Dr. Karanth also joins a growing global network of 60 McNulty Prize Winners and Laureates, including five trailblazing leaders from India: Manoj Kumar, Srikumar Misra, Mukti Datta, Govind Ethiraj, and Amit Bhatia. She is one of three exceptional leaders recognized with the 2025 McNulty Prize:

Layla Zaidane & Future Caucus: In an era of deepening political polarization, Layla Zaidane, President and CEO of Future Caucus, is bridging partisan divides by empowering millennial and Gen Z lawmakers to craft bipartisan solutions. With a network of over 1,900 young legislators across 34 U.S. state legislatures and Congress, Future Caucus is demonstrating that collaboration can rebuild trust in democratic institutions and deliver meaningful change.

Mohamed Ali & Iftin Global: Mohamed Ali, Founder and President of Iftin Global, is creating pathways to healing and opportunity for Somali youth affected by conflict and trauma. By combining mental health care with entrepreneurship training, Iftin has reached more than 300,000 young people and established Somalia’s first professional mental health workforce—laying the foundation for peace, innovation, and economic resilience.

The McNulty Foundation and the Aspen Institute work together to recognize and support leaders who are committed to solving society’s most critical challenges. The Aspen Institute, founded in 1949, is a global nonprofit organization that drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action.

For more information about the McNulty Prize, visit www.mcnultyfound.org. For more information about The Aspen Institute visit www.aspeninstitute.org.