Eight-year-old Karan Dravid is more than what meets the eye. He speaks like a statesman, extempore, that is.

Highly vocal about his concerns for the underprivileged, he is proud of being a teacher to the tribals. No guesses why he is the youngest social ambassador of Indian Leprosy Foundation, an NGO committed to health, education, rural development and leprosy elimination.

 A student of  Kendriya Vidyalaya, MEG, Bangalore, Karan helps the underprivileged, the old, the tribals, HIV/AIDS victims and leprosy patients. Karan explains, “IDF is a programme for underprivileged people.” Ask him who the ‘underprivileged’ is, and he is quick to answer, “those who live on footpath, those who have no money and those who have been thrown out of their houses.” 

“I was successful in getting four computers from individuals and 17 computers from HP. I am now trying to get computers for IDF’s projects  from outside Karnataka,” he beams. He stresses on the need of student social responsibility where in students should do social projects. He visits the tribals of BR Hills often. ``I read for them.
I teach them how to speak in English,” he adds.

 That he addressed the law graduates at a college in Mumbai is only a part of his oratorial skills. Of late, Karan has been visiting a couple of empowerment classes and spoken to students. IDF has also launched a programme called ‘Karan programme 2K8’ to mobilise computers for its empowerment schools in India.

A student of Shiamak Davar’s dance school, he would like to meet Hrithik Roshan some day. ``I just want freedom for everyone,” he says. So what’s freedom? “It’s a happy place to live,” he retorts.