Licypriya Kangujam: Difference between revisions

Licypriya started advocating against climate change in July 2018.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=LicypriyaK |number=1221628420611698689 |title=Dear Media, Stop calling me "Greta of India". ... |access-date=13 May 2020|author=Licypriya Kangujam |date=27 Jan 2020 |link=https://twitter.com/LicypriyaK/status/1221628420611698689 }}</ref> On 21 June 2019, inspired by Greta Thunberg, Licypriya started spending a week outside the Indian parliament House to draw the attention of Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] to pass a climate change law in India.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scoopwhoop.com/news/7-year-old-climate-change-parliament-pm-modi/ |title=A 7-Year-Old Takes Stand Near The Parliament Urging PM Modi To Pass The Climate Change Law |newspaper=[[ScoopWhoop]] |date=22 June 2019 |access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.poknapham.in/daily/english/4694 |title=Angola backs Licypriya's green world campaign |newspaper=[[Poknapham]] |date=24 September 2019 |access-date=24 September 2019 |archive-date=2021-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209171423/https://www.poknapham.in/daily/english/4694 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-seven-year-old-becomes-the-youngest-green-activist-2789383 |title=Seven-year-old becomes the youngest green activist |newspaper=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |date=9 September 2019 |access-date=9 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/mirror-now/society/article/aged-7-licypriya-kangujam-stands-outside-parliament-to-urge-prime-minister-mps-to-pass-climate-change-law/441304 |title=Aged 7, Licypriya Kangujam stands outside Parliament to urge Prime Minister, MPs to pass climate change law |newspaper=[[Mirror Now]] |date=22 June 2019 |access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref>

Licypriya Kangujam was born on 2 October 2011 in Bashikhong, [[Manipur]], India, the eldest daughter of Kanarjit Kangujam and Bidyarani Devi Kangujam Ongbi,<ref>{{Cite web |title=About – Licypriya Kangujam |url=https://www.licypriyakangujam.com/about/ |access-date=2022-08-26 |language=en-US}}</ref> in a family of [[Meitei ethnicity]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richards |first=Lauren |date=2022-12-06 |title='Another World Is Possible': Interview With 11-Year-Old Climate Activist Licypriya Kangujam |url=https://impakter.com/another-world-is-possible-interview-with-11-year-old-climate-activist-licypriya-kangujam/ |access-date=2023-02-26 |website=Impakter |language=en-US |quote=Licypriya Kangujam: I belong to a small indigenous community in India called the Meitei...}}</ref> When she was seven,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Time for action before it's too late: 7-year-old award-winning Indian climate activist |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/time-for-action-before-it-s-too-late-7-year-old-award-winning-indian-climate-activist-1597294-2019-09-09 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> she began raising her voice to combat [[climate change]] and disaster risk reduction.

