Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveApoorva Panidapu: The human calculator is a gem in STEAM

Apoorva Panidapu: The human calculator is a gem in STEAM

Written by: Amrita Priya

(February 3, 2023) When Apoorva Panidapu was invited to NBC National TV show Genius Junior, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris in 2018, her excellent performance in mental math created a buzz. Her effortless execution of complex math problems on the American television show established that the talented youngster is one among a select few internationally.

Since then, she has been popularly referred to as the human calculator. The seventeen-year-old high-schooler Apoorva of San Jose, California is not just a math genius. She wears many hats, and is well-known for her abilities in STEAM – an educational approach that incorporates the arts into the more-familiar STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) model. The student, teacher, mathematician, artist, social entrepreneur, and a keynote speaker loves helping kids around the world.

Apoorva Panidapu

Apoorva has received several global awards in mathematics such as the prestigious Davidson Fellow Laureate, Steven S Strogatz Prize for Math Communication, Spirit of Ramanujan Fellowship, and 2020 Global Child Prodigy Award. Home-schooled since grade six, Apoorva tells Global Indian, “When I was younger, my parents noticed that I loved puzzles and numbers. They realised that I was learning math at a faster pace than what a traditional public school could accommodate.”

The math prodigy’s foray into the world of art

The multi-talented youngster is an enthusiastic artist who loves to oil paint and sketch portraits. She is the founder of Apoorva Panidapu’s Art Gallery, an online platform through which she shares her artwork and raises funds for charity and social impact. Her paintings and stories have been featured on platforms like Ellen & Cheerio’s, ‘One Million Acts of Good’, Artists for Peace, and Stone Soup.

The grand prize winner of the NASA Langley Research Center’s Centennial Student Art Contest while talking about her exceptional achievements and choice of home-schooling mentions, “It gave me the chance to forge my educational path, learn at my own pace and work on exciting projects.”

The exceptional path

A genius in mathematics, Apoorva started taking college classes at age 11 and has since completed several upper-division and graduate-level mathematics courses with a keen interest in number theory. As the youngest researcher in the institution, she attended the prestigious highly selective Canada/USA Mathcamp and the University of Virginia REU both in 2020 as well as 2021. “I am grateful to have worked with world-renowned mathematicians, and to have co-authored six number theory research papers,” she tells.

Thank you so much to the Davidson Institute and Bob Davidson for this honor! Special thank you to my mentor Dr. Thorner for all his support. https://t.co/cvjZsey2WQ

— Apoorva Panidapu (@apoorvapanidapu) September 8, 2021

Apoorva executes complex problems with mental math using the abacus method of calculation, a technique that relies on an ancient tool. “I started my journey in math through abacus when I was 5 or 6 years old,” she says. “It’s just a different way of thinking about computation, adding, subtracting – all the operations,” she adds.

The STEAM enthusiast believes in giving back

A recipient of the Diana Award, Apoorva has also received six Presidential Volunteer Service Awards between 2016 – 2022 for her initiatives. She has been speaking on global platforms encouraging girls, gender minorities, and youth to pursue STEAM fearlessly. Apoorva is a global ambassador for GLAM (Girls Leadership Academy Meetup), through which she encourages girls between the age of eight to 12 from diverse backgrounds to pursue leadership and careers in the field of technology.

Apoorva has just received commendation from California State Senate which was presented by Senator Dave Cortese

Since she was 10, the philanthropic youngster has been using her talents to help underprivileged children with the mission to encourage them to use their gifts to make a difference in the world. “I have helped raise more than $50,000 to support children around the world by using the gifts in math and art,” Apoorva reveals.

The prodigy donates the money she makes through tutoring in math to help schools for visually impaired and tribal children in India. “I have very open conversations with my parents about what I value and want to invest my time in,” she says, adding, “I try to be intentional about having a schedule such that I’m truly motivated to do the things I do.”

Bringing together art and activism

From raising over $10,000 for the Child Hunger and Famine Relief fund to protesting racial injustice with her painting of George Floyd and donating $1,400 to Black Lives Matter organizations, Apoorva has thrived to bring together art and activism. As the mentor of the Girls Leadership Academy Meetup (GLAM), she has mentored over 1,000 young people through outreach.

