Ankush Dhawan: The Indian-American teen behind an innovative arsenic detection method
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(April 26, 2023) The growing concern around the arsenic contamination of groundwater has become a public health distress in recent years. So much so that the number of people affected by arsenic-contaminated water has meteorically gone up in more than 20 countries, including India and Bangladesh. It was these statistics that made Indian-American teen Ankush Dhawan comb through reams of research to come up with an innovative project – an advance and cost-effective method to test arsenic concentration in water – which made him one of the finalists at the Regeneron Science Talent Search award 2020. Not only has his research earned him a spot among the most promising young scientists in the United States, but it has also opened the door to a brighter future for millions of people at risk from arsenic-contaminated water.
Ankush Dhawan
Ankush’s journey into the world of science began at a young age. Growing up in a family of engineers and doctors, he was surrounded by people who encouraged his curiosity and nurtured his love for learning. As a child, Ankush was fascinated by puzzles and riddles, which later translated into a passion for scientific research.
It wasn’t long before Ankush’s interests led him to explore the fields of chemistry and environmental science. When he learned about the devastating impact of arsenic contamination in water supplies, particularly in countries like India and Bangladesh, he felt compelled to address the issue. “Arsenic is a poisonous heavy metal that is found in drinking water all across the world. Over 130 million people have suffered from arsenic-contaminated water. I developed a method to test arsenic and quantify it at trace levels that is an improvement in cost and effectiveness over current tests methods,” the Global Indian said in a statement.
Ankush’s project – An Improved Method for Trace Level Arsenic Quantification in Water – involved developing a method that was more sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective than existing techniques. His approach combined the use of gold nanoparticles with a unique surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique.
As arsenic is naturally present at hazardous concentrations in much of the world’s groundwater, EPA US, recognising its adverse effects on human health, reduced the arsenic drinking water standard in 2006 from 50 ppb to 10 ppb. However, accurately measuring arsenic below 20 ppb requires water supply companies to use costly analytical techniques. Recognising his work, Regeneron Science Talent Search mentioned that by refining a previously developed method, Ankush was able to reduce the detection limit to 3.5 ppb. Moreover, to detect arsenic in remote areas, he developed a fast and portable visual test that, once commercialised, could be used to detect arsenic concentrations of about 50 ppb for less than one-tenth the cost of existing methods.
His dedication to his research has earned him numerous accolades and awards, including a spot in the top 40 finalists of the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 as well as the 2018 Top Young Scientist Award at the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair.
In addition to his academic accomplishments, Ankush is an active member of his school’s science club and chess clubs and has volunteered for Vanderburgh County’s Teen Court system. Moreover, he has an asteroid in the Milky Way galaxy named after him through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory. Ankush’s enthusiasm for research and problem-solving has led him to mentor younger students interested in science and to conduct workshops on the importance of clean water and environmental conservation.
Ankush, who is currently an undergraduate student at Stanford University majoring in Electrical Engineering, credits his interest in engineering and the environment to his parents. He believes that science has the power to transform lives and that young scientists can make a meaningful impact on the world.
As a finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Awards, Ankush has already made a mark on the scientific community. His research has the potential to revolutionise the way arsenic contamination is detected and managed in water supplies across the globe. He wants to economically commercialize his award-winning arsenic test kit once it is patented so that people suffering from arsenic contamination in developing countries can benefit from it. “I would like to potentially commercialize this in the future and get it out to the people who are suffering from arsenic contamination, in areas such as Bangladesh and India. Those are places where contamination is the worst,” he said.
(March 30, 2023) Almost every year, over one million kids die as a result of not getting vaccinated on time. The unavailability of vaccination transportation and storage facilities in several developing parts of the world has proven to be fatal for those who cannot afford expensive healthcare institutions. While the world leaders are still discussing the issue, a young innovator - Anurudh Ganesan - has been working tirelessly to resolve the problem in his backyard. At just 15, Anurudh invented VAXXWAGON, a portable refrigeration system to transport vaccines safely and effectively. The invention won him a slew of awards, including the LEGO Education Builder Award and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The VAXXWAGON runs on a "no ice, no electricity" system and is very cost-effective (less than $100), and can also keep the temperature consistent for several hours at a stretch. Living in Clarksburg, USA, the young innovator's VAXXWAGON is inspired by the problems faced by healthcare workers who have to transport vaccines to the remotest corners of the world. After working on the prototype for several years, the youngster came up with a machine that would require only 2.3 watts of energy to cool a well-insulated cold
tPdf/11314" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAXXWAGON is inspired by the problems faced by healthcare workers who have to transport vaccines to the remotest corners of the world. After working on the prototype for several years, the youngster came up with a machine that would require only 2.3 watts of energy to cool a well-insulated cold chamber. "In this day and age, nobody should die from vaccine-preventable diseases," the innovator believes, "I’m committed to seeing this project through to the next phase. I will have succeeded when the first person’s life is saved because of VAXXWAGON.”
Destiny's child
When he was an infant, his grandparents carried him ten miles in rural South India to get him his routine polio vaccination. When they finally arrived, they found the vaccines were useless after having not been refrigerated for an extended period. "I was fortunate," he told Global Indian, adding, "For many, that trek to be vaccinated is a matter of life and death." Anurudh was able to receive the vaccine the next day but realised that so many others aren’t as lucky, with 4,000 children dying every day from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Always the one to raise important questions and come up with innovative solutions, he recalls asking his father when he was five years old, about inventing a vehicle that doesn't need gas. Anurudh didn't stop there. He went on to research the subject, learning everything he could about self-generating power. In keeping with this, VAXXWAGON works with "wheel-powered refrigeration". As the wheel turns, mechanical energy is converted to thermal energy and can keep vaccines cold for up