Licypriya donated her savings of Rupees 100,000 to the [[List of chief ministers of Kerala|Chief Minister of Kerala]] [[Pinarayi Vijayan]] on 24 August 2018 to help the child victims of the massive [[2018 Kerala floods]]. Two years later she received an acknowledgement letter from the Kerala government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.saarcyouth.org/licypriya-kangujam-donated-to-support-million-of-victim-children-of-kerala-massive-flood-in-2018/|title=Licypriya Kangujam Donated ₹1,00,000 to Kerala Government to Support Victim Children of Kerala Massive Flood in 2018 but Acknowledged after almost 2 Years|newspaper=Saarcyouth.org|date=22 October 2019|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=2021-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210928084038/http://www.saarcyouth.org/licypriya-kangujam-donated-to-support-million-of-victim-children-of-kerala-massive-flood-in-2018/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Licypriaya attended the UNESCO Partners' Forum 2019 (Biennial Luanda) in [[Luanda]], Angola, invited by UNESCO, the African Union and the government of Angola. She spoke on climate change along with Angolan President [[João Lourenço]], Mali President [[Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta]], Malawi President [[Hage Geingob]], President of the [[Republic of the Congo]] [[Denis Sassou Nguesso]], First Lady of Angola [[Ana Dias Lourenço]], First Lady of [[Namibia]] [[Monica Geingos]], 2018 [[Nobel Peace Prize]] Laureate [[Denis Mukwege]], [[UNESCO]] Director General [[Audrey Azoulay]], Deputy Prime Minister of [[Guinea]] [[François Lonseny Fall]] and culture ministers of Africa.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://en.unesco.org/events/biennale-luanda-pan-african-forum-culture-peace |title=Biennale of Luanda - Pan-African Forum for the culture of peace |website=[[UNESCO]] |date=20 September 2019 |access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref><ref name="au.int">{{cite news |url=https://au.int/en/newsevents/20190918/biennal-luanda-pan-african-forum-culture-peace |title=Biennale of Luanda: Pan-African Forum for the Culture of Peace |website=[[African Union]] |date=20 September 2019 |access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://indiaeducationdiary.in/licypriya-kangujam-met-with-the-president-of-namibia/ |title=Licypriya Kangujam met with The President of Namibia |newspaper=India Education Diary |date=20 September 2019 |access-date=20 September 2019 |archive-date=2020-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926151041/https://indiaeducationdiary.in/licypriya-kangujam-met-with-the-president-of-namibia/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://realtime.rediff.com/news/india/Licypriya-draws-attention-of-world-leaders-on-her-maiden-climate-change-movement-in-Angola/ea169cddc93b6466 |title=Licypriya draws attention of world leaders on her maiden climate change movement in Angola |newspaper=[[Rediff Realtime]] |date=20 September 2019 |access-date=20 September 2019}}</ref>

On 4 October 2019, Licypriya brought out a symbolic device called SUKIFU (Survival Kit for the Future) to curb air pollution. SUKIFU is an almost zero budget kit designed from trash to provide fresh air to breathe when pollution is bad. This wearable plant is a recognition of the Green Movement for air pollution. Anybody can build up this concept at home from by recycling trash to instill fresh air directly into the lungs. Licypriya launched it in front of the Punjab and Haryana Legislative Assembly House. She drew the attention of the leaders to find urgent solutions to address the crisis of air pollution in the Delhi and [[National Capital Region]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pragativadi.com/licypriya-kangujam-launches-solution-to-curb-air-pollution/ |title=Licypriya Kangujam launches solution to curb air pollution |newspaper=[[Pragativadi]] |date=4 Nov 2019 |access-date=4 Nov 2019 |archive-date=2020-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406224317/https://pragativadi.com/licypriya-kangujam-launches-solution-to-curb-air-pollution/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://theshillongtimes.com/2019/11/05/8-yr-olds-solution-to-tackle-air-pollution/ |title=8 yr olds solution to tackle air pollution |newspaper=[[Pragativadi]] |date=5 Nov 2019 |access-date=5 Nov 2019}}</ref>

Licypriya addressed global gatherings on Earth Day 2020 at [[Washington, D.C.]], United States. The event was virtual, due to the outbreak of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. She was featured with 50 other global leaders, influencers, celebrities, athletes and musicians, including [[Pope Francis]], [[Sylvia Earle]], [[Denis Hayes]], [[Bill McKibben]], Global Advisory Committee Member [[Albert II, Prince of Monaco|Albert II]] (Prince of Monaco), [[Alexandria Villaseñor]], [[Al Gore]], [[Patricia Espinosa]], [[Christiana Figueres]], [[Michelle Dilhara]], [[Jerome Foster II]], [[John Kerry]], [[Thomas Lovejoy]], [[Ed Begley Jr.]], [[Zac Efron]], [[Anil Kapoor]], [[Van Jones]], Ricky Keij, [[Paul Nicklen]] and [[Alex Honnold]], giving a message of hope to fight the ongoing climate crisis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citybeat.com/arts-culture/blog/21129541/join-celebrities-musicians-activists-and-the-pope-for-an-alldigital-earth-day|title=Join Celebrities, Musicians, Activists and the Pope for an All-Digital Earth Day and 24 Hours of Action |website=[[Cincinnati CityBeat]]|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citybeat.com/arts-culture/blog/21129541/join-celebrities-musicians-activists-and-the-pope-for-an-alldigital-earth-day|title=Join Celebrities, Musicians, Activists and the Pope for an All-Digital Earth Day and 24 Hours of Action |website=[[Condé Nast Traveller]]|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-02-09}}</ref>

