Angelina Arora: The Indian-Australian teen finds a solution to single-use plastic
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(June 28, 2024) A routine trip to a local grocery store made the then 11-year-old Angelina Arora committed to finding a better solution to single-use plastic. Seeing a huge number of plastic bags being carried out of the store made her understand their detrimental impact on the environment and led the Adelaide-based innovator on a quest to save Earth by finding biodegradable alternatives.
Having mulled over the possible solution for years, in Class 9 as a science project, she began experimenting with corn starch and potato starch to create a biodegradable bag, however, they dissolved in water. She then tried banana peels and other waste products, however, nothing proved successful. Her eureka moment came while sitting at a local fish and chips shop and staring at a pile of fish waste – including crab shells, prawn tails and fish heads. She packed a few kilos of the discarded shells and headed straight to her Sydney Girls High School science lab to start experimenting. Noticing similarities between prawn shells and plastic, she knew she could have found the answer. “I looked at prawns and thought what makes their shells look like plastic? Maybe I can take that out and use it some way and bind it to make a plastic-like material,” the Global Indian said in an interview.
Angelina Arora during an experiment
Making biodegradable plastic
A budding scientist, Angelina extracted chitin, a carbohydrate from prawn shells, and converted it into chitosan which she later mixed with fibron, a protein found in silkworms. “It’s the same protein that spiders use to make webs. It’s very sticky. When you mix it with chitin it produces a fabric that is flexible and strong and exhibits all the properties you want in plastic,” she added. The biodegradable plastic decomposes 1.5 million times faster than commercial plastics and completely breaks down within 33 days of its exposure to bacteria. Her success attracted the attention of scholars and scientists across Australia and even won her the NSW Young Scientist Award in 2016, the Innovator to Market Award in the 2018 and BHP Billiton Foundation Science and Engineering Awards. Moreover, she received the fourth grand award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, where the innovator competed against 1800 students from over 81 countries.
Angelina Arora with her biodegradable plastic
According to a new OECD report, only 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled globally while 22 percent is mismanaged. Though bans and taxes on single-use plastic exist in over 120 countries, not enough is being done to reduce pollution. And Angelina thinks that biodegradable plastic – which is low-cost, durable, and insoluble – is the need of the hour. She is keen to see every plastic in the world be made out of her biodegradable plastic. “While decomposing, this eco-friendly plastic made of prawn shells releases nitrogen which is very important for plant growth and immunity. Thus, it could be used for agriculture as well, and not just for packaging,” she said.
Contributing to the environment
The Flinders University student, who was the nominee for Young Australian of the Year in 2019, is hopeful that biodegradable alternatives like hers will contribute to cleaning up the environment, especially the ocean – a cause close to her heart.
Having started early, she believes the key lies in growing one’s own interests. “Doing your own research outside of school gives you the freedom to do what you really like and be creative, not for a grade. You grow interests, expand awareness and increase your curiosity,” she said, adding, “Plus it gives young people something productive to do for humanity rather than watching Netflix.”
Angelina’s invention shows how we can use scientific creativity and care for the environment to solve big problems. Her work highlights the need for sustainable practices and opens doors for future green technologies, inspiring more people to develop eco-friendly innovations.
(June 27, 2023) Ishaan Leonard Rao was two years old when he hummed ragas with Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was much too young to remember the experience, but it’s an anecdote he has heard many times over the years from his parents. As it happens, quite a few of Ishaan’s early musical experiences predate his memories. The young piano prodigy is the son of two virtuosos - his father, Pandit Shubhendra Rao is a sitarist and a long-time disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar. His mother, Saskia Rao-de Haas is trained in both the Western and Hindustani styles, and designed the Indian cello, which she uses in her Hindustani concerts. [caption id="attachment_31469" align="aligncenter" width="697"] Ishaan Leonard Rao. Photo (and featured image) by Bandeep Singh[/caption] The young piano prodigy is not really given to talking about his achievements, which already make up quite a long list. He has trained in the piano for 12 years, and in the sitar for seven. “I was five when I fell in love with the piano and decided to make it my instrument,” he tells Global Indian. This month, during his break from Berklee, Ishaan will begin his solo tour across India, performing five concerts across
love with the piano and decided to make it my instrument,” he tells Global Indian. This month, during his break from Berklee, Ishaan will begin his solo tour across India, performing five concerts across Bengaluru, New Delhi and Mumbai. The tour will take him to some of India's most prestigious cultural venues, including the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, the NCPA in Mumbai, the India International Centre in Delhi and the Bangalore International Centre.
