Introducing the Visionaries: The Telegraph Online Edugraph 18 under 18 Awards 2025 Unveils Esteemed Jury Panel

The Telegraph Online Edugraph 18 under 18 Awards 2025 presented by Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management, Kolkata (EIILM-Kolkata), Powered by University of Engineering & Management (UEM), Kolkata and Co-Powered By Techno India University, Kolkata celebrates the remarkable and brightest talents of young achievers from Eastern India. The 2025 edition continues this tradition, recognizing 18 exceptional individuals under the age of 18 across various categories, including Sports, Performing Arts, Content Creation, Entrepreneurship, Unconventional Brilliance, Writing & Poetry, Environmental Stewardship, Debate/Public Speaking/Quizzing, Art, and Community Service & Citizenship.

Like the earlier editions, we are proud to announce our Jury Members who will make up the formidable panel. These celebrated group of professionals will surely bring wealth of experience, expertise and a passion for excellence to the table. Let’s have a look at our Jury Members below!

1. Dr. Jai Ranjan Ram

Dr. Jai Ranjan Ram is a leading psychiatrist with an MD in psychiatry from NIMHANS, Bangalore, an MRCPsych from the UK and CCST in child and adolescent psychiatry. He is also the co-founder of the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) Kolkata.

2. Tanusree Shankar

Danseuse Tanusree Shankar amalgamates traditional Indian dance with modern ballet at the Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts. She received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2011 and has performed all over the world. Thanks to her tireless efforts, the Ananda Shankar Centre has been a cradle for talent through the decades.

3. Bickram Ghosh

Bickram Ghosh, an Indian percussionist renowned for his skills with the tabla, leads the Rhythmscape group and has collaborated with legendary artists such as Ravi Shankar, Amjad Ali Khan and Zakir Hussain. His diverse discography as well as his portfolio of Bengali and Hindi films as music director, reflect his multifaceted contributions to Indian music.

4. Debaditya Chaudhury

Debaditya Chaudhury is an Indian entrepreneur and musician. He founded the Chowman chain of Chinese restaurants in 2010, which has expanded to 29 outlets across Kolkata, Bangalore, and Delhi. Additionally, he co-founded Oudh 1590, specialising in biryani, and Chapter 2, offering continental cuisine with live music. Beyond his culinary ventures, Debaditya is the keyboardist for the Bengali rock band Lakkhichhara.

5. Indrajit Bhalotia

Indrajit Bhalotia, who held the title of India’s youngest professional golfer (at 17), is now the golfing guru of the city. He is the founder of Protouch Sports, passionately training youngsters in golf, advocating the expansion of golf accessibility across India and the introduction of sporting activities in schools.

6. Sujata Sen

Sujata Sen is the CEO of Future Hope, an organisation that works with underprivileged children in Kolkata. Earlier, she was Director East India of the British Council, covering all the states of East and Northeast India for education, English Language training, examinations and the arts. She is the Managing Trustee of KMOMA (Kolkata Museum of Modern Art) and the Director of the Kolkata Literature Festival.

7. Dibyendu Barua

Dibyendu Barua is India’s second chess Grandmaster, achieving the prestigious title in 1991. A formidable player, he has won the National Chess Championship three times. He was honoured with the Arjuna Award, one of India’s highest accolades for sporting excellence. Beyond his achievements as a player, Barua is deeply involved in nurturing the next generation of chess talents. He serves as the director of the Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy, where he mentors aspiring players and promotes chess across the country.

8. Mudar Patherya

Mudar Patherya is the head of Trisys Communications and the head and the heart behind some of the best-loved projects to revive Kolkata. In his own words, he is a waster. He has wasted 62 years of his life pursuing butterflies, besotted with bylanes, quoting Urdu kalaam, cleaning water bodies, lifting garden garbage, writing cricket, ogling decaying buildings and illuminating heritage facades. He wants to transform the destiny of his city even as he writes corporate Balance Sheets and media columns.

9. Sumantra Chattarji

Sumantra Chattarji received his Master’s degree in Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur. He then went on to do a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University and the Salk Institute. After post-doctoral research at Yale University and MIT, he started his laboratory at the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore, India, in 1999.

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