George, Charlotte and Louis are informed of Prince William’s plans in India

The heir to the throne will preside over the awards, which carry a total of £5million in prize money, while also experiencing India’s celebrated film industry through encounters with Bollywood stars and taking part in cricket alongside the sport’s biggest names.

The Earthshot Prize seeks to identify, fund and expand innovative ideas aimed at repairing the planet, with this year’s Indian edition incorporating a dedicated youth component for the first time.

The “I CAN Earthshot Challenge” called on young people aged nine to seventeen across India to move beyond simply raising environmental awareness and instead deliver tangible action.

Fifteen teams have been chosen to participate in two days of activities in Mumbai, encompassing both presentations and workshops.

Winners will be awarded 2,000 dollars, roughly £1,490, to take their ideas forward and put them into practice.

The projects submitted by young entrants covered a wide spectrum of environmental problems, from finding solutions for a waterlogged playground to addressing oil and solid-waste contamination in the Godavari River.

The youth challenge ran alongside the main Earthshot Prize competition, which features global finalists working on large-scale environmental innovations.

Jason Knauf, the chief executive of the Earthshot Prize, praised the calibre of the young participants.

“The extraordinary ingenuity shown by these young finalists demonstrates that the next generation is not waiting for the future to act; it is already building environmental solutions right now,” he said.

He highlighted the importance of grassroots efforts led by young people in the fight against environmental degradation.

“As we prepare to host The Earthshot Prize Summit in Mumbai, these remarkable children remind us that local community action, driven by youthful optimism and determination, is vital to repairing our planet,” Mr Knauf added.

The Earthshot chief executive described the upcoming Mumbai gathering as the organisation’s most ambitious event to date.

“We can’t wait to celebrate them in Mumbai for our biggest edition yet,” he said.

William’s environmental prize, which drew its inspiration from President John F. Kennedy’s Moonshot programme to put an astronaut on the moon, is now at the midpoint of its planned multi-decade run.

Since launching in 2021, the ceremony has travelled to London, Boston, Singapore, Cape Town and Rio de Janeiro.

The initiative has drawn support from figures including Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Matthew McConaughey, Sir David Attenborough and former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.

This year’s main finalists include Danish renewable energy giant Orsted, known for its major offshore wind developments, Indian electric tuk-tuk manufacturer Mahindra Last Mile Mobility, and Yellowstone to Yukon, a conservation project restoring wildlife corridors across a vast mountain landscape spanning Canada and the United States.