Licypriya has been campaigning to make lessons in climate change mandatory in schools, and in response the government of the Indian state of [[Gujarat]] has included climate change in school education.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0828z5f|title=BBC World Service - BBC OS, BBC OS, How I became an 8-year-old climate activist|website=BBC|date=4 February 2020 |language=en-GB|access-date=2020-02-09}}</ref>

=== COP28 ===

On 11 December 2023, at [[2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference]] (COP28), Licypriya walked on to the main stage of the conference, holding up a sign, "End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future.", and giving a brief speech. She was given a round of applause before being removed from the session by security personnel. According to Licypriya, she was banned from further participation in COP28.<ref name="NDTV_Indian_protester_12">{{cite Q|Q123760920|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Recognition==

Licypriya was honored with the title "Rising Star" by the [[Earth Day]] Network headquarters based in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="My life">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-51399721|title=India climate activist Licypriya Kangujam on why she took a stand|work=[[BBC News]]|date=6 February 2020|access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/south-asia/one-year-on-child-climate-activist-8-continues-strike-outside-indian-parliament|title=One year on, child climate activist, 8, continues strike outside Indian parliament|publisher=[[The Straits Times]]|date=6 February 2020|access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/this-7-yr-old-girl-stood-near-parliament-urging-pm-narendra-modi-to-pass-the-climate-change-law-now-369694.html|title=This 7-Yr-Old Girl Stood Near Parliament Urging PM Narendra Modi To Pass The Climate Change Law Now|work=[[The Times of India]]|access-date=19 June 2019}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

In a report by ''[[The Times of India]]'' in June 2021, it was revealed that someofLicypriya's awards{{which|date=December 2023}} were given to her by her father's organisations.<ref name="The Times of India">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/is-indias-greta-thunberg-a-pawn-in-the-hands-of-an-unscrupulous-father/articleshow/83277443.cms|url-access=subscription|title = Is India's Greta Thunberg a pawn in the hands of an unscrupulous father?|website = [[The Times of India]]}}</ref> Her father Kanarjit Kangujam Singh was arrested on 31 May 2021 for allegedly duping several self-help groups, hotels and individuals of money for a Global Youth Meet that he had organised in Imphal in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Mohua Das|date=May 31, 2021|title=On the run since 2016, child activist Licypriya Kangujam's father arrested from Delhi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/on-the-run-since-2016-child-activist-licypriya-kangujams-father-arrested-from-delhi/articleshow/83117778.cms|access-date=2021-06-05|website=[[The Times of India]]|language=en}}</ref> Nearly a hundred children from 12 countries claim Kanarjit Kangujam scammed them.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Is the Father of 'India's Greta Thunberg' Scamming Other Child Activists?|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/5db9yk/licypriya-father-of-indias-greta-thunberg-arrest-scam|access-date=2021-06-05|website=www.vice.com|date=2 June 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

*[http://www.saarcyouth.org/licypriya-kangujam-biography-the-youngest-face-of-climate-change-movement-in-the-world/ Licypriya Kangujam on South Asian Youth Summit] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426170740/http://www.saarcyouth.org/licypriya-kangujam-biography-the-youngest-face-of-climate-change-movement-in-the-world/ |date=2021-04-26 }}

* [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/is-indias-greta-thunberg-a-pawn-in-the-hands-of-an-unscrupulous-father/articleshow/83277443.cms Licypriya Kangujam on fake award controversy]