Tufts junior nominated to Forbes 30 Under 30 list

Sharad Sagar, CEO and founder of the non-profit Dexterity Global, was nominated for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list this fall.Sagar, a junior, founded Dexterity Global in 2008 with the goal of democratizing education and making it accessible for all children in South Asia.

The mission of Dexterity Global is to "connect every single kid with a real time stream of opportunities, an effective set of scholastic and co-curricular platforms, and an efficient support system which would enable them to achieve their full potential and solve some of the world's most challenging problems," according to its website.

Many of Sagar’s peers and followers have voiced their support for him and his project by nominating him for the 30 Under 30 list and by using the #my30under30 hashtag on Facebook.

"I’ve never met someone more driven towards achieving their goals than Sharad, and I greatly respect him for that," junior Obaid Farooqui said. “It didn’t surprise me at all that he was nominated.”

Before founding the non-profit, Sagar grew up in Bihar, India, which he described as an impoverished state with a weak school system. Homeschooled until he was 12, Sagar said he was disenchanted by the lack of resources available to students.

“I had imagined what school would be like, and I was fascinated by the idea of it," he said. "But when I finally attended school, I was disappointed by what I saw.”

Sagar searched for different opportunities to challenge himself and became involved with various organizations, such as the Youth Assembly at the United Nations. In an effort to maximize the opportunities of children in similar situations, he founded his first non-profit, We Aim High, in 2006 when he was 13 years old.

Sagar said that he and his team tried to enact change with a number of different projects, but they soon realized that bringing about change demanded action at more than just the local level.

“Dexterity [Global] was born out of the frustration of not being able to create a lasting impact,” he said. “There came a time when we realized that in order to make our cause large-scale, we needed to empower millions of students.”

Sagar explained that in 2007, he and his team visited 25 government schools in India while trying to decide on their next course of action. On their tour, they found shabby buildings with tattered books and were inspired to create an alternative system.

Thus, in 2008, Dexterity Global was born.

"The idea was to create a global platform through which children would have access to a variety of opportunities," he said. "We knew that it would have a global impact because information isn’t just given to one person; it can be accessed by many people in different places.”

Since its founding, Dexterity Global has reached over 2.5 million students and provided them with educational and extracurricular activities both online and directly in their classrooms, Sagar noted. 

“We believe that if there is a grade six student who loves science but doesn’t know about [the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's] youth contests, then he is missing out," he explained. "Children miss out because they are not connected enough. We solve this by creating platforms for each child that will cater directly to advancing their skill sets and providing them with relevant information.”

According to Sagar, while Dexterity Global is very popular now, it was initially difficult for him and his team to convince schools and parents that a problem existed.

“People think their job is done when their kids are in school," he said. "But they don’t ask their kids about how much stage time they get and if they get any hands-on or leadership experience.”

After the team was finally allowed to work with a few schools, it became apparent that the organization would improve children’s educational experience, according to Sagar. By 2012, Dexterity Global had gained enough traction to open the Dexterity School of Public Speaking, Leadership, and Entrepreneurship. Open to middle school and high school students, the school emphasizes hands-on learning by bringing in TED fellows and other experts to teach students. Sagar noted that students graduate as well-informed individuals who are prepared to pursue their own ventures.

Dexterity Global has received a number of accolades so far, including being named one of the 100 most innovative social impact ventures by the Rockefeller Foundation in March 2013. Alumni of the program have won prestigious competitions, such as the UNESCO Clubs Youth Multimedia award. However, Sagar said he still feels that there is a tremendous amount of work to be done.

“In 10 years, I hope to have created not just a successful organization, but also a movement," he explained. "The democratization of education should become a global movement in every way possible.”

Senior AbdurRehman Rashid expressed his support for Sagar and his work.

"The most inspiring thing about Sharad is his humility and his passion for that work," he said. "His work brings out the potential in people who don’t know that they can achieve at a higher level.”

Sophomore Musa Bukhari agreed, underscoring his commitment to Sagar's project.

“I’ve been supporting Sharad’s cause since long before his 30 Under 30 nomination," he said. "The way he has implemented his model is very pragmatic, and it has worked very well so far. If his model is implemented on a larger scale, it’s bound to revolutionize the education system in South Asia.”

The final 30 Under 30 list will be released in December. Regardless of the result, the project will move onward, according to Sagar. 

“I’m very happy for my team and the board and everyone who champions Dexterity [Global's] vision," he said. "I don’t run the organization. Kids who get an education -- they champion it. Schools that encourage their students to seek out opportunities, they champion it. Yes, I am the CEO and founder, and I’m happy and very thankful. But my task is not to win awards. The greatest award is making democratization possible and creating the movement.”