Apoorva in one of the sessions as keynote speaker

The prodigy has also been associated with the Research Science Institute (RSI), which is one of the most prestigious international summer research programmes for high school students. It is sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) and hosted by MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I was glad to be selected as one of the top STEM talents from around the world to conduct original scientific research for six weeks,” she says. “This off-campus work in science and technology research has added to my perspectives of future goals,” she adds.

From numbers to letters

Apoorva has created an online column, Gems in STEM. Its her initiative to simplify technical topics of STEM through storytelling and pop culture. “In my journey in the world of math, I’ve realized that the ‘human’ part of the ‘Human Calculator’ that I am often called relates to my ability to connect to other people through humour and empathy, especially when I’m a student who is still learning and growing,” she remarks. “Through my articles, I want to convey that STEM has something or the other in store for everyone. You just need to know where to look at,” she adds.

“Gems in STEM has managed to reach out to more than 70,000 people,” tells the youngster who has also been publishing her monthly newsletter – Letter? I Hardly Know Her! “Through it I connect with my network of professionals, peers, and friends and keep them updated about the projects I’m working on, and upcoming events while sharing some interesting content to read,” she says.

The course of life

Apoorva’s parents hail from the southern part of India. The engineers moved to the US more than 20 years ago. It was there that Apoorva was born and raised. Following in the footsteps of her parents, the youngster intends to study math and engineering at university next year.

In her spare time, the teenager enjoys reading classical literature, playing the violin, and practicing Kung Fu. “I aim to work on projects with which I can make an innovative and positive impact on the world,” tells the expert in STEAM.

Well, her accomplishments so far tell us that she is already making a difference.

Follow Apoorva Panidapu on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and her website

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Published on 03, Feb 2023

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Social activist, Diana Awardee Devanshi Ranjan helps marginalised girls, teaches children and promotes gender equality

A report by India’s centre for budget and policy studies found 71 percent girls reported doing domestic chores during the pandemic, compared to 38 percent boys. (January 11, 2021) While most girls her age were dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic, 22-year-old Devanshi Ranjan was helping marginalised girls in need. The winner of the prestigious Diana Award for her noble endeavours, this graduate of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, has been advocating for more investment in social causes -- gender and youth development since the Corona outbreak. The social activist, Devanshi implemented impactful, innovative initiatives to uplift marginalised groups in highly sensitive rural areas in India. “When the award was announced, friends and family contacted me after the ceremony and saying, “you’ve made it,” which didn’t sit well as this award is not the end. The Diana Award comes with a sense of responsibility to continue Lady D’s legacy. I’d like to work even harder to make a difference,” says the fervent feminist, who is currently director of operations for Ladli Foundation, USA, an international non-profit corporation in special consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC. The social activist has taught 1,000 children as volunteer for an NGO

ivist has taught 1,000 children as volunteer for an NGO as well.

From LSR to Project MicDrop

Born and brought up in Delhi, social activist Devanshi did her schooling in DPS, Vasant Kunj and went on to study at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi where she pursued a degree in BA (hons) political science (2021). Currently pursuing a one-year postgraduate diploma in conflict transformation and peacebuilding at LSR, Devanshi is determined. Her mother, a government school teacher and father, a second-generation police officer nurtured in her, a deep belief in social upliftment. “Public service was a part of my upbringing. However, the realisation of the daily traumas experienced by us (women) hit me somewhere around my first year in college. I realised how this violence is systematic, persistent, pervasive and entrenched deep within the psyche of patriarchal Indian society. This is something I could identify with, despite being privileged, so just think about the struggles of women and gender minorities from historically underrepresented and marginalised groups. This thought made me take up this cause,” shares the girl who loves cats, and feeds two strays daily.

Committed to addressing these lacunas, Devanshi went on to start Project MicDrop with her friends. “My friends Gayatri Ahuja, a current Young India Fellow and Diya Joseph, a JMC political science graduate and I wanted to catalyse individual awareness and collective action to respond to the crises during lockdowns. Project MicDrop aims to be an inclusive, intersectional initiative for discussions of feminism, gender, sex and sexuality. It acts as a catalyst and facilitator towards enabling women, trans and non-binary people to exert agency, freely express and take pride in their identities, and work to challenge prevalent societal norms by creating spaces for feminist discourse,” she tells Global Indian.

