Sharad Vivek Sagar

The Rockefeller Foundation has nominated city youth Sharad Vivek Sagar’s social entrepreneurship venture, Dexterity Global, for the Next Century Innovators Awards.

His organisation has also been listed among the top 100 companies of the next century that bring in social change.

Three nominees, including the 21-year-old, have been selected by the global philanthropic organisation for the prestigious award. Dexterity Global is a social enterprise started in 2008.

Sharad, the founder-cum-chief operating officer of Dexterity Global, is presently a student of Tufts University, Boston, US. The former student of St Dominic Savio’s High School in Patna told The Telegraph from US: “Keeping its centennial year in mind, Rockefeller Foundation has announced the awards. My name has been included among the top 100 innovators. The top three winners would get the Next Century Innovators Award, where one award will be given on the basis of votes. Awardees would be eligible to apply for a grant of $1,00,000.”

The Rockefeller Foundation was founded in 1913 to support innovators and entrepreneurs in making an impact and address modern challenges.

The organisation operates in US as well as around the world. The foundation has also established the Harvard School of Public Health and John Hopkins School of Public Health.

This being the centennial year of the foundation, the group is on the lookout for next century innovators.

Any person or organisation can be nominated for the prestigious award. The person could be an employee, founder or director of a firm. The nominee, however, has to be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.

Any public or private organisation can be nominated.

Sharad was also made the regional ambassador of the Asia-Pacific region for the United Nations Environment Programme Tunza Eco-Generation.

This is the first time that an Indian has become the ambassador for the entire Asia-Pacific region.

The city youth has represented India in various events. He had attended the 350.org Second Climate Leadership workshop in New Delhi earlier. He also started Dexterity, an inter-school fest to help make children environmentally aware, in 2008.

The organisation has an online portal on Facebook. Sharad has also attended numerous conferences and events and shared his views in various countries.

His organisation has also been guiding a number of students.

Sharad’s father, Bimal Kant Prasad, said: “The president of Tufts University, Anthony Monaco, who was also the vice-chancellor at the University of Oxford, has also lauded his efforts.”