"This programme will have a classical piano repertoire, with Hindustani and Carnatic-inspired music," Ishaan says. "And some jazz I picked up last year at Berklee, along with some South American influences. I have really tried to show who I am as a musician," he adds. His journey is only just beginning, but Ishaan is already crafting a style that is uniquely his own, inspired by his deep knowledge of Hindustani and Western classical music, as well as the many influences he encountered travelling with his parents as they performed around the world. In this concert, he will also combine elements of modal jazz, which has been studying at University, with ragas, as he explores John Coltrane (Naima), Dave Brubeck (Rondo A La Turk).
Growing up in Delhi, music was always "a given for Ishaan Leonard Rao, which is not surprising, all things considered. “I didn't know anything else through my childhood," he remarks. Music isn't merely a part of Ishaan’s world, something he loves or is good at - it is life itself. He was listening to music even before he was born and doesn't even recall the first time he picked up an instrument. By the time he met Pandit Ravi Shankar, he had learned around 15 ragas, even though he was still a toddler. "My parents had taught me ragas by then, not necessarily in a regimented way but I had learned how to identify them.” When they sang him to sleep as a child, the lullaby would be based on a particular raga. It came naturally to him too.
"The unique combination of Hindustani and Western classical music has shaped me so that I can understand music quite intuitively. Indian music teaches you how to train your ear in relation to other notes, if you hear a 'sa', you know every other note in relation to that. Western music shapes your understanding of absolute pitch." Although he's comfortable with sheet music, the piano prodigy is happiest playing by ear.
That wasn't all. Ishaan would also accompany his parents across the world, and has been meeting people from different cultures and heritages for as long as he can remember. "Hindustani and Western classical music are the most familiar to me but I have never really confined myself to a genre," he says. From the time he was born till about the age of 15, Ishaan was on the road with his parents for a "good three to five months of the year." Having a South Indian father and a Dutch mother also lent itself to cultural exploration - "I grew up speaking Kannada with my father and Dutch with my mum. And then I was travelling a lot. I became used to different cultures, am cognizant of my cultural heritage and find it very easy to acclimatise and feel at at home in either part of the world." It lent itself also to his explorations as a musician.
[caption id="attachment_31452" align="aligncenter" width="363"] Pandit Ravi Shankar with Ishaan[/caption]
A love story with the piano
Ishaan began training in the piano at the age of six, and showed great talent for it. “I have had four teachers along the way - Justin McCarthy, Raj Bhimani, Svetlana Radashkevich and Dimitris Lambrianos,” he says. He has also has also taken master classes by Polish pianist Raphael Lustchevsky, French pianist Martine Dellenbach and Dutch pianist Marianne Boer. Ishaan dedicated himself to the piano, going to class once a week and spending a couple of hours a day practicing. By the time he entered his teens, he knew beyond doubt that he wanted to be a pianist, not just a musician. "I'm really focussed on my instrument and I'm still in that process of completely mastery. That's not something you ever really achieve, but you work as hard as you can to get there," he says. And while he doesn’t claim mastery, Ishaan went on to become the youngest Indian ever to finish the ABRSM Grade 8 exam and the youngest to receive the ARSM performance diploma at the age of 12.
The young piano prodigy gave his first concert at the age of nine, performing the first movement of a Mozart sonata and a piece by Chopin. It's a big achievement for someone so young, but he quickly says, "They weren't particularly complex pieces. As a child, you tend to progress quite quickly through technical difficulty. Bringing out the music from that is as much of a journey," he explains. "Being a classical pianist is about a lot more than technical mastery. He went on to perform in India, France and Australia before making his New York concert debut at the age of 14, as part of the Chhandayan All Night Concert at the Society for Ethical Cultures.
Bending genres, breaking rules
He names Chopin, Debussy and Bach as composers he admires deeply but Ishaan doesn't want to confine himself in any way. It's why he chose Berklee College over a conservatory like say, Juilliard. "I love the traditional piano repertoire but I don't want to be confined to it. I'm in the process of developing my own musical voice, I would say." At Berklee, he has trained in modal jazz, and is also in a Klezmer ensemble.