When statistics alarmed her

While doing extensive research about the state of a girl child in rural India, Devanshi came across statistics that alarmed her. A report by India’s centre for budget and policy studies found 71 percent girls reported doing domestic chores during the pandemic, compared to 38 percent boys. Access to a phone was also 11 percent greater for boys. “Girls are facing the burden of household duties, just to sustain themselves for a meal a day. They also have to take care of children because of overcrowding in families. I studied the increase in school dropout rates. The gendered impact of the pandemic put female students at risk of early marriage, early pregnancy, poverty, trafficking and violence,” she ruminates. This led the gender activist to work with girls from marginalised communities. She also joined NGO Tamana as a teacher volunteer, as part of the national social service scheme, an Indian government sector public service programme conducted by the ministry of youth affairs and sports, for the 2018-2019 intake. “In my tenure, I taught over 1,000 students with intellectual and developmental disabilities by engaging them in interactive activities and self-researched learning modules,” she reveals.

Ladki padhao

At Ladli, the social activist aims to achieve gender equality, focusing on prioritising the concern of women’s health and well-being, especially in developing countries. It combats patriarchy, inequality, and gender-based violence. Having been part of Ladli for four years now, Devanshi’s work is focussed on three verticals: education and skill development, women’s empowerment and livelihood, and COVID-19 relief work. During the pandemic, Devanshi chose to focus on girl child education for a couple of reasons. “A girl child is more likely to drop out of school because women are viewed as a liability, not an asset. Women traditionally and even now are viewed as “paraya dhan”(other’s wealth) where the family they’re born in wouldn’t get anything out of them by investing in their education while a male child represents the continuity of lineage. Most hold such beliefs - urban, semi-urban or rural as patriarchy is deeply entrenched in Indian society,” she muses.

Breaking barriers, overcoming taboos

Given the fact that patriarchal notions are deep-seated in underprivileged situations where families struggle in a financially weak environment, it becomes difficult for children from those areas to have adequate resources to avail education. “Even if there’s the slightest chance for them to avail educational facilities, it always goes to the boys,” Devanshi mulls.

Along the course of her endeavours and studies, she has started replacing certain generic words she grew up hearing to those that aptly fit situations. “I don’t really use the term underprivileged – I’d rather use the words historically marginalised and under-represented groups. I also don’t like the term empowerment of women - the act of empowering someone is just reinforcing the saviour complex,” believes the social activist.

With her interests are centred around international development, gender and policy, Devanshi hopes to continue working, and pursue higher studies in international affairs and policy, with the intersection of gender. Binge watching on OTT, the movie buff loves watching romantic and comedy films with her mother and sister. R & B, classical and rock music are her other faves.

When not dedicating her time to social causes, the gritty 22-year-old enjoys reading political literature. “I also have a keen interest in learning about different languages and cultures. I have studied French for over nine years, and have swiftly picked up Spanish too,” she smiles.

Devanshi believes that it is important for the youth to constantly ask questions, and work towards finding solutions to causes they care about. “Amidst the pandemic, tons of youngsters started their own helplines and initiatives to help people in distress and the youth played a major role in creating change during COVID,” concludes the social activist.

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Bhavani Devi: The fencer making history for India

(July 26, 2023) Bhavani Devi, an accomplished Indian fencer, has achieved many significant milestones in her career. Continuing her journey of firsts, she made history in June 2023, by becoming the first Indian fencer to win a medal at the Asian Fencing Championships held in China. Earlier, Bhavani had the distinction of being the first fencer to represent India at the 2020 Olympics, a proud moment for the nation. Hers has been a journey of firsts – in 2018, she became the first Indian to secure a gold medal at the Senior Commonwealth Fencing Championship in Australia. She’s also the first Indian fencer to claim gold in an individual sabre category at Iceland in 2017, and to win a gold at Satellite World Cup. In 2014, she became the first Indian to bag a silver in the U-23 category of Asian Championships. Bhavani is also the first-ever Indian fencer to achieve a Top 16 rank at the FIE World Championship. “The sport itself is an inspiration. It gives me happiness and motivates me to be better every day,” remarked the ace fencer. [caption id="attachment_32157" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi is addressed as Bhavani Devi by her fans[/caption] Stumbled

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[caption id="attachment_32157" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Bhavani Devi is addressed as Bhavani Devi by her fans[/caption]

Stumbled in fencing and found a ground

Her fencing journey began at school. When the Chennai girl had joined a new government school as student of class six, the sports teacher announced that four new sports were being introduced. “Six students were allowed to take up each sport and when my turn came, it was only fencing that was left and I took it. They never explained what it was and the next day I was very excited to see all the protective equipment and swords. It was very attractive,” she recalled. “Most people didn’t know that a sport named fencing existed in India. It was a very new sport, especially in Tamil Nadu. I was eager to try it,” she said.

