Karuna Rana

Karuna Rana is a Mauritian environmental activist, social entrepreneur, and community organizer. In 2018 she began pursuing a Masters Degree in Environmental and Energy Policy from Michigan Tech through the Fulbright Scholarship Program.

Rana entered the program following a background overseeing and managing the environmental impact of various local corporations. In addition to her work in Mauritius, she has influenced global change through her work with organizations like One Young World and the United Nations Environment Programme. In her pursuit of environmental protection, Rana has lobbied multiple governments and allowed for the inclusion of youths within UN negotiations.

A crucial aspect of Karuna’s work is the connecting, inspiring, and involvement of young people around the world to help drive and affect change. Karuna is one of the founders and current leaders of the non-profit SYAH. This youth-led organization spreads environmentally sustainable practices and awareness in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) throughout Africa and Asia. SYAH has been able to spread awareness of climate change and ways to combat it in these nations with limited resources and infrastructure.

Looking toward the future, Rana has demonstrated an interest in policy making, a career she is familiar with through her lobbying work. By getting more directly involved, she hopes to create future environmental protection policies vital to the well-being of Mauritius.