After winning the title of Mister India International 2017, Darasing Khurana went on to make his name as a successful model in showbiz, working with the top-most brands and designers. In 2023, he started his acting journey with the Punjabi film Bai Ji Kuttange, co-starring Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu. He also made his South debut with the Malayalam film Bandra recently and is now gearing up for his Hindi film debut with Kaagaz 2.
Other than the ramp and screen too, the actor has been leading by example ever since he entered the industry. He has been a guiding force for the youth and recognising his work, Darasing has been appointed as the Commonwealth Year Of Youth Champion 2024, becoming the first Asian and the 2nd person overall to hold the title along with Prince Edward of the UK.
The actor was officially appointed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC. Talking about the artist’s work, the dignitary wrote in his appointment letter, “With your exceptional commitment to youth development and empowerment, the Commonwealth is confident that your voice will resonate with young people across borders and inspire positive change. Your dedication to this cause aligns perfectly with the values of the Commonwealth and we believe that your influential voice and advocacy will greatly contribute to the success of our endeavours during the Year of Youth.”
The honour came as a sweet surprise for Darasing as well. He informs, “After my meeting with the Secretary General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, I thought that I was being considered to be appointed more like an Ambassador for Commonwealth India, but I had no idea that it would be the ‘Year of Youth Champion’ out of all the 56 member countries.” But now that he is appointed, he is quite excited to take on the role.
Under this new title, Darasing will play a vital role as a high-profile spokesperson, advocate, and a person of influence. He will be instrumental in guiding and inspiring meaningful action to promote youth development and empowerment across the Commonwealth. The actor will collaborate closely with key stakeholders, participate in significant events, and contribute to policy discussions that shape the future of youth in the Commonwealth member countries.
Darasing is looking forward to working with the Secretary General the most. He says, “The most important prospect behind this association is the vision of Secretary General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland. I had the privilege of sharing a stage with her recently at an event, post which we spent 2 days sharing ideas, experiences and vision boards. During the process, I realised how focused the Secretary General was. Her vision is to change the world for the better and I certainly want to be playing a part in bringing that change.”
Darasing is the brand ambassador of DATRI, world’s second largest blood stem cell donors’ registry. He also founded the Pause.Breathe.Talk Foundation to provide affordable mental health care to people. The actor also serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and now, he has another title to his name. Even with so much work that he is undertaking, Darasing doesn’t feel overwhelmed or nervous. He insists, “When you love what you do, no matter how much you have on your plate, you never feel it’s too much. I love all that I do, so I am very happy and take it as a privilege to incorporate my duties as Commonwealth Year of Youth Champion in my existing schedule.”
