In a country where celebrity children are often seen only through the prism of glamour, red carpets and social media, 16-year-old Ayaan Sood stands apart. The son of actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood, Ayaan could easily rest in the comfort of his father’s fame. Instead, he is quietly building an identity rooted in empathy, action and social responsibility.

Young Ayaan with his father Sonu Sood

A class 11 student at Oberoi International School, Goregaon, Ayaan has chosen to step into the field, sometimes literally, whether it is feeding street animals in Mumbai or rebuilding futures in flood-hit Punjab. His social conscience began, quite simply, with a dog. “My dad has always loved animals, especially dogs. We had one when I was young, and I grew up taking care of him,” says the young Sood. That early connection turned into action on his 8th birthday. He went around his neighbourhood with packets of food, feeding street dogs and cats. “It was just a normal evening, but it stayed with me,” he recalls. Since then, feeding strays has become a regular Sunday activity with friends. “We are so caught up in our lives that we forget these animals don’t have voices. They need help too.”

His empathy extended beyond dogs when, during a cricket practice session in 2017, he and his teammates rescued an injured pigeon. Ayaan contacted People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), ensured the bird received treatment, and later received a video of it fully healed. “That’s when I knew I wanted to keep doing this,” he says.

The most personal chapter of his animal welfare journey began on his 12th birthday in Alibaug, when he came across a struggling street pup with no shelter or food. Instead of walking away, he adopted him. That dog, now named Naruto, lives with the Soods at their Juhu home.

Sonu and Ayaan Sood with Naruto

“Living with Naruto has taught me compassion. Dogs give love without expecting anything in return,” Sood says. “Spending time with animals gives me peace that I don’t get from phones or video games.” He is also an outspoken advocate for adopting Indie dogs. While he clarifies that he holds no personal grudge against people who buy from breeders, he finds the practice unethical.

“There are so many street dogs who need homes. Adopting one dog may seem small, but it changes that dog’s entire life,” he says. The young one’s compassionate approach and passion towards animal welfare did not go unnoticed. In 2025, on Children’s Day, he received the ‘Compassionate Youth Award’ from PETA India. When asked whom he would dedicate the award to, his answer is immediate. “My dad! He inspires me.”

But his work extends far beyond animal welfare. In December 2024, he launched Project Disha, an initiative aimed at creating meaningful, long-term impact. The project took concrete shape in 2025, when devastating floods hit Punjab.

Sood travelled to the affected areas as a volunteer with his father. “We were providing mattresses, temporary shelters and food, but I realised something was missing. What happens to education once the relief trucks leave?” he asked himself. Schools were destroyed, classrooms damaged and families displaced. He recognised a harsh reality: when children miss months of schooling, many never return, pushing them into a cycle of poverty.

That realisation became the foundation of Project Disha. He partnered with a team of PhD mentors, led by his long-time guide Professor Manoj Sehgal, and began organising educational outreach camps in collaboration with Sood Charity Foundation to reach affected families. So far, 11 camps have been conducted. Soon, another challenge emerged: attendance began dropping.

“At first, I wondered if people didn’t want education. But that wasn’t the truth. Their homes had been destroyed. They were just trying to survive,” Sood says. He turned to his father for guidance. The solution was both simple and ambitious. Restore stability so children could return to classrooms.

Project Disha and Sood Charity Foundation have begun building homes for affected families. Currently, 237 homes are under construction. They have also built roofs for damaged schools to ensure that education remains uninterrupted.

During one camp, Ayaan noticed another barrier. Some parents had lost limbs, making it difficult for families to earn a livelihood. To address this, Project Disha, Sood Charity Foundation and Inali Foundation collaborated to provide free prosthetic arms, helping people regain independence and enabling their children to stay in school.

A drive to distribute free prosthetic arms

With an entrepreneurial mindset, Ayaan also started MIC, a social enterprise focused on sporting events, and raised more than ₹3,50,000 for various social causes

One of the sporting events organised by Ayaan to raise funds for social causes

In a generation often accused of performative activism, Ayaan Sood is doing something rare — showing up, staying involved, and thinking beyond the headline.

Ayaan with father Sonu