Teen changemaker tackles nutrition gaps with a local superfood
Determined to turn things around, he studied sports nutrition through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, lost 18kg, and made a comeback — this time playing football at the state level.
That transformation became the spark for something bigger. While his younger sister, 13-year-old Samaira Vasudeva, trained alongside para-athletes, Vivaan observed the immense talent of these athletes — but also noticed a glaring gap: limited access to proper nutrition. In response, he launched NutriAssist, an initiative offering personalised, affordable meal plans for athletes from modest backgrounds.
In just over a year, three athletes he worked with went on to represent India at the Para Asian Games. 'When these athletes went on to win medals for our country, I knew this solution needed to be scaled,' he says.
One of the biggest challenges was ensuring adequate protein intake on a limited budget — which led to the creation of SattuFusion, a nutrient-dense vegan blend built around sattu, a local superfood.
Vivaan says, 'Being a changemaker starts with spotting a problem that tugs at you so hard, you can't ignore it. For me, it was protein-energy malnutrition. I grew up on sattu — a humble roasted Bengal gram flour packed with protein — and I thought: why can't this age-old staple be reimagined for today? That question lit the fuse for SattuFusion and gave this project its spine — purpose.'
Today, SattuFusion — a pediatric-safe, chemical-free supplement — is being provided to children undergoing chemotherapy at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute. Tailored for underprivileged families, it helps maintain critical weight and muscle mass during cancer treatment.
Through a partnership with The Bigger Picture NGO, SattuFusion is now part of two cloud kitchens that serve over 200 fortified meals daily to undernourished children across Delhi-NCR. Proceeds from its sales on Amazon help fund the initiative — creating a full-circle model of impact
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