The Paperless Press: Young Changemakers spread Cheer and Hope During COVID Times

Soon after the lockdown began, three 13-year-old students of the Shiv Nadar School, Gurgaon- Agastya, Abhimanyu and Mihir, were talking about all the things around them that were not going so great—the lockdown, being shut off from their friends, newspapers filled with negative news. At first, they decided to start a petition to protest all that was wrong about the situation and its impact on children. But once they started drafting this petition, they realized, why not make this a bigger newsletter?

That is how The Paperless Press was born. They bring out a weekly digest that shares only happy and uplifting information every week, with the aim of bringing a dose of hope to their readers. 

They feature articles that are current and relevant, a “Did You Know” section for interesting facts and pathbreaking news from the world of science, a “Happiness Quotient” bringing the most uplifting news from all over, a weekly sports roundup, a video with the review of a recommended book, and on different weeks, interviews with ‘young changemakers’, a guest column for the culinary section, and much more.

They focus on themes like an equal world, gender equality, the environment, outer space, motivation and inspiration, the Constitution, pets, books, sports, TV and movies, among others. The quality of their articles is top notch and if a reader did not know these were written by children, they would hardly believe it. The articles are as relevant for most adults as they are for an 8-year-old or an older teenager. To give a few examples, they have written about the positive impact of Virat Kohli seeking paternity leave on the way childcare responsibilities are traditionally viewed in society, the interconnection between mythologies across different countries and cultures, on how to find inspiration, and on the pros and cons of the space race, etc. 

What started as an idea to share happiness during the lockdown has inspired them too, and they plan to continue this Weekly Digest for as long as they can. They have received positive feedback from readers of all ages, and that for them is the greatest achievement. They have been going strong for 22 straight weeks (barring the one week when their exams were on). They were interviewed on Facebook by Universe Talkies, and by a company named IGenPod, and by The Joy of Drama. Their articles have been featured on the website of Teenbook.  

When asked how they manage this much work in addition to academic rigour and other school activities, besides also finding time to play and be a teenager, each of them said the same thing. “It does not feel like work or a chore. We love the whole process so much, that we don’t feel like we are spending time on something.” Isn’t this what we adults read about—“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life?” 

When asked why they felt it was important for their work to be read, Abhimanyu said, “we children (less than 18 years of age) make up over one quarter of the world’s population. The decisions that adults who supposedly run the world take every day, have an impact on our lives too. When we see the state of the environment around us, global warming, the state of children all over the world—we want our voices to be heard too.”

Agastya chimes in, “If we look around us, young people have had a major influence on the world in recent times. Whether it is Greta Thunberg or Gitanjali Rao, Time Magazine’s Kid of the Year 2020, the message is clear—we feel, we think, we have a voice, and we can bring about a change, even if it is a small one. So many children have come up with initiatives to help the society especially during this pandemic. We know we are just a drop in the ocean, and every drop counts.”

Mihir adds, “Exactly! The reason we started and then continued with the Weekly Digest is because we ourselves could not bear to be surrounded by negative and upsetting news. Yes, such news will continue in the press, and everyone needs to be aware—but why not also get news that shows us that goodness is still present in the world?” 

That sounds quite intense, but they are regular teenagers! Mihir is passionate about gaming, coding and music—he has been playing the piano since he was 4.5 years old and is completely self-taught. Agastya is an avid debater with a love for reading, writing short stories, public speaking and swimming. His twin brother Abhimanyu is a passionate debater and likes writing poetry, coming up with puns, and fencing.  

Coming up with a newsletter every week is quite a task! Most websites that do the same usually have an expert team handling this. How do the three young boys manage the workload without any disputes? They do have disputes; they say with a smile. They get on to a video call at the start of every week to make a list of potential topics each of them will write an article on. They have also prepared a chart of responsibilities for each aspect of the Weekly Digest.  

They hope to spread some joy in the lives of their readers and add just a little extra light to everyone's lives. They promote free and fun news, for everyone, and believe in 'Saving paper, one article at a time’. 

(Their website is: thepaperlesspress.net. Instagram: @thepaperlesspress)