Souhardya De
A teenage writer from West Bengal who earned India's highest youth honor for his sharp political commentary and historical work commissioned by the government.
Born 2004 (age 22)·Indian author and columnist·Birthday: January 9·Generation Z
Biography
Souhardya De emerged from Midnapore, West Bengal, as a literary voice while still in his teens. His writing, which blends political economy with cultural commentary, quickly found a national platform. In 2021, his impact was formally recognized with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, a prestigious award for young Indians. His academic journey took him to the University of Bristol as a Think Big scholar, while his intellectual pursuits in political economy were further honed as a Don Lavoie Fellow at the Mercatus Center. De's significance was underscored when the Indian government selected him as one of the young authors to commemorate the figure of Lal Pratap Singh for the nation's 75th Independence Day anniversary, entrusting him with shaping the narrative of a historical moment for a new generation.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Souhardya was born in 2004, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Souhardya Was Born
The biggest hits of 2004
#1 Movie
Shrek 2
Best Picture
Million Dollar Baby
#1 TV Show
American Idol
Souhardya's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2004Born
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2009Started school
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2017Became a teenager
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2020Could drive
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2022Could vote
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2025Turned 21
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 22 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, India's highest civilian honor for citizens under 18, in 2021.
- Commissioned by the Government of India to author a work commemorating Lal Pratap Singh for the 75th anniversary of Independence.
- Selected as a Don Lavoie Fellow in political economy at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.
- Earned a Think Big scholarship to study at the University of Bristol.
Did You Know?
He shares his surname 'De' with a notable Bengali literary family, though a direct relation is not widely documented.
His work on Lal Pratap Singh focuses on a lesser-known figure from the Indian independence movement.
He was a teenager when he received the national award, placing him among the youngest recipients.
“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door.”