Fencing, a combat sport that revolves around sword fighting has three distinct disciplines - foil, the épée, and the sabre. Each discipline makes use of a distinct type of blade. Additionally, all the three disciplines adhere to their own set of rules and regulations. Bhavani found sabre to be ‘faster than the other two’ and started training in it. As she started excelling in the discipline, her passion for the sport grew significantly.

Usually, fencers practice with electric fencing equipment but Bhavani's first experience with the actual equipment came during her practice sessions for a national event. Prior to that, she had relied on bamboo sticks instead of using a proper sabre weapon, due to lack of resources. It was the period when she was receiving training at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai. Until then unlike international players who had the advantage of practicing with electric swords at the indoor stadiums, Bhavani had got trained under the scorching sun of southern India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd5TnZ6BJOc

She had to attend the training sessions before and after school hours. Bhavani used to wake up very early in the morning to catch the only bus from Washermanpet that stopped in front of the stadium at Periyamet, train there and then rush to school. As soon as her school ended for the day, she had to again rush for the evening sessions. “I remember a few occasions when I walked alone for a few kilometres in the night after missing the only bus that had a pickup point near the stadium,” she said.

International pursuits

When Bhavani completed her senior secondary school, she enrolled at the Sports Authority of India Centre in Thalassery, Kerala. At the age of 15, the youngster participated in her inaugural international tournament - the Cadet and Junior World Fencing Championship in Turkey in 2007.

The financial burden of travel expenses and purchasing fencing equipment had posed significant challenges for Bhavani's family. “I missed a lot of international events as my family couldn't afford the travel expenses. Still, my mother was not ready to give up,” she says. To manage these costs, her mother had to resort to borrowing money from friends and family. Her father was a priest.

Meeting goals

Finally, the athlete found support of KIIT University and GoSports Foundation. This helped in addressing the financial constraints on her family.

KIIT has a huge sports facility to support athletes. In 2015, GoSports Foundation selected her for the Rahul Dravid Athlete Mentorship Programme as one of the 15 deserving athletes from the country. The same year, Bhavani achieved remarkable feats, bringing pride to her country by securing bronze medals at both the under-23 Asian Championship held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and the Flemish Open in Belgium.

[caption id="attachment_32156" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Bhavani Devi[/caption]

Her consecutive outstanding performances caught the attention of late J Jayalalitha who was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu then. Apart from providing some financial assistance, she gifted Bhavani a purse worth Rs 3 lakh. In her teens at that time, Bhavani cherished the purse as her most prized possession as it was the most valuable gift that she had ever received in her life.

Multi-tasking along the way

Even with her deep involvement in sports, Bhavani never overlooked her academic responsibilities. She successfully completed her bachelor's degree in business administration at Government Brennen College in Thalassery, Kerala. Following that, she furthered her education by pursuing an MBA at St. Joseph's Engineering College in Chennai.

Throughout her journey, Bhavani has achieved numerous successes, fuelling her passion to bring more laurels to her nation. With each accomplishment, her determination to excel further has grown stronger, and she eagerly looks forward to future tournaments as opportunities to fulfil her purpose of representing her country with pride and distinction.

Follow Bhavani Devi on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

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Healthcare for all: US teen’s app improves life in rural Maharashtra

(February 23, 2023) On a summer trip to India in 2014, Aryaman Khandelwal and his family were going by road to Chikaldara, a village in Maharashtra. The area is famous for growing corn and the family stopped at roadside stalls to try it. On the way, he saw a little boy, no more than ten years of age, carrying a sack of corn twice his size. "It was an impetus for me, something needed to change," he said, in an interview. Then a senior at Parkland High School, Aryaman went on to found Get2Greater over the next couple of years, an AI-driven app to improve access to healthcare services. When he saw the young boy carrying corn, it dawned on Khandelwal that life wasn't so easy for everyone. "They had to work so hard to make do," he said. His efforts earned him the Gloria Barron Prize in 2017, which is given to young people with significant social initiatives. "The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school," he said, adding, "The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea

given to young people with significant social initiatives. "The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school," he said, adding, "The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea interested me and I wanted to implement it." So, in 2015, the young Global Indian began work, reaching out to family members who had worked as doctors in rural Maharashtra.

