Indian-American actor and ‘Mean Girls’ star Avantika Vandanapu was named the South Asian Person of the Year by Harvard University on 10 April.
“I would like to say that I am so humbled also to be here because I think that you know receiving a person of the year award is insane but also from my perspective the people of this year have truly been the people of color, and our brothers and sisters who are fighting at the front lines for our people in Gaza and I would like to dedicate this award to them because I think they are who are keeping our world free from injustice, oppression and so much violence and so I’m dedicating this to them and to our humanitarian leaders and to the people we lost this week from the World Central Kitchen…,” she said in her award acceptance speech.
The 19-year-old was recognised for her outstanding achievements and impact on both the international and Indian entertainment industries.
She said: “Being honoured by such a prestigious institution as Harvard University is truly humbling and incredibly motivating. This award not only acknowledges my efforts but also underscores the significance of narratives transcending borders and the crucial role of Indian representation in global media.”
Born to a Telugu family from Hyderabad, Vandanapu has featured in several Hollywood projects like ‘Mean Girls’, ‘Spin’, and ‘Senior Years’ and also debuted in Indian OTT series ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’.
