Hyndland Secondary School S1 pupil Parvathy Othagatt entered The Hunter Foundation’s “If I Ruled Scotland” competition and was crowned winner, beating competition from more than 500 entrants thanks to her impressive video manifesto.

The 12-year-old has won a £5,000 funding boost for her school and a £30,000 Young People’s Leadership Academy (YPLA) course from Columba 1400, a registered charity which is celebrating 25 years of partnership with The Hunter Foundation.

She also shared her winning presentation at the exclusive Founder’s Conference – Scaling Up Scotland 2025 at Gleneagles on November 7 which was attended by the country’s leading entrepreneurs.

The Hunter Foundation said the standard of entries was so high that they chose three runners-up instead of the planned two, with Chelsey Worlin from Johnstone High School, Millie Richford from St Ninian’s High School in Kirkintilloch, and Primary 6b from Giffnock Primary School each scooping £2,500 of funds for their schools. Commendations also went to Elodie McLaren from Hyndland Secondary School and P7 pupils from Lanark Primary School.

Sir Tom Hunter, founder of THF, said: “We threw down the gauntlet to every school in Scotland and asked pupils what they would change.

“We were very impressed by Parvathy’s carefully considered, people-focussed plan which covered housing, taxation, transport and healthcare.

“From the 500+ responses, all considered and deliverable, it’s clear we need to listen more to, and act upon, the voices of our young people in Scotland.

“Consistently they cite poverty, homelessness, economic growth, education, environment, mental health and challenges around social media with constructive ideas that merit consideration. They also showed great humour. Scotland’s politicians, listen up!”

Parvathy outlined her plan for Scotland in a video entry which saw her taking to the streets of Glasgow to discuss her vision, saying: “If I ruled Scotland I would focus on the things that change people’s everyday lives, from where we live, how we travel, the jobs we depend on and the healthcare we rely on.

“My goal would be simple – to make life prosperous, comfortable and healthier for all. Every part of my plan is about the people.”

Her four-part plan included building high quality homes, with low cost purchase options and a focus on community; introducing an affordable and convenient point-to-point transport system that sees passengers paying for the distance they travel and encourages use of public transport; introducing low corporate tax to encourage investment and job creation; and creating a new healthcare model which sees patients paying a small share in order to fund more doctors, faster care and better hospitals.

Parvathy’s win means Hyndland Secondary School will not only benefit from a funding boost – a group of up to 20 pupils from the winning school will embark on a journey of discovery at a Young People’s Leadership Academy course that helps them find their strengths as they consider their futures.

Head Teacher, Louise Edgerton, said: “We are incredibly proud of Parvathy and of the positive impact that winning this award will have on our wonderful school community.

“The competition has provided an excellent platform to showcase the empathy and compassion of young people across the county, while also highlighting the importance of pupil voice – something we at Hyndland Secondary take very seriously as a Gold Rights Respecting School. Our young people are Scotland’s future, and their opinions truly matter – a principle strongly promoted across Glasgow’s schools.

“We are delighted not only to receive the cash award, but, more importantly, that Parvathy and 19 of her peers will have the opportunity to take part in a highly regarded young leaders’ course, which will further develop their skills and confidence.”