[caption id="attachment_27788" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Aryaman Khandelwal[/caption]

Collaboration with the MAHAN Trust

Aryaman was put in touch with the MAHAN Trust, which provided healthcare to rural parts of the state. The NGO was founded in 1997 by Dr Ashish, who wanted to improve medical care and health services to tribal communities in the Melghat region. They have set up a hospital, child care programmes, eye testing, run nutrition farms and carry out socio-economic research. Through them, Aryaman learned that "maybe 10 to 15 trained guys serve a population of 200,000," he said.

At the time, the MAHAN Trust was training village health workers to carry out basic processes. They dealt with numerous challenges, aside from the lack of qualified doctors and healthcare workers and had to work around the system. There were many quacks, who would quit studying after a year of med school and return home as ‘healthcare providers’. People were also deeply suspicious of outsiders and western medicine alike and didn’t really want to talk to healthcare workers who arrived from elsewhere.

Locals were, however, comfortable with the trained workers, who were from their own communities, who were otherwise not fully educated. "They were trained to take basic measurements, record them and take the data to a hospital," Aryaman explained. Doctors would review it and send back treatments or diagnoses. While the method was innovative, and showed results, it was time-consuming and could take anywhere between two weeks to two months.

Building Get2Greater

That's where Get2Greater came in - it separates the unhealthy from the healthy, so doctors could focus on the more pressing cases. The app can record basic health metrics, compile it in order of priority and send it to doctors nearby. When he started, however, Aryaman "just had a passion and an idea." Equipped with a basic software prototype, Aryaman sent a tablet to MAHAN in India and established a line of correspondence. "I asked them to critique the app," he said. "I realised that India is very far away from the US! We could only speak for a few hours late at night or early in the morning. There was also very little electricity and connectivity."

He began reaching out for collaborations. Aryaman's proposal won him funding from Lehigh Valley LaunchBox, an entrepreneurial program run by Penn State Lehigh Valley. After numerous trials and bug fixes, Aryaman replaced English with Hindi and created a Wi-Fi component so the devices could connect to the local hospitals. He has also been in talks with the UN to help take the device to other parts of India and the world.

Aryaman, who was named 2018 US Presidential Scholar and a Coca-Colar Scholar in 2018, went on to earn a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering in Computer Science from Princeton University. He went on to found ‘Stealth’ along with Harvard grad Dean Hathout.

Follow Aryaman Khandelwal on LinkedIn

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Watch out for the cyber criminals: 22-year-old cyber expert Vaibhav Jha upskills natives and foreigners

(May 8, 2022) Young India is making its mark. From teen entrepreneurs running unicorns to prodigies in science and the arts, India’s youth are shining. Take, for instance, 22-year-old cyber expert Vaibhav Jha, who was lauded for being one of the youngest cyber security trainer in May 2021. By that time, he had already worked as external cyber security researcher with the Ministry of Electronics and IT providing inputs for framing DPR for cyber security labs in India. An expert at 19 On April 28, 2022, CERT-in, a government-appointed nodal agency, issued a new cybersecurity directive. As cyber threats loom, for individuals and nations alike, 'hack the world before it hacks you', maintains Vaibhav which incidentally happens to be the title of the book that he has written. The young ethical hacker has been keenly spreading awareness on security online through various initiatives. Over 25,000 school and college students have learned the ropes of the cyber world through Vaibhav's training sessions under Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission. His research paper on car hacking and cloud security fetched him the budding researcher award at an international conference at Amity Dubai. Vaibhav was only 19 when he trained Indian Audit and Account

learned the ropes of the cyber world through Vaibhav's training sessions under Niti Aayog's Atal Innovation Mission. His research paper on car hacking and cloud security fetched him the budding researcher award at an international conference at Amity Dubai.

Vaibhav was only 19 when he trained Indian Audit and Account Service (IAAS) officers, and also conducted a joint training session for cops, bureaucrats and delegates from over thirty countries on safeguarding critical security infrastructure and enjoyed a short stint as a cyber security researcher for Gurugram Police as well.

