To Rysha, the newspaper is a microcosm of knowledge, with perspectives on global issues as diverse as the world itself. Some of Rysha’s fondest memories—from deciphering crosswords with her friends, to linking classroom concepts with real-life stories—have been built around the newspaper, or “20-page pockets of the world”, as she calls it. Thus, when Rysha learned that no newspaper ranks in teenagers’ top 25 news sources, she wanted to create a newspaper similarly valuable to today’s youth. 

Hence, was born The Teen Tribune (TT), India’s first weekly newspaper to amplify the adolescent voice. Through dynamic opinionated and objective reporting in diverse formats, The Teen Tribune channels legitimate journalism into accessible mainstream digital platforms.  

Over a year, The Teen Tribune has published 63 issues, some with intriguing themes like Ancient Greece and Chocolate. In doing so, they have echoed the voices of an incredibly talented 70-member-large team spanning 4 countries, garnering an audience of over 2000. Recently, TT has established an international presence, through global chapters in Pakistan and France, with one in Texas on the way. The Teen Tribune has also spearheaded its own fundraiser, Tribune MUN, raising over Rs. 50,000 for Covid relief.  

To truly capture the youth’s characteristic heterogeneity,  The Teen Tribune employs multimedia tools, incorporating blogs, livestreams, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc., on thought-provoking matters like self-love, homosexuality, sexual abuse, among others. Past guests include Video Production Head Sony Entertainment, CEO Phonepe, popular influencers like Shaurya Batra and others. The Teen Tribune’s 35th issue on Pride Month was entirely audio-based, gaining over 600 streams on Spotify. 

In addition to typical newspaper sections like current affairs, sports and finance, TT’s issues also include unique elements like an anonymous advice column, ‘The Nextpert: Not an expert but the next best thing’ and an in-house corporate wiz ‘Miss Futuristic: Adulting the real way.’ 

The Teen Tribune has also worked with over 50 youth-led organisations, fostering a spirit of collaboration over competition. 

As a leader, Rysha tries to structure the dynamism typical of the journalism field by providing a space for team-based creativity. From monthly pitch calls to regular game nights, she hopes to create a community of teens who engage others, whilst learning themselves. Ultimately, she hopes she can change the attitude of the youth towards problem-solving, from a disgruntled ‘What have we done?!’ to an inspired ‘How can we solve it?’.