Akanksha Balha, Ph.D.

I attribute my success to perseverance and a strong sense of purpose. I have always aspired to do something meaningful for society, and this sense of purpose keeps me going, even when challenges seem overwhelming.

Faith has also played a significant role in my journey. I strongly believe in the power of prayer and in destiny. During my childhood, my parents instilled in me two important values: first, God helps those who help themselves, and second, do your duty to the best of your ability without being attached to a particular outcome. I have tried to live by these principles ever since. I believe that sincere efforts eventually yield good results, and I leave the rest to God, in whom I have immense faith. I trust that if something is truly meaningful for me, my family, or society, God will guide and help me make it happen.

Whenever a situation seems hopeless, I remind myself that it is always darkest before dawn and that many people give up just when they are on the verge of overcoming their challenges. This thought gives me the courage to persevere. I have also learned that, during difficult times, it is the small but consistent steps that eventually make a big difference.

I am equally grateful for the people who have been part of my journey. I thank God for His blessings and am deeply appreciative of the support of my teachers, colleagues, friends, and family. My parents have always encouraged my educational aspirations and never denied me the opportunity to pursue what I wanted to learn. My mother, in particular, would prepare my favourite dishes during stressful periods at work. Being a big foodie, I can confidently say that good food has always been one of my simplest sources of happiness! Both my younger sisters have also kept me motivated through their constant encouragement and their own special sense of humour.

Above all, I am immensely grateful to my husband. He has always made me believe that marriage and motherhood need not place boundaries on my aspirations. He encourages me to dream big and supports every dream I share with him, going out of his way to help me achieve it. I am equally grateful to my little 18-month-old daughter, who, in her own adorable way, has been a wonderful source of support. She accompanies me joyfully to events, without fuss, and happily enjoys her time with her father whenever I am away for work, allowing me to fulfil my professional commitments without worry. Their love, understanding, and support give me the strength and freedom to pursue my aspirations while cherishing my responsibilities as a wife and mother.

There are two pieces of advice that I consider equally important and would like to share.

The first came from one of my advisors. To follow your dreams, giving them your best possible effort, irrespective of how difficult the journey might be. And if things do not work out as planned, that is perfectly okay. There is always a Plan B. At least, you will never have to live with the regret of not having tried.

I have experienced this myself. During my college days, I aspired to pursue a particular path and gave it my best effort, but I could not achieve what I had set out to do. It was heartbreaking at the time. Pursuing a PhD eventually became my Plan B, and I thoroughly enjoyed that journey. It also shaped my career in ways I could not have imagined back then. Looking back, I feel that those disappointments and seemingly unsuccessful attempts were important milestones that eventually led me to where I am today, both professionally and personally. I am genuinely happy with where life has brought me, and I am grateful for the journey, including the setbacks along the way. So, my advice would be to follow your instincts and pursue your dreams wholeheartedly. Even if things do not work out as planned, the journey may lead you to opportunities and destinations you never imagined, perhaps even to where you are meant to be.

The second piece of advice, which comes from my husband, is equally important: maintain a healthy work-life balance. Take care of your health, nurture a positive mindset, and stay connected to the personal relationships that bring happiness and positivity into your life. Professional success means little if it comes at the cost of your physical or mental well-being. After all, good health and a sound state of mind are essential not only to enjoying success but also to sustaining it in the long run.

My advice to young women entering this field is to remain deeply passionate about the work they do. Passion is the fuel that will keep your fire burning, especially on the darkest and most challenging days.

An entrepreneurial journey is never a straight line. There will be days when everything goes according to plan, days when wonderful things happen beyond your imagination, and, of course, days when nothing seems to work. There will be moments when you feel completely demotivated and question whether you should continue at all. But it is your ability to hold on, persevere, and keep moving forward during those difficult moments that truly defines you as an entrepreneur. This holds true not just for entrepreneurship but for pursuing any dream in life.

Stay true to your goals and aspirations, and give them the priority they deserve, just as you do your closest relationships. At the same time, never compromise on your peace of mind. Always remember that you matter, and so does your voice. Never let anyone else dictate your choices or make decisions on your behalf. Believe in yourself and your abilities. You are capable of achieving far more than you may imagine, provided you have the courage to pursue what you truly desire.

Equally important is the company you keep. Surround yourself with the right people—those who encourage you, believe in you, challenge you to grow, and stand by you during difficult times. Your immediate environment and the people closest to you have a tremendous influence on your mindset, confidence, and journey.

Finally, do not be afraid of failure or adversity. Embrace challenges as opportunities to learn, grow, and become stronger. Remember, calm seas never made skilled sailors.

So far, we have realized that our biggest challenge is awareness among children and parents. Since geospatial science is not widely taught in schools, many families are unaware of its importance, scope, and also exciting career possibilities. People are often fascinated when we introduce them to the subject and demonstrate its applications. However, because it is not part of the conventional school curriculum, they do not always recognize it as an essential area of learning. The encouraging part is that several organizations have expressed interest in collaborating with us and offering our programs to their students. We hope these partnerships will help generate curiosity and awareness among children and, indirectly, their parents.

Another challenge is the common misconception that geospatial science is limited to reading maps or that satellite imagery is merely about the weather maps we see on television. In reality, it is a vast and dynamic field that brings together disciplines such as remote sensing, which uses satellite and aerial data, geographic information systems (GIS), and cartography. These technologies enable us to investigate a wide range of environmental and societal challenges: changes in surface water and groundwater availability, the factors contributing to floods and droughts, and the changing land surface temperatures of cities, along with possible ways to mitigate urban heat. Children can even explore how a particular place has transformed over several decades and investigate the factors responsible for those changes.

Geospatial science is also deeply embedded in our everyday lives, often without us realizing it. It is behind the technology that tracks your running route, helps deliver hurricane and cyclone warnings, and enables a delivery app to bring an order to your doorstep. Online delivery, for instance, involves much more than simply knowing latitude and longitude. It relies on sophisticated location intelligence, route optimization, and navigation technologies. In fact, location-based technologies and route optimization form the backbone of several major businesses.

At Young GeoPioneers, we offer a range of programs, including a curriculum-based weekly club and hands-on training using geospatial technologies and devices. We are at a very early stage of our entrepreneurial journey and we recognize that building awareness and establishing geospatial science as an important area of enrichment learning among families will take time.

However, that is also the opportunity that excites me the most: nurturing a generation of children—from elementary through high school—who understand geospatial science and its real-world technological applications well before they enter college. I envision a future in which children are not merely consumers of location-based technologies but also understand the science, innovation, and possibilities behind them. With organizations already expressing interest in collaborating with us, I am optimistic about the road ahead and excited to turn the vision of Young GeoPioneers into reality.

Honesty is the most important value to me, in both my professional and personal life.

In my professional life, I value a strong work ethic, built on respect, trust, diligence, zeal and perseverance, along with a positive mindset and a healthy work-life balance. These values help me stay strong and focused and keep me moving forward, especially in challenging times.

In my personal life, my foundation is family, faith and continuously working on myself. They keep me motivated, both at work and at home.