Climbing the ladder

Vaibhav was in his first year of college at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies when he discovered cybersecurity and ethical hacking. A student of computer science engineering at the time, he knew instantly that this would be his chosen domain. He did extensive research by himself, which bore fruit in his second year of college when it led to Vaibhav being asked to chair a cybersecurity conference attended by Dr Gulshan Rai, the erstwhile Cyber Security Chief at the Prime Minister's Office. It was a magnificent turning point, Vaibhav remarks, saying it ignited his desire to delve even deeper.

When he collated his knowledge, he had the material for his debut book. "My book teaches beginners on how to avoid the trap of cyber-crime," Vaibhav tells Global Indian.

By the time he was in his second year, Vaibhav had also taken his first steps as an entrepreneur. With support from the institution, he co-founded a cyber security firm with a batchmate. After he graduated, the computer engineer switched to the corporate world, associating himself with Coforge (earlier NIIT Technologies).

Driving dialogue

Led by the desire to promote cyber security as an integral fabric of our digitally-inclined society, he has organised two cyberspace conferences (CIACON) in 2018 and again in 2020. Officials from the US' Department of Homeland Security and the Indian government participated as speakers. "The conferences are for security enthusiasts," Vaibhav explains. "The idea has been to bring together cyber experts, policy makers, think tanks and cyber wizards on a single platform to discuss issues and challenges in the sub domains of cyber security."

It meant big steps for Vaibhav too, a journey that involved becoming comfortable with himself and his abilities. "I used to be nervous at the start but I have worked on my confidence levels. Now, delivering lectures, conducting training and interacting with people is my passion," he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4MEh116vPo&t=403s

That apart, spending time with family and friends, swimming, body building, reading books and doing his research keep Vaibhav occupied. He also has his own YouTube channel, Scorpion VJ, through which he engages people on a variety of topics that range from tech and travelling to lifestyle.

“Cybersecurity and cyber-forensics are fields that needs passion and the mindset of always being open to learning, otherwise you will not be able to counter attack the cyberattacks,” he says, to young cyber security aspirants everywhere.

'Hacks' for being cyber smart

Keep all your devices, apps and browsers up to date
Think before you click
Be vigilant while reading mails or opening attachments from unknown sources
Verify identity before sharing personal information online
Keep all your passwords unique and don’t reveal it to anyone
Report if anything seems suspicious in the cyber world

Follow Vaibhav Jha on YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram

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Prakrithi Suresh: Harmonising Carnatic Music, Bharatanatyam, and spirituality in UAE

(October 27, 2023) Prakrithi Suresh is a UAE based Carnatic music vocalist and Bharatanatyam danseuse who connects the two forms through devotional perfomances. The Sharjah-based vocalist is a known face in UAE’s musical circuit, with many stage performances to her credit. She successfully conducted a ‘Health Benefit Series’ on her YouTube channel, driven by the belief that traditional Carnatic music holds a treasure trove of wellness advantages. In her quest, she explores the idea that each ragam not only carries unique health benefits but also forges a connection with nature, offering potential solutions to pressing environmental concerns. After wrapping up the series she is working on a ‘Thillana Series’ with the aim to revitalise the energies of listeners. In a harmonious convergence of culture and technology, the International Carnatic Musicians and Dancers Association (ICMDA) headed by Padma Shri A. Kanyakumari conducted an international mega event this year. Ten different world records were attempted at the event, which saw the participation of nearly 10,000 musicians and dancers from across the world. They performed the iconic ‘Aigiri Nandini’ at the same time both online and offline in live centers in different countries. [caption id="attachment_33767" align="aligncenter" width="522"] Prakrithi Suresh with ICMDA certificates and

different countries.

[caption id="attachment_33767" align="aligncenter" width="522"] Prakrithi Suresh with ICMDA certificates and medal[/caption]

While musicians and dancers from different corners of the globe united in a symphony of devotion, to ensure the accuracy the event's live videos and performances underwent meticulous scrutiny by the organising body. “Only two people received their certificates from the UAE and I was one of them,” Prakrithi tells Global Indian.

This festive season, Prakrithi has been actively engaging and captivating Carnatic music enthusiasts and the spiritually-inclined alike with her mesmerising performances.

