Nikhil Autar
Foundation

Nikhil Autar was one of a kind.

Diagnosed with leukaemia at 17, he turned adversity into action and never stopped believing in the power of people, in potential and in building a kinder world for those who came after him.

He founded Bheem Health — a social enterprise providing low-cost medical devices — and created Knia Maps, which charts accessibility across Sydney's hospitals, universities and public spaces. As a medical student, disability advocate and motivational speaker, he raised almost $500,000 for pressure sore and medical device research.

Together with his colleagues, he was involved in the largest organisation of Doctors combatting domestic violence.

There was an intangible belief in Nikhil that the world was his oyster — he just had to jump on the fishing boat and chase after it.