Aiming for the sky

Photo: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Nanziba Khan is a trainee pilot, journalist, television host, writer, debater and brand ambassador of The British American Resource Center, youth representative of Bangladesh. She also has a knack for modelling and filmmaking. Being the proud winner of UNICEF's Meena Media Award for her film Shada-Kalo, produced from her saved pocket money, Nanziba began her career as a filmmaker. By the age of 18, she directed seven short-films and documentaries. Currently, she is working on a film titled, The Unwanted Twin, a story based on two children without an identity, which aims to spread awareness about the challenging years of adolescence. The film is set to hit theatres on the forthcoming International Women's Day. It features prominent actors like Afsana Mimi, Dilara Zaman, Shirin Alom, Humayra Himu, Anny Khan and Raju Alim among others. When she is not making films, Nanziba is busy hosting the show, Kotha Barta, on Channel i, and modelling for various photoshoots.

Nanziba started her journey as a writer with her book Autistic Shishura Kemon Hoy which is based on a diary she maintained for her younger brother over two years. She believes her brother to be an immense source of empowerment at times when she feels down. As UNICEF's Youth Ambassador from Bangladesh, she got the opportunity to represent South Asia at a global platform in Nepal this year. She is also BNCC's Cadet Ambassador and has been a representative of Bangladesh in front of 11 other countries. She also stepped into journalism, working for bdnews24.com and BTV in her early teens. Nanziba went on to take up aviation because she has always dreamt of learning to fly, and wanted to do something that may seem challenging to others. Needless to say, with so many roles to take on, Nanziba is quite a busy person who has many feats under her belt. Yet, when one sits in a room with her, it is quite clear that she is humble and has her feet on the ground."I feel uneasy when I have nothing to do, so I try to be busy at all times," smiles Nanziba. "I want to be an inspiration for girls not only in Bangladesh but all around the world." Nanziba believes in running her own race and never being dependent on anyone. For her, the biggest source of encouragement is her mother, without whose support she believes that she would not have achieved everything that she did. Nanziba is an inspiration for many, as her role in various forms of media sheds light on the importance of being an allrounder and the idea of survival of the fittest.