The Flight That Sparked a Movement: Soneesh Kothagundla’s Story, hosted by Neha Sarda

As one of the youngest voices in healthcare advocacy, Soneesh Kothagundla is an internationally recognized medical researcher, speaker, and changemaker.

His research spans lung cancer screening and neuroscience, with contributions featured in NIH-funded grants, international conferences, and peer-reviewed projects. By focusing on gaps in early detection and complex surgical conditions, his work tackles some of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine.

Soneesh first gained global attention through the #FlightPSAMovement, where a single in-flight announcement about lung cancer screening sparked worldwide conversation about youth-led advocacy. Since then, his campaigns have been amplified on billboard and bus shelters, generating more than 80 million impressions and positioning him as one of the most visible young health advocates of his generation. His work has been featured in NYC Times Square, U.S. News, and over 65 other outlets.

Beyond healthcare, he is the Founder of Change A Vision, a nonprofit reducing recidivism by building prison libraries and creating self-help journals for incarcerated individuals. As a Georgia HOSA State Officer, he empowers over 20,000 students in healthcare leadership and advocacy.

Currently, he is scaling his impact through The Surgeon Soneesh Show podcast, his weekly newsletter, and his upcoming book, Fasten Your Seatbelt: We’re Changing the World. His ultimate mission is to shape a world where healthcare and justice systems are more equitable, innovative, and people-centered, while proving that Gen Z doesn’t just wait for the future, they create it.

Reach out to Soneesh:

[email protected]
linkedin.com/in/soneeshk
instagram.com/soneeshk

More about our host: Neha Sarda is a 18-year-old from Mumbai, India with big dreams of becoming a CEO in the legal tech, biotech and fashion industries. Passionate about finance and obsessed with innovation, she builds business models and prototypes just for fun. Neha is the Senior Portfolio Manager at BYCIG, where she leads a 53-member investment analyst team and has previously co-founded two marketing agencies and a startup incubator. A natural on stage and a podcast host, she lives by the belief that curiosity isn't a phase, it's her strategy for changing the world.

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#YouthChangemakers #GenZLeaders #InnovationInAction #GlobalVoices #FutureOfHealthcare #CreatingTheFuture #HealthcareAdvocacy #MedicalInnovation #LungCancerAwareness #NeuroscienceResearch #EarlyDetectionMatters