When Bhavish Adwani kickstarted EcoYouth, little did he know his initiative will snowball into a movement that has till now donated over five hundred food boxes and has facilitated over three hundred limb donations. We caught up with Bhavesh to lean the story that started it all.

1. What was the moment that made you realise you wanted to create an impact beyond academics and career goals?

I was never a studious student purely focused on academics or career goals. The desire to create impact was something that came from within. From a young age, I always felt a strong urge to try and make a difference, even in small ways, and over time, that passion slowly grew into something much bigger.

2. EcoYouth started as a student initiative — did you ever imagine it would grow into a foundation impacting hundreds of lives?

To be very honest, when I started EcoYouth in 2018, I thought it would simply remain a student club for 3–4 years and maybe it would continue if juniors were interested in carrying it forward. Never did I imagine that I would continue EcoYouth even after graduation.
However, after graduating and returning home to Jakarta, where I already had NGO partnerships and connections, I realised I had both the time and the passion to continue building something meaningful. EcoYouth had become something very close to my heart — it felt like my legacy. That was when I decided to officially transition it into the EcoYouth Foundation.
Today, I personally oversee the operations, marketing, partnerships, and planning of various drives. From time to time, close friends and volunteers also join in to support different initiatives.

3. What is the one experience during your SP Jain Global journey that changed your perspective on leadership or service?

One of the biggest lessons I learned during my BBA journey was that leadership is not about titles — it is about responsibility, consistency, and the ability to inspire others to work towards a shared vision.
At SP Jain Global, I was surrounded by incredibly talented and driven individuals who managed to balance academics, leadership positions, internships, and social lives simultaneously. Seeing fellow student leaders successfully manage multiple responsibilities taught me that passion and discipline can coexist. It changed my perspective on service because I realised impact is not created by one person alone — it comes from collaboration, networks, and communities working together.

4. Many students feel they need “more time” or “more resources” to make a difference. What would you say to them?

I believe that if you truly have the will, self-motivation, and passion to make a difference, you will always find the time.
As Dr Nitin Patwa, Deputy Director of Undergraduate Programs (Dubai), beautifully mentioned in his article, our batch set a strong example where many of the brightest students were simultaneously leading multiple clubs while still balancing academics, internships, and social lives. That showed me that impact is possible when passion drives you.
In terms of resources, people often overestimate how much is required to start an initiative. Today, with platforms like Canva and AI-powered design tools, anyone can create awareness campaigns, posters, and outreach content with little to no financial investment. What matters more is consistency, creativity, and the willingness to start.
Equally important is guidance and networking. My biggest guides were my peers, fellow club leaders, professors, and team members because we all learned from one another. In the beginning, your biggest supporters and donors will usually be your friends and family. But once people begin seeing the impact you create and you consistently share your initiatives across platforms, support naturally starts growing.
Another milestone that stayed close to my heart was a visit to Singapore a few years ago, where Prof Golo Weber, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs (Singapore), shared that the Sustainability Club had been named “EcoYouth” to celebrate the legacy our team had created. That moment made me realise the impact we created extended far beyond just events or activities — it became something that inspired future students as well.

5. Out of all the initiatives you’ve led, which one has stayed with you the most and why?[

I would say the limb donation initiative has stayed with me the most because it was the very first major social initiative that I became involved with.
Listening to the stories of patients who lost limbs due to accidents, illnesses, or difficult life circumstances can be incredibly emotional. However, at the same time, there is immense joy in seeing the happiness on their faces — and on their families’ faces — when they are finally able to walk again with an artificial limb or regain movement with an artificial arm.
Seeing someone regain independence, return to work, support their family again, or pursue their dreams once more is something that is very difficult to put into words. Those moments remind me why initiatives like these truly matter. We had realised after each semester a lot of students tend to leave behind clothes that are still in good condition due to weight restrictions when boarding flights, and so we decided to do a clothes donation drive where students can drop off their used clothes in a box on campus, and then a bunch of us would sort them out, and then we would donated them to the Emirates Red Crescent.
The core team of EcoYouth was kindly invited for lunch by one of our guest speakers Dr Sanjay Tolani & his wife. Dr Sanjay Tolani is a financial strategist, international legacy advisor, and a 20-year member of the Million Dollar Round Table – The Premier Association of Financial Professionals.
He was kind enough to come to the Dubai campus where he hosted a round table discussion and shared his business experience, and students had an opportunity to share their business ideas and get his insights.

6. What does success mean to you today?[

Today, success for me is no longer defined by titles, grades, or financial achievements alone. Success is defined by how many lives I am able to positively impact and improve.
So far, EcoYouth has:
- Distributed 560 food boxes through Anna Seva initiatives
- Helped facilitate 338 limb donations, with 5 more scheduled this month
- Donated 52 wheelchairs to those in need
As of this month, EcoYouth has also initiated a continuous partnership with the Saraswati Learning Centre to help raise funds for the education and therapy of children with special needs. For me, true success lies in creating sustainable impact and leaving behind a legacy that continues helping people long after us.

About the author

Bhavish Adwani is our BBA graduate of 2022 and the founder of the transformative EcoYouth Foundation.

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