From meeting the Mayor of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Vijayalakshmi Gadwal, to visiting Research and Innovation Circle of Hyderabad (RICH) and dropping by T-Hub too — there's a lot that Karronya Katrynn accomplished in one day as the British Deputy High Commissioner to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on November 25. As a climate change activist, she also learnt a great deal about how she can do more for the environment itself.
It was the one-minute video of her impassioned speech for the cause of climate change that won her the Deputy High Commissioner for a Day competition, organised by the British Deputy High Commission at Hyderabad, which annually gives girls a chance to take on the post to mark the Day of the Girl Child 2021 (October 11). Already a budding actor, winner of a National Award from the former late President Pranab Mukherjee for excellence in seven Indian classical dance forms and folk dance, this honour comes as another jewel in her crown. As the founder of a voluntary organisation, NTS Youth Foundation, she says, "Via my organisation, we use to distribute food and clothes. We would even try to address the mental health issues of the youth by conducting sessions, but now, I am trying to think of how we can work towards the cause of climate change as well," says the 19-year-old and this is the most significant impact being the Deputy High Commissioner for a day has had on this Hyderabadi girl.
While meeting the Mayor of GHMC, Karronya, who is a student pursuing her BA from St Ann's College For Women, Mehdipatnam, requested her to take action against pornographers, another cause she feels strongly against. She even had the chance to visit Hyderabad Metro Rail and meet the lady loco-pilots there, women leaders like the ones from climate tech company Carbon Masters, the founders of HolyWaste, the start-up dealing with floral waste and many more, which really pumped the youngster up. "Meeting women corporate leaders was surely the highlight of my day and I got to learn so much from them," says Karronya.
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One of the most important takeaways for Karronya has been the realisation that a mindset change is needed for every individual to take up the cause of climate change more seriously. "It will require us individually to take up this task and try to take day-to-day measures to mitigate climate change. At least, that's where we begin," she says and concludes.