Music in blood

When Prakrithi was barely two years old, her parents were overjoyed to hear her humming the Carnatic song she had heard her father practice. Carnatic music had been in her family for generations, starting with her paternal grandfather. They were trained vocalists although none had pursued it as a career. Prakrithi’s hereditary inclinations were celebrated and encouraged by her parents and when she was three-and-a-half years old, she began her training.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MANoFb__70Q

Not only is she a gifted singer, she is also a talented Bharatanatyam dancer who has been training under the best gurus in UAE since she was four. While there are invitations for conferences and participation in music fests round the year, Prakrithi connects her gift of singing and dancing with spirituality. “I sing and dance just for the spiritual connection. My sole goal is to spread divinity, and to make everybody realise that it’s the ultimate supreme that all of us has to surrender to,” the young artist remarks.

“My parents have been very supportive and have never pressurised me about academics,” remarks Prakrithi, crediting them for her achievements so far.

Making a name

At the UAE’s national Margazhi fest 2019, Prakrithi bagged the overall champion award for excelling in all six categories of Carnatic vocal competitions. In 2020 she came second in an International Carnatic dance and music competition, which saw participation from around the world.

[caption id="attachment_27735" align="aligncenter" width="623"] Prakrithi Suresh with childrens’ book author Elisabetta Dami[/caption]

She has also received the Geronimo Stilton Foundation’s medallion from its founder, the childrens’ book author Elisabetta Dami, at the Sharjah International Book Fair, for upholding the legacy of Indian traditional art forms even while living abroad.

The musical journey

Having begun her Carnatic vocal training as a toddler, the teenager is grateful to have trained under some of the best gurus in India and the UAE. She started learning formally from her guru, Palakkad Rajesh Kesav, and went on to learn from Dr Amruta Sankaranarayanan, who is the daughter and disciple of Padma Bhusan, Sangeetha Kalanithi T V Sankaranarayanan.

The sixteen-year-old is now receiving advanced training from Dr Maithili Krishnan, professor of music, SRC College Trichy. As they are in different countries, the guru and shishya connect with each other online.

The talented disciple is also a teacher to two four-year-old pupils who have started learning Carnatic vocals from her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFJc8fhVYJw

The teen vocalist’s portfolio comprises an impressive collection of music videos on her YouTube channel. The aesthetically-shot videos have been shot by her musically-inclined engineer father.

“I do not have any motive of earning money from my performances, nor do I want to spend money on creating music videos and that’s why my father films them,” she says. Her innocent smile hides great maturity.

Prakrithi’s mother, who worked as a scientist before her daughter was born, has played a great role in evoking the sense of divinity in Carnatic vocal and Bharatanatyam for the teenager. “I am spiritually inclined and do not perform for fame,” she says, adding, “It’s my mother who tells me how I can do better if I am spiritually connected to my art.”

[caption id="attachment_33768" align="aligncenter" width="954"] Prakrithi Suresh during one of her stage performances[/caption]

The path of Bharatanatyam

Whether it is Carnatic music or Bharatanatyam, Prakrithi finds tranquillity and peace in both. While Carnatic music is a way of seeking enlightenment, Bharatanatyam is sadhana for her.

“Bharatanatyam is like uniting the soul with the absolute soul,” she says, adding, “Coming from a spiritual country like India, where the realisation of consciousness or spirit has been the supreme goal of life, it is no wonder that the oldest dance form of the country, Bharatanatyam is nothing but a form of Sadhana.”

Prakrithi had started basic training of the dance form in 2013 under her guru Sahadevan of Kalakshetra, Sharjah who is the discipline of Rukmini Devi Arundale. Currently she is honing her skills under guru Girish Kumar, the disciple of Kalamandalam Chandrika who is the disciple of the veteran actress Vaijayanthimala.

[caption id="attachment_27736" align="aligncenter" width="856"] Prakrithi Suresh[/caption]

Apart from performing in various events in UAE and in functions organised by the Indian consulate of Dubai and Indian Association Sharjah; the youngster has performed in two Natyanjali’s in India as well.

On a different note…

A student of Sharjah’s Amity Private School, when Prakrithi is not busy studying or practicing, she can be found playing musical notes on her guitar or keyboard. “I have taught myself to sing English songs and play western instruments,” she shares.

The artistic teenager has already decided her professional path. “I want to become a veterinary doctor, quite opposite to what people would think,” she smiles.

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