Siddhim Upadhyay, 14
Daughter of tribal art curator Diksha and Sanjay Upadhyay, Supreme Court lawyer and founder of India’s first environmental law firm, Enviro Legal Defence Firm
Her name Siddhim, derived from the Srimad Bhagavad Gita, means perfection. The 14-year-old has been trying to be perfect in all areas. She is an avid reader and loves dystopian fiction like Hunger Games and Divergent.
A basketball player, she has been learning classical music since the age of eight. Siddhim wants to be an interior designer when she grows up as she loves to design and build things from scratch. She often helps her mother Diksha, who works with tribal artists, providing them a platform to market their products. “I want to do something like my mother does as that is very creative. My father tells me that I should do everything perfectly,” she says.
Studying in Amity International School, Noida, Siddhim enjoys baking tarts and cupcakes and keeps trying her grandmother’s dessert recipes.
A fun-loving girl, Siddhim loves to hang out on the India Gate lawns with her grandparents and also enjoys short trips to the national parks. Travelling to the hills always excites her, but her trip to Arunachal Pradesh, according to her, was both her worst and best trip. “We went to Arunachal Pradesh and the night we spent was the worst as all kinds of crawling animals were around, but the morning was breathtaking with a beautiful sunrise in the hills and an amazing waterfall with a crystal clear stream of water,” she says with a smile.
In Delhi, she has visited Doll’s Museum, Rail Museum and the Museum of Natural History. She takes a keen interest in architecture and loves Delhi for being a city full of famous monuments.
What does Smart City mean to you?
A Smart City should be on the lines of former President APJ Abdul Kalam’s India Vision 2020 and his book Ideas for the Future.
Do you think Delhi can become a Smart City?
Yes, Delhi can become one as people here are more cooperative and they support government schemes.
Things you like about Delhi.
DLF Mall, Akshardham Temple, Nehru Park’s garden gym, flowers and greenery.
Things you don’t like about the city.
I dont like the traffic jams.
What would you do for Delhi if you were the Chief Minister?
I would open more schools so that all children can go to school and get more teachers in those schools. I would also work to get rid of poverty.