Delhi student wins 2026 Diana Award for menstrual health initiative
Aadvik Jain received international recognition for his group Team Period, which works to improve menstrual health awareness and product access.
An 18-year-old Delhi student, Aadvik Jain, has been awarded the 2026 Diana Award for his work with Team Period, according to the Times of India. The award, which recognises young people aged 16 to 25 for humanitarian work and social action, was announced at a virtual ceremony on November 4.
Jain is one of 198 recipients from 44 countries this year, with India having 49 honorees. He started Team Period in 2024 alongside three friends, Shivansh Arora, Aaratrika Jha Anand, and Navya Manglik, following an incident in 2023 where a friend suffered from severe menstrual cramps during exams.
The initiative has conducted workshops, health camps, and awareness campaigns in Delhi, including at government schools and orphanages. The group also installed a sanitary pad dispenser at Jain's school to improve access to menstrual products and is currently discussing making such dispensers available in other schools.
Jain told NPR that the award provides credibility to help the group reach more people and approach sponsors, as it does not include prize money. The team plans to create local chapters and use volunteers who speak various regional languages to expand their reach.
Jain intends to pursue studies in public health and medicine at the University of Bologna in Italy starting in February 2027.