Aasif Mujtaba, the founder and CEO of the Miles2Smile Foundation, on January 4, has been honored with the esteemed National Life Empowerment Award 2025 in recognition of his tireless commitment to social justice and humanitarian causes.
The National Life Empowerment Award honors individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the empowerment of people and the betterment of society.
The award ceremony, held in Chennai, celebrated Mujtaba’s impactful work in uplifting marginalized communities and advancing humanitarian causes.

Organized by the Skilled Youth Professional Association (SYPA), a South India-based non-profit dedicated to life skills training, counseling, and career development, the ceremony saw the presence of several eminent dignitaries. Among those who graced the event were Justice F.M. Ibrahim Kalifullah (former judge, Supreme Court of India), Justice R. Suresh Kumar (judge, Madras High Court), Justice N. Paul Vasantha Kumar (former judge, J&K High Court), Justice K.N. Basha (former judge, Madras High Court), and Justice G.M. Akbarali (former judge, Madras High Court).
Mujtaba takes this award as a recognition of his and his team’s’ five years of dedicated commitment.
“This award is recognition of our 5 years of dedicated work. While this award is deeply motivating, it’s the hope and resilience we witness in the lives we touch that fuels our mission every day. We don’t do this work for accolades, but for the belief that every person deserves dignity, peace, and a chance to heal,” Mujtaba said while speaking about his achievement to FoEJ Media.
Educational Background of Aasif Mujtaba
Engineer-turned-social worker Aasif Mujtaba is a distinguished professional with an impressive academic record, holding degrees from Aligarh Muslim University and IIT-Delhi, where he was honored with the prestigious “Roll of Honor” for his leadership and academic excellence.
Renowned for his advocacy of justice and equality, Mujtaba played an important role in organizing the influential ‘Shaheen Bagh’ protests against the CAA, further solidifying his commitment to human rights.
While working as an environmental expert, Mujtaba realized that“ the root cause of many challenges lies in human welfare and education”; hence, he decided to shift his career path, but the aim remained the same: helping the world.

“After years of working as an environmental expert, I came to realize that while tackling environmental issues is important, the root causes of many challenges stem from broader issues of human welfare and education. My increasing engagement with underserved communities made it evident that empowering the underprivileged through education is essential for driving long-term societal change,” Mujtaba said.
Mujtaba sees this shift as an opportunity for him to directly “break the chain of opportunity.”
“This shift in focus has enabled me to play a direct role in breaking the cycle of poverty, providing children with the same opportunities I had, and working towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all,” Mujtaba stated.
As the founder of the Miles2Smile Foundation, Aasif Mujtaba has dedicated himself to supporting survivors of communal violence, mob lynching, and targeted demolitions. His foundation plays an imperative role in providing relief and rehabilitation to those affected by such atrocities.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Aasif’s belief in the power of education for empowerment led to the establishment of Sunrise Public School, an institution offering education and support to the children of riot survivors. Through these initiatives, he continues to make a lasting impact on the lives of those struggling to recover from violence and adversity.
In his journey of helping the underprivileged, Mujatab has come across many challenges, including “risks of backlash from authorities” and “ensuring the sustainability of initiatives.” Many of his projects are “dependent on limited resources, and without long-term support or local empowerment, they risk becoming short-lived.”
But what keeps him going, despite the challenges, is “the resilience and unwavering hope of the people” he works with.
Mujtaba’s Initiative towards Betterment of Women
Aasif Mujtaba is also the founder of the Shaagird Foundation, an organization dedicated to educating survivors of communal violence, and the Sabaat Initiative, which empowers women survivors of hate and violence by helping them secure dignified livelihoods. His commitment to social causes extends beyond his direct initiatives, as he serves as Treasurer, Data Protection Officer, and Executive Committee Member at the IIT-Delhi Alumni Association, further reinforcing his dedication to community service and advocacy. Through these roles, Mujtaba continues to champion the rights and well-being of marginalized individuals.
For the past five years, Mujtaba has been at the forefront of assisting survivors of selective demolitions in states like Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. His compassionate and tireless work has helped restore hope, dignity, and livelihoods to communities affected by violence and injustice.