His parents always encouraged the exploration. "When I was growing up, I quite liked just following the path that was set for me. I didn't realise that I instinctively wanted to go outside the path and break those rules. But you have to know the rules to break them. Over the last year, even though my primary focus has been on my classical repertoire, I feel a lot more comfortable with my own expression through them, rather than playing them the way they are supposed to be played." This exploration also includes adapting the piano to ragas, although he does so differently from his mother, who designed the Indian cello to create an instrument better suited to playing Hindustani classical music.
Ishaan Leonard Rao's musical journey is a testament to his exceptional talent, dedication, and diverse musical influences. From his early exposure to Hindustani and Western classical music to his explorations in jazz and fusion genres at Berklee College, Ishaan has developed a unique musical voice that reflects his deep understanding of different traditions. His commitment to his instrument, the piano, is evident in his achievements and performances at a remarkably young age. With a blend of technical mastery and artistic expression, the piano prodigy is poised to make significant contributions to the world of music and continue to carve his own path as a musician.
(June 22, 2024) Lavik Jain has always had a vivid imagination. Once, he imagined that pop star Justin Bieber’s favourite sweater went missing, then went on to weave a story out of it. This was the first time he had put his creative thoughts down on paper. It’s precisely this quality which makes the eight year-old one of India’s youngest and promising authors. “I noticed the pop star's frequent choice of sweaters and the idea ( of the missing sweater) struck me. I narrated it to my parents, who were surprised and encouraged me to write more,” smiles author Lavik Jain, speaking to Global Indian. This short story even went on to spark the idea for his first, recently released book Alexandrian Knights. [caption id="attachment_38331" align="aligncenter" width="449"] Lavik Jain[/caption] Alexandrian Knights After working on a few drafts, Lavik narrated the plot to his English teacher, who gave him some suggestions on how to make the tale more engaging. The entire experience made him realise how different people think differently. The story revolves around the unbreakable bond among four friends—Alex, Mike, Max, and Felix. Their friendship, characterized by unwavering support and loyalty, becomes a powerful force that helps them navigate and overcome the
re experience made him realise how different people think differently.
The story revolves around the unbreakable bond among four friends—Alex, Mike, Max, and Felix. Their friendship, characterized by unwavering support and loyalty, becomes a powerful force that helps them navigate and overcome the darkest challenges their adventurous journey throws their way.
“The way friendships are in India, Alexandrian Knights highlights the profound strength found in true companionship and the enduring power of human connections,” says the fourth grader of Pathways School, Noida.
Adventure world
What makes the book stand out is that it transports its readers to a world full of adventures, where anything a kid can possibly imagine, comes to life. “The colourful pictures and easy-to-follow story enabled readers picture the scenes in their minds as they read the book, making their imagination grow even more,” says Lavik.
The brave characters and the beautiful visual setting of ‘Kuldhara’ make the readers feel like they are present right there with the knights, facing challenges and discovering new things. “It’s almost like watching a 3D movie. I have tried my best to add some sci-fi and adventure, but at the same time not compromised with the relatability quotient by showcasing the power of true friendships,” says the young author, who has generated enough curiosity to keep the readers engaged and read on to see what happens next.
Upon his return to India from the US in 2022, Lavik was captivated by the vibrant Indian culture, and he was moved by the genuine affection that people share with each other. “The newfound admiration for the culture and its people naturally inspired the setting for my first book.”
He says his debut book (Alexandrian Knights) is his humble attempt to explore his imagination and himself.
Grandma’s tales
As a toddler, Lavik would listen keenly to all the stories his grandmother told him. “It took me to a mysterious world of imagination. Those memories indeed have had a profound impact on me,” says the promising author.
His parents have always stood by him. His mother, Dr. Silky Jain, is a senior paediatric haemato-oncologist working as an Assistant Professor at Post Graduate Institute of Child Health Hospital, Noida, while Lavik’s father, Dr. Harshit Jain is the Founder & Global CEO of Doceree, a platform for programmatic healthcare advertising.
“They have always been the inspiration behind all my endeavours,” says Lavik, who actively participates in debates and recently got the opportunity to become one of the ‘sharks’ in a shark tank competition held at his school.
Lavik says his parents keep reminding him to keep practicing and learning, as with more experience and knowledge, he can create stories that are special and unique. “So, I keep writing every day and constantly think of new ideas.”
