“You are not born to just take from the world — You are born to give,” says Delhi-actor Smriti Kalra. Currently, she is the face of the fourth edition of UNICEF’s Noni Johar initiative, which works towards empowering the girl child through education, awareness, and skill-building.
Kalra, became a familiar face in households for her presence in the 2012 TV show Suvreen Guggal – Topper of the Year, that follows the life of a young small town girl navigating Delhi’s complexities, with aspirations of becoming a fashion designer. Later working across genres from television dramas to films like Cash and Kaagaz 2, and various short films.
For the actor, working with UNICEF feels organic rather than symbolic—an extension of who she already is. Long before this formal association, Kalra was actively engaged with animal welfare, rescuing and rehabilitating animals. “Society is not separate from you,” she says. “You are society.” When UNICEF approached her, she didn’t hesitate. “It felt like home ground. These children are not gaining from me. I am gaining so much from them,” she adds.
During her recent visit to Chhattisgarh as part of UNICEF work, Kalra met children from 17 districts, including conflict-affected and Naxalite regions—areas where basic infrastructure is scarce and survival choices are often brutal. For many children she met, even a wide road was a novelty; some had never seen a train. “When you don’t know lack, you don’t know it exists. Being confronted with that reality opens your eyes to your own privilege,” Kalra reflects.
What stayed with her most was their aspiration. “They know education is a ladder out of poverty,” she says. “Not just academic education, but skills, emotional strength, physical awareness. They want to thrive, not just survive.”
While Kalra believes advocacy should remain a choice, she is candid about the responsibility that comes with visibility. “If you have privilege and a platform, why wouldn’t you use it?” she asks. “I choose to use it.” In an age where social media has penetrated even the most remote corners of the country, she believes emotional and mental empowerment is as crucial as access to education. “Whether you are loved or not loved should not define your self-worth,” she says.
Choosing impact
Kalra’s idea of “good work” has never been about scale, money, or visibility. Instead, it is governed by what she calls her personal “happiness index”—a measure shaped by learning, growth, meaningful impact, and joy.
That philosophy has guided her career choices from the very beginning. Long before Suvreen Guggal – Topper of the Year turned her into a household name, Kalra made her acting debut in 2009 in the Zee TV show 12/24 Karol Bagh, playing an underconfident college girl Simi Sethi. For the role Kalra was required to gain significant weight—an unconventional choice for a young woman entering television. “Everybody wants to be presented in a certain way if you are a heroine,” she recalls. “But even then, for me, that was good work because it had an impact. Anything I do should have a meaningful impact. And it should give me joy.”
Years later, while visiting the districts of Chhattisgarh, Kalra encountered children who told her they had continued their education after watching the show. “I was shocked by the reach of television,” she admits. “That’s when you truly understand the power of storytelling.”