I was finally able to buy the art supplies I had long wished for like quality brushes, paints, canvases and this truly helped me nurture and sustain my creative growth. I got the chance to explore new styles, experiment with different mediums, and reconnect with the artist in me who had been quietly waiting to bloom.

Now, I feel more confident and committed than ever to continue this artistic journey alongside my academic one. I hope to keep growing and one day contribute meaningfully to the world through my buildings and through my brush.

Art is not a side hobby for me; it's an essential part of my life. And thanks to this award, I’ve been able to protect it, enrich it, and dream bigger with it."​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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" I am from a small tribal village of 50 households in Telangana’s Warangal district. My family is very poor, my parents are both manual laborers and uneducated. Thankfully, I attended a Gurukulam Tribal Welfare School, where I could do co-curricular activities. After class X, I got a seat in Sr. Junior College but there was no JEE mains coaching class so, I used Google and coached myself. Getting an All-India Rank of 26 in the ST category brought me to SPA Delhi. People in my village say I am an inspiration to other children. Finally, my family and my village people are very happy now because of where I have reached now.

I will use the funds to organize small workshops for photography, arts, and sports, sometimes together.
I will work mostly with photography and with children from my village. If my college is open then I will conduct an exhibition of this work too. "

 " I Muhammed Faiz, am an undergrad architecture student at SPA New Delhi. I am from Calicut, Kerala. I was always known in my school days for securing positions for art competition. I was good at drawing art and got lot of opportunities during my high school back in Qatar. Since then my passion grew everyday and I chose the Architectural field for my higher studies. During the third semester, I developed a small interest in photography. I took photos of whatever attracted me and posted those photos on social media and received lots of compliments from peers which encouraged me even more. Eventually I started developing interest in Architectural photography and have been consistently working on it.

This Foundation opened a door for exploring Architectural photography. Realizing that Architectural photography is a vast area to explore and learning this needs a lot of hard work and financial support as well. Beautiful Minds Foundation has really helped me with that. I traveled to various places in India and also purchased a few course materials which helped me immensely to pursue my dream. I can never thank my mentor enough who helped me throughout my journey.

Thank you Beautiful Minds Foundation for this recognition, it motivates me to continue to work hard. The Foundation has helped me start this journey and it goes on... "

 " I, Narra Deekshita, am an undergrad architecture student at SPA New Delhi. My journey has been a blend of challenges and dreams, shaped by a fragile immune system that made even the simplest tasks feel like monumental hurdles. Amidst the academic and health struggles, one thing has always brought me joy- capturing moments through photography. For years i dreamt of owning a camera, saving up bit by bit for fulfilling this wish. Yet, everytime i got close, life had other plans. When i had to use my savings for the semester fees, it felt like I was once again setting aside something deeply meaningful to me. Photography is not just a hobby, it's a way of preserving stories and finding beauty in the everyday.   In the theater of life, I find joy in framing candid moments of friends, their laughter and delight frozen in pixels. I have wandered through cities, capturing the romance of couples against the backdrop of architectural wonders and the silent tales told by Chandigarh's structures and Jaipur's forts. Owning a camera was more than just achieving a personal goal. It gave me a chance to continue weaving tales of joy, discovery and connection.

This opportunity from The Friends of Ambar Award was not only about a chance to win this much needed camera but also about recognizing that our dreams and passions, however small they might seem to others, are what truly define us. Thankyou for creating a platform that inspires people like me to embrace their creativity and tell their stories."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 " Hi, my name is Lalrindiki. I was born and raised in the hill station of Aizawl, Mizoram. As is deeply rooted in my community and tradition, music has been my cherished companion since childhood. I sing mostly, in schools, churches and small events, then started to teach myself guitar and keyboard. 

As an academician with strong creative impulse, my greatest challenge is trying to find balance in the things I love doing. But this award gave me my first instrument in my name, and what it meant to me is inexplicable in such short writing. 
 