A global citizen
Lavik was two years old when the Jain family moved to the United Kingdom in 2018 after Dr Harshit took up leadership role at McCann Worldgroup, UK. The family lived there for a year and a half and moved to the United States in 2019, where they stayed for three years.
In 2020, Lavik’s father decided to establish his venture Doceree, with offices both in the US and India, and they moved back to India in 2022. “All this moving around has given me a chance to see how people live in different countries,” he says.
Globe trotter
Lavik has already travelled to 10 countries including Greece, the United States, London, Paris, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Switzerland, Ireland, Rome and Italy and says each place has its own unique story.
Describing his travel experiences, Lavik says in Greece, he learned about the legend’s sayings on the ancient gods and goddesses while in the US, he saw skyscrapers so tall they seemed to touch the sky.
One Christmas, he went to Norway and saw the beautiful northern lights and visited Lego Land, where everything adventurous one can imagine, exists. “London’s busy cobblestone streets were full of energy, Paris was sparkling with the Eiffel Tower and yummy pastries. In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, I saw amazing futuristic buildings and played in the desert sands. Switzerland's snowy mountains felt like a fairy tale. Rome was like walking through a history book with stories of kings and emperors.”
But right now, says Lavik, his heart is in India, as it is only in this country that all the colours, spices, and stories come together like magic.
Colourful culture
Back home, Lavik was immediately captivated by the colourful culture that he believes makes the country so lively. “The strong bond between family members here is truly inspiring. My family and grandparents are very close and always look out for each other. This makes me feel safe and loved,” says the author, adding people in India love to talk and learn about each other, which helped him understand their thoughts and imaginations, boosting his creativity.
What’s next
“I plan to introduce ‘Alexandrian Knights-Vol 2’ soon. In the new version, the shadow lord will become even more powerful, and Alex, Felix, Mike and Max will fight with him to save the world from being destructed by mysterious darkness,” informs the young author.
Lavik says right now, he is having fun figuring out what his interests, likes and dislikes are. But one thing he knows for sure is that he is very curious about who made the world and how the universe came into existence. “This is a big mystery that I and the world still really want to know. Maybe one day, when I'm strong enough, I'll even go to space to find out,” smiles Lavik.
What he reads
Lavik likes to read books by two of his favourite authors — Jeff Kinney and Ruskin Bond. “Jeff Kinney’s books are super funny, the characters make me laugh. Ruskin Bond’s tales are truly magical. Both make me feel like I'm in the story and this inspires me to write stories that make readers feel the similar way.”
His favorite books are Diary of a Wimpy Kid (by Jeff Kinney) and The Blue Umbrella and Roads to Mussoorie (by Ruskin Bond). “These authors have helped me love reading and telling stories even more,” says Lavik, who also enjoys dancing.
When he's not reading...
Lavik’s hobbies reflect the curiosity to know more about the unknown. “I certainly love writing, storytelling, traveling, reading, and occasionally dancing. Like my debut book suggests, I can watch anything and everything that’s sci-fi, supernatural, horror or full of adventure,” says the super talented child, who has also been a big fan of Marvel Entertainment.
Lavik’s friends often compliment him for his writing and believe in him. “My friends love it when I tell them about spooky haunted houses, amazing space adventures, and thrilling action scenes. Their encouragement makes me want to write even more.”
Alexandrian Knights by Lavik Jain is available on Amazon.
(Aug 13, 2023) Indian-origin filmmaker Bishal Dutta boasts an impressive creative repertoire spanning diverse mediums, including short films, digital series, music videos, and broadcast commercials. His short film 'Life in Colour' gained recognition as an official selection at the American Pavilion’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. With his cinematic accomplishments celebrated at nearly two dozen international film festivals - including esteemed events in Italy, Austria, and France, Bishal has secured six Best Director awards for his proficiency in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. Adding another milestone to his career, the US-based filmmaker marked his debut feature film 'It Lives Inside' with a world premiere at SXSW 2023, receiving rave reviews and an audience award. The horror movie, set to hit theatres in September, has ignited intrigue with its trailer. In an interview, Bishal shared, "Horror is the most expressive of all the genres." [caption id="attachment_32523" align="aligncenter" width="566"] Bishal Dutta[/caption] As both the director and writer of the film, he draws inspiration from a blend of sources. The twenty-six-year-old has included elements of Indian folklore, a ghost story that he heard from his grandfather, and his own Indian American background, to shape the film's thematic essence. Making an Indian
piration from a blend of sources. The twenty-six-year-old has included elements of Indian folklore, a ghost story that he heard from his grandfather, and his own Indian American background, to shape the film's thematic essence.
