She is a communicator who believes democracy works only when everyone can access it
Age: 29
In Sanskrit, akanksha means desire or wish. It’s a fitting name for Akanksha Bhatnagar, whose family emigrated from India when she was just a baby, as she held onto an aspiration to be an astronaut for years. She got her Glider Pilots Licence at 16, maintained top grades and was a devoted air cadet in summer camps.
It wasn’t until she took part in Model United Nations in high school that her desire wavered.
“We talked about the space program and I remember thinking: ‘Wait, there are policies that make it easier to go to space, or for us to collaborate with other countries,’” says Bhatnagar. “It was an eye-opening moment.”
Despite starting in the University of Alberta’s engineering program, it was obvious that her drive was better suited to pursuing a difference through policy. So she got a bachelor of arts majoring in political science and later a master’s in political management.
During her time at the U of A, she was vice president academic — then president — of the Students’ Union, while serving as an officer for the Canadian Forces, acting as an aviation and senior cadets instructor.
In 2025, she led Edmonton’s first televised mayoral debate viewed live by more than 40,000. Through her role as executive director of external relations at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, she built a coalition with Global News Edmonton, Léger and journalists that made the debate non-partisan and free.
Bhatnagar wanted every Edmontonian to be informed, regardless of income or location. She says it felt good knowing her mom, a caregiver to Bhatnagar’s grandmother, could access the televised program. In-person would never have worked. “It impacted her vote,” says Bhatnagar. “That’s how I knew it was successful.” Bhatnagar wanted every Edmontonian to be informed, regardless of income or location. She says it felt good knowing her mom, a caregiver to Bhatnagar’s grandmother, could access the televised program. In-person would never have worked. “It impacted her vote,” says Bhatnagar. “That’s how I knew it was successful.”
This article appears in the November-December 2026 issue of Edify
