Nikhil Taneja is a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, writer, producer, storyteller, teacher, public speaker and mental health advocate. He’s the co-founder and CEO of Yuvaa, a purpose-driven youth media, research and impact organisation that works on creating socially conscious content and starting meaningful conversations among and about Indian youth, particularly on mental health and gender. He has travelled with Yuvaa to over 30 Indian cities and over 100 campuses to talk on storytelling, mental health and gender sensitivity.
Nikhil also serves on the Global Advisory Board of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations’ event and community, Goalkeepers and is among 10 people in the world selected for this position. Goalkeepers is a community of emerging and established leaders from across the world that work on accelerating progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. He won the Goalkeepers Youth Action Accelerator Award in 2019 for his work on documenting the mental health and identity issues of India’s Gen Z.
Having been in the Indian media & entertainment industry for over decade now, Nikhil has been responsible for the biggest hits in the digital space at Y-Films (including Bang Baaja Baaraat), the youth wing of Yash Raj Films, where he headed development & production and was part of the team that won the Cannes Grand Prix Glass Lion in 2016 for The 6 Pack Band. He has previously been with Viacom18 Digital, MTV India & Hindustan Times, but has found most joy in teaching at Jai Hind College for over seven years.
Since 2018, he is the Festival Creative Director of the India Film Project, India’s largest youth film festival, that gets a footfall of over 10,000 people and has over 50 conversations with the biggest youth Icons of India including Ayushmann Khurrana, Vicky Kaushal, Bhuvan Bam, Prajakta Koli, Mithila Palkar, and many more. He has also been a consultant on Girl Effect, a Nike-Powered international non-profit, is a TV critic on 94.3 Radio One, and hosted a YouTube show for Film Companion called ‘The Awesome TV Show’. He works across film, digital, TV, advertising, print, radio and teaching in any capacity that gives him happiness and meaning.
Nikhil consults and advises on content, youth and gives workshops & talks on storytelling & mental health across India, in campuses and in corporate organisations. He is always looking for opportunities to consult, teach, give talks/workshops & work on youth, storytelling, mental health and impact.
