Across India’s fast-growing cities, debates about sustainability often circle around government action, technology, or infrastructure gaps. Yet a quieter force is emerging in this conversation: young citizens who believe the future of their cities should be designed by those who will inherit them. Among them is 17-year-old Aarush Moramchetty from Bangalore, whose work shows how youth activism, scientific research, and urban planning can intersect to create a more livable future.
Aarush’s journey began not in a classroom or a policy forum, but on the streets of his own city. Bangalore’s daily churn of traffic, shrinking walkways, and deteriorating lakes drew his attention long before he had the academic tools to address them. Many teenagers learn to tune out the chaos. Aarush learned to study it.
“Cities tell you what they need if you learn to listen,” he says. “When you see a broken footpath or a dying lake, it’s not a small issue. It’s a sign of how people and nature are being pushed out.”
His early questions soon evolved into deeper curiosity about how cities function, who they serve, and why sustainability must sit at the center of urban design. That curiosity set off a chain of projects that now sit at the intersection of science, civic activism, and public policy.
One of Aarush’s most ambitious efforts has been his research on Bangalore’s Ulsoor Lake, a water body long burdened by pollution. Over more than a decade of data, from 2012 to 2023, he mapped water quality, examined contamination levels, and presented his findings in the International Journal of Applied Environmental Sciences. The study revealed high concentrations of coliform bacteria and signaled an urgent need for intervention. Far from being an academic exercise, the work offered inputs that can feed into policy briefs and lake management plans.
But research was only the beginning. Aarush began experimenting with floating wetlands built from recycled materials, testing how they could absorb heavy metals and revive aquatic biodiversity. In early pilots, these floating systems reduced aluminum pollution by 33 percent. He is now refining them to target other pollutants that threaten urban water ecosystems.
For him, the lakes are not just environmental assets but emotional ones—anchors of culture, history, and everyday life. “A lake reflects the health of a city. Losing it means losing part of who we are,” he says.
His urban activism didn’t stop at the water’s edge. Through a child-friendly streets manifesto presented at the ICSHE conference, Aarush argued that Indian cities must rethink road safety for children in ways that go beyond traffic rules. He highlighted how children interact with space, how footpaths shape independence, and how public areas influence development. His work offered a fresh lens on urban mobility, one that centers the youngest and most vulnerable users of city infrastructure.
A stint in the U.S. expanded his research into transit-oriented development and GIS mapping. By studying over 1,000 homes across four American cities, he demonstrated that proximity to transit increases rent premiums by 7 to 12 percent. The study underscored a larger point: good planning is not just a design exercise but a tool for social and economic equity.
To bring these ideas to a wider youth audience, Aarush runs Investate Education, a YouTube channel where he simplifies planning concepts, sustainability models, and economic tools. The platform has drawn more than 30,000 views and engaged over 500 young learners—evidence that civic awareness among youth is not a niche interest but a growing movement.
His portfolio has earned recognition at home and abroad, including awards in environmental research, economics, and global competitions. A Cabinet Minister in Karnataka has commended his work and issued a recommendation acknowledging his impact on sustainability and social innovation.
At its core, Aarush’s story shows what happens when young citizens view cities not as finished products but as living systems. His work pushes the idea of the “15-minute neighbourhood,” where essentials are close at hand, public spaces feel safe, and the natural environment is woven into everyday life. For a generation that will live through rapid urban change, his message is clear: sustainable cities won’t emerge from policy alone. They will emerge from awareness, participation, and the imagination of those willing to shape them.
In a time when Indian cities are searching for resilience, Aarush represents a growing wave of youth who believe sustainable living isn’t a future dream, it’s a present responsibility.
