It’s a new year and American Girl doll is starting off 2023 by making history, with its first South Asian Girl of the Year doll, Kavi Sharma.

American Girl debuted its first Girl of the Year in 2001, with Lindsey Bergman. The Girl of the Year is a limited edition annual release which focuses on cultural diversity: 2021’s Girl of the Year was Corinne Tan, the first-ever Asian American Girl of the year and 2022’s was Claudie, a Harlem-Renaissance era doll. “Kavi joins the company’s long line of contemporary characters, introduced more than 20 years ago, that represent a wide range of backgrounds to reflect what it means to be an American girl today,” the company wrote of the new doll’s release. 

 Kavi is the first South Asian doll to be chosen as the Girl of the Year. Author Varsha Bajaj brought Kavi’s story to life and says she hopes Kavi’s life is a “welcoming window for girls who might be unfamiliar with Kavi’s world. It was a gift to include Kavi and her family celebrating magical festivals like Diwali and Holi.”

According to the American Girl website, Kavi is an “Indian American girl growing up in New Jersey who loves singing, dancing, and performing with her friends.” Throughout her story, Kavi learns to share her talents, be proud of who she is, and find a balance between her passions and her responsibilities. We can’t wait to follow Kavi’s journey!