Making an Indian horror film in America
'It Lives Inside' is not solely about ghosts but also a reflection of the Indian American experience. The narrative revolves around Sam, a young girl of Indian American descent, navigating the challenge of harmonising her cultural identity with the dynamics of her peers. The plot takes a darker turn when her close friend, Tamira, falls under the sway of a Pishach (a mythological demonic spirit). "Making this movie was a surreal experience. I was fortunate to have incredible collaborators and partners throughout the entire process," the Global Indian revealed in an interview.
The filmmaker artfully incorporates elements of his upbringing and cultural heritage, including the unique superstitions prevalent in Indian society, into his debut feature. Through the horror genre's prowess, he makes his film a medium to establish cultural connections while highlighting the distinctive aspects that set cultures apart.
Among the film’s cast are actors such as Megan Suri from 'Never Have I Ever,' Betty Gabriel, known for her breakout role in 'Get Out,' and Indian Canadian actress Neeru Bajwa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5xUbuYHdi8
Inspired by his grandpa’s ghost story
In interviews, Bishal has credited the story idea to his grandfather, who used to narrate stories to him when he was a child. Many scenes of 'It Lives Inside' stem from his favourite ghost story, which was based on his grandfather's actual experiences. The tale involved encountering a young girl who carried a jar and appeared to converse with an unseen presence in it. Bishal reminisces, "This story was a favourite of mine growing up.”
The jar and other elements like eerie noises, the sound of a galloping horse, and other unsettling occurrences in the darkness of the night have all found a place in Bishal’s cinematic narrative.
As a filmmaker, he has used the concept of being influenced by an evil spirit to metaphorically depict inner turmoil. The Pishach embodies the inner conflict of Indian-origin teenagers growing up abroad. "They feel torn between their Indian culture and their new life in America," Bishal remarks.
The spirit symbolizes a hidden aspect of the protagonist Sam's identity that she conceals, mirroring her apprehension that being from a different culture might hinder her acceptance.
[caption id="attachment_32526" align="aligncenter" width="511"] Poster of 'It Lives Inside'[/caption]
Love for horror
“After I moved to North America from India at the age of four, a lot of my social education came from watching American horror films,” the filmmaker shared.
He watched his first horror movie ‘Terminator 1’ as a five-year-old. In it, I saw a guy’s heart getting ripped out in the first two minutes. That really stayed with me.” Later movies like ‘Alien’, ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘The Conjuring’ built his appetite for horror movies in his growing-up years.
Now as a horror filmmaker himself, Dutta even managed to scare his parents with his own film. “They watched the whole thing and now my dad doesn't go in the basement anymore when it's too dark. But it's a dual experience because while they're scared, this film in so many ways is so personal, and I think it meant a lot to them to see these moments that are really from our life.” Bishal shared adding, "It Lives Inside’ is a story about what happens when you change who you are to fit in. It makes you think while also giving you chills.”
The filmmaker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Media Studies from the University of California, Berkley.
(October 20, 2023) "Our school's lunch menu lacked diversity in all aspects, and I couldn't believe that the same five ingredients seemingly rotated into different meals somehow met the guidelines for a balanced meal," says Indian-American teen Satvika Iyer, who was keen to create a healthy and sustainable food system in schools by advocating for more plant-based nutrition and better waste management. The campaign earned the Milpitas High School student 2023 International Young Eco-Hero Award. "The US government continues to subsidise systems that are inefficient and exploitative. Factory farming is one of those systems. As a high school student, I decided to break free from the 'business as usual' model of school food by taking a few small steps with the help of my school’s cafeteria and nutrition staff, and it led to a rewarding and lasting impact," she said in an interview. [caption id="attachment_33678" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Satvika Iyer[/caption] Born to immigrant parents, Satvika had a hard time growing up as a vegetarian in California, and during lunchtime in school, she was asked to take pepperoni off the pizza. Despite her school catering to a 70 percent Asian population, they had only one Asian salad on the menu before featuring
a, and during lunchtime in school, she was asked to take pepperoni off the pizza. Despite her school catering to a 70 percent Asian population, they had only one Asian salad on the menu before featuring more plant-based options. This led to reaching the administration in her district with more plant-based options in school lunches, which set the ball rolling. "We began a district-wide Earth Day campaign to educate elementary, middle, and high school students about how and why choosing the plant-based option at school is important for combating climate change. We got incredible support from our cafeteria manager for the project," she added as the campaign has helped serve over 2000 vegan lunches in the last year in the school.