The opportunity this platform gave me  is both a reminder and fuel for the fire of my voice as an artist. I dream, to one day express myself and shout out the unspoken aspects of life through art, music, and keep exploring different mediums like digital art and animation.”​

 " I am Mangesh Kshirsagar, from Ahmednagar, Maharastra. I've been practicing traditional methods of arts for the last 5 yrs. I'm quite good at art forms like portraits, human anatomy, landscapes, light perspective, etc. Also, I've been practicing digital art form for the last 1 year and have made my basics clear with it. Now I wish to increase my knowledge related to digital concept art. So with my present knowledge of arts in traditional medium and also the knowledge, I'll be acquiring through digital works I wish to take my art journey to a new level of understanding and creativity.
I will focus on developing my current skill set to the required level. In the long run, I want to be a concept artist. Also, I am interested in animations and storyboarding. These funds can help me acquire the resources needed to improve including some E-courses and Books."

 " I'm Vidit Singhal, and I'm from Pilkhuwa, Ghaziabad, a town known for its textile business. With my roots in a humble family, I have consistently worked to be a proficient student, putting my heart into all endeavors. For the past few years, I've been exploring fields of design. With the main focus on my college work and architecture, I nurtured my passion for interaction design, slowly over the lockdown years, and find it very interesting. Coming back to the reopened college, I had found myself lost between these pathways with varying dynamics, and the foundation gave me a chance to focus and hone into myself and interaction design. Before the foundation, I was able to explore more niches of the industry and found myself pulled into a whole new world of UX Research.

Thanks to the support and guidance of the Friends of Ambar Foundation, I was able to work on projects with parallel learning and applications. I read books and created articles and reviews that can help others and designed a product to create a link between physical and digital bookstores. I was incredibly grateful since the grant lifted my financial worries for me, and helped me passionately explore more about design after I felt lost in my direction."

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 " I am Vanshika Garg from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and am currently enrolled as an undergraduate Architecture student at SPA, Delhi. While Architecture is my academic pursuit, I have always been drawn to the intricate and meditative art form of mandala design and quilling. These art forms not only allowed me to channel my creativity but also helped me cultivate patience, precision and an eye for detail, skills that resonate deeply with my architectural studies. Mandala and quilling, initially hobbies born out of curiosity during Covid, quickly became my artistic escape and a medium for self expression. Over time, I realized their potential to captivate and inspire others. Fuelled by encouragement from my mother, friends and mentors, I took the leap to transform these creative endeavors into a budding entrepreneurial venture. This journey taught me the value of perseverance and innovation, enabling me to blend my artistic passion with entrepreneurial acumen.

This would not have been possible without the support and validation from the Friends of Ambar Foundation, who have emboldened me to explore these passions without hesitation. The drastic chnage in the journey could be achieved only with the mentorship. Today, as i navigate my academic and creative pursuits, I am more determined than ever to carve out a space where my talents in art can thrive, inspiring others to embrace their unique journeys."​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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 " I am Priya Rani from samastipur, Bihar, and a former undergraduate student at SPA Delhi. I've always had a deep passion for Art. Over the years, i explored different artistic avenues but it wasn't until I stumbled upon the world of animated doodles. Being an introvert, this medium became my way of understanding people and to make people understand me.

During the lockdown, I had more time to reflect and immerse myself in the world of doodling by paying closer attention to details, and the process taught me how expressive and meaningful this art form can be. Later when college introduced me to digital tools, I found the idea of merging doodles with digital techniques, both exciting and full of potential.

Architecture, though a creative field, came with its own intense pressures. I found myself trapped in a cycle of anxiety and burnout. It felt like i was losing touch with the very creative that once brought me joy. That's when art truly became my escape. It gave me space to breathe, and reminded me of the joy I felt when i first started creating- before grades and  expectations took over. 

What started as a hobby slowly evolved into purpose. It made me question and explore- what more can I do with this? How can I use this passion to evolve, grow, and perhaps even contribute to others' lives?

Beautiful Minds Foundation has truly played a meaningful role in helping me find answers. With their support, I was able to purchase essential materials that were necessary for pursuing my dream. But more than that, what made the biggest difference was the encouragement and motivation they gave me to keep going. I'm deeply grateful to the Friends of Ambar for standing by me and supporting my journey."​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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