I'm Aaditya Sengupta Dhar, a Mumbai-based teenager, author, and the founder of Project Kahaani.

My first ‘book’ was a handwritten, stapled encyclopedia of ancient civilizations I wrote when I was eight, and seeing it displayed in the school library motivated me to keep writing. I wrote my first fantasy novel, Secret Tails (2018), when I was ten. My next novel, Legend of the Broken Blade (2022), was acclaimed as one of the ‘Top 15 must-read books of 2023’ by The Morning Standard. 

I aspire to use my writing and storytelling skills to make a positive difference. My 2020 eBook, Underdogs, raised awareness of the importance of helping underprivileged children unleash their potential, with sales proceeds donated to Save The Children India. My 2021 book, Back from the Brink, was based on research funded by a micro-grant I won from MIT Solv[ED] and highlighted the issue of urban animal extinction and how we can make a difference through simple, everyday steps. I sharpened my understanding of the SDGs and community impact through an internship at UNICEF. My book Teen’s Guide to Saving the World (2023) inspires teens to create a positive impact in their communities and won Silver at the Non-Fiction Book Awards in the US, Silver at the Readers' Favorite Awards, and was a Top 3 Finalist at the Teen Readers' Choice Awards in the US. 

I combined my passion for writing, history, and mythology to write my latest novel Kaalchakra (2024), an Amazon bestseller, which aims to make modern Indian youth feel that while we live in a globalized world, we should take pride in our cultural roots and heritage. A short story on this theme won a Gold Finalist Award at the prestigious Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition in 2023, and my essay on civilizational collapse won a High Commendation at the prestigious John Locke Essay Contest.

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My passion for connecting what we can learn from our past to create a better future led me to explore the linkages between ancient Indian history and philosophy and the modern economy through my Vedanomics column on BWBusinessworld and Vedanomics Podcast on Spotify.

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I also intern as Commissioning Editor at Fair Observer, a leading US-based citizen journalism outlet, curating and creating content related to South Asian History and Politics.

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When I'm not writing, I can be found working on my schoolwork, following Cricket with a passion, and practicing Karate, in which I hold a black belt. 

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For my efforts in making a positive impact through my writing, I was humbled to be conferred with the Young Achievers' Award in 2024, a national recognition for young changemakers in India.