They initially came up with a plant-based pitstop decked out with colourful posters in one corner of the cafeteria, but it gave an impression "that a plant-based meal was different from one with meat." However, after feedback to the nutrition services staff about the placement of the plant-based options in the cafe, they were able to integrate it with a full-time cafeteria. "This experience shows that a high school cafeteria might need to be organized differently to support student participation in climate-friendly food options, and it's our job to be flexible and try new things," she added.
However, changing the perception of high schoolers on what they eat wasn't a "walk in the park" as many opt for beef tacos daily. "Resistance to eating more plant-based food is usually coupled with being uninformed on the nutritional and ethical values that different foods offer," the Global Indian said.
When asked why would school students opt for climate-friendly food, the eco-warrior said, "From an environmental standpoint, the amount of water and greenhouse gas emissions saved by choosing one plant-based meal over a meat and dairy-based entree in your cafeteria is significant." That's not it! Even from an ethical point of view, "each conventional beef patty represents the cruel, inhumane practices of industrial animal agriculture. The price we pay for seemingly 'cheap' industrial meats is animal cruelty."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnnEJjZrm8k
The campaign helped Satvika's school district to introduce a permanent plant-based menu with meat-free alternatives and salad bars, in turn making a significant impact on school nutrition at her high school. The teenager, who believes that science and education can help solve global issues, shares friendly advice with other students who plan to tread a similar path. "Confront any fear with action. Instead of being overwhelmed by the daunting task ahead of you, celebrate the little wins. From reaching fellow students, finding plant-powered regulars, educating others, volunteering to help distribute meals, or even getting someone to try something from the plant-based menu just once — these are all wins and signs of progress!"
(July 15, 2023) Akshaya Dinesh fell in love with coding through hackathons. The 24-year-old began her entrepreneurship journey during her time at Stanford University, and is the founder of two startups - Ladder and Spellbound. She went on leave of absence from university and gave up a paid internship at Facebook to concentrate on her entrepreneurial journey, where she felt she would make the biggest impact. Her work mainly involves empowering girls in tech, encouraging them to break stereotypes and helping them gain access to opportunities, training and resources. Growing up in New Jersey, Akshaya began dabbling in coding in early high school, more out of boredom than passion. "The summer between middle and high school, I just was super bored and had nothing to do. My parents encouraged me to try to learn a new field." Her parents had seen the opportunities out there for programmers and told Akshaya to learn Java. "I unwillingly learned Java and hated it," the Global Indian said in an interview. "The first language I learned after Java was JavaScript because I realised Java wasn't enough for me to actually build anything of use." How hackathons changed her life Her big turning point came
rel="noopener">interview. "The first language I learned after Java was JavaScript because I realised Java wasn't enough for me to actually build anything of use."
How hackathons changed her life
Her big turning point came when she discovered hackathons, which happened almost by chance. "I was a math competition for my high school math team and I saw a Major League Hackathon sticker on someone's computer," she recalled, in a podcast. She went home and looked it up, only to find "this whole world I knew nothing about." There happened to be a hackathon coming up in New Jersey and she signed up. Her mother drove her to the event and Akshaya walked in to "a sea of white and Asian boys, pretty much." Clearly, there were very few girls in tech and not much was being done to increase diversity in the space. The spectacle was so daunting she wanted to turn around and go home. To her relief, she found a table of girls and gravitated towards them. "We spent that weekend working on a website together. We were total newbies and didn't win anything, but I was translating the code to Javascript. I loved the entire idea of being able to build a product from scratch in 24 hours," she said.
[caption id="attachment_31926" align="aligncenter" width="410"] Akshaya Dinesh, the entrepreneur working to empower girls in tech[/caption]
Just like that, Akshaya was hooked. She would travel to hackathons every weekend, has attended more than 45 and won a couple of the big ones too. Enthused by her successes, Akshaya attempted to join the Robotics team at her high school. "The male programming lead was so unsupportive, he screamed at me to leave the room. I went home and cried to my mom, wondering what I had done wrong," Akshaya said. She learned later that many people had complained against the young man in question, and it spurred Akshaya to do something about it.
Akshaya decided to launch a diversity initiative within the school. She recruited a few of her peers and over the next few years, the team had organised two hackathons and coding and entrepreneurship training to girls of all ages across the country. "Over 600 girls have been taught by our curriculum," she said. Her big lesson from the experience was that anyone can be an entrepreneur, given the right resources and opportunities. "One group of sixth graders who attended our camp, came from a relatively low income area of New Jersey. They had no coding experience. By the end of our eight-week bootcamp, they had created an Android app from scratch, which they pitched in English to the entire audience." The app was meant to teach ESL students how to speak English. "It's amazing to see how quickly people can grow if they are in a supportive environment," Akshaya says.
Akshaya's own accolades earned her a spot in Stanford University's prestigious CS programme. Her involvement with She++, a social enterprise that works to empower underrepresented groups in technology, helped her land two big internships before college, one at Microsoft and the other at Bloomberg, before she began university. "It was my first time getting to experience Silicon Valley and being in huge tech companies that I had never dreamed of visiting," she explains.
At Stanford University, Akshaya taught two classes - Introduction to Programming and Data structures. She also continued her involvement with She ++, through which she had wonderful experiences. "I wanted to give back and make that experience possible for other women," she said. So, she ran the college version of the Ambassadors programme, although the summit itself was cancelled due to the pandemic. Stanford University provided her with a rich ecosystem to learn and grow, and the CS programme was the right place to be. "It caters perfectly to tech and tech entrepreneurship learning," she said.
Up the social entrepreneurship 'Ladder'
At Stanford, she began brainstorming with a friend who was doing a CS Master's. The pandemic was at its peak then and thousands of people were struggling to find replacements for cancelled internships. The duo put a simple plan in place - matching students with mentors in their field of interest and having coffee chats with them. "That became huge quickly," she said. Lots of people signed up and it was clear they had filled a growing need. This was how Ladder came to be, a community for people in tech to meet, network and help each other grow through collaboration.
"We had a huge list of internships that had come to us at Stanford University," says Akshaya. They put those in the public domain and thousands of students began picking them. She realised that people simply don't have access to the wealth of information and opportunities that she had at an Ivy League university. The Ladder newsletter was gaining traction fast - with 30,000 subscribers in the first month. "We could see there was a problem and wanted to work on it full-time to democratise access to opportunities," she said.
The young entrepreneur was at another crossroads. She had an internship at Facebook lined up, and a CS course awaiting her at Stanford. However, she had also managed to raise funding for Ladder, which gave her the financial freedom to quit her summer job. She also went on leave of absence from her course at university. She recruited a couple of students to help her and the platform was ready in the next two weeks. As her startup grew, she knew more than ever that she didn't want to work in a big-tech company any longer. Working with girls in tech allowed her to see the impact she was making. "I am an impact-oriented person and I wanted a certain kind of gratification that just isn't there at a big-tech company," she says. "With my startup, though, I can build a feature and see people using it in a week. I want a shorter feedback loop."
Challenges
"I realised that the most successful founders have an insane amount of confidence in themselves, their story and the product that they're building," Akshaya explains. As for herself, she often struggled with 'Imposter Syndrome', and to speak confidently to people. It was also intimidating to be in a male-dominated world, where female founders even struggle for funding. She tells her fellow female founder friend’s one thing: "When you enter a pitch meeting, assume that you’re a white male and you have all the same privileges," she remarks. It's part of empowering girls in tech as they struggle in a male-dominated, sometimes unwelcoming environment.
Akshaya is also the founder of Spellbound, which incorporates interactive user experiences embedded inside the body of emails. "My goal is to build an extremely successful large business and sort of prove to the world that you don't need to be a white man to accomplish the same types of success," she says.
Pandit Ravi Shankar with Ishaan[/caption]
Poster of 'It Lives Inside'[/caption]
Akshaya Dinesh, the entrepreneur working to empower girls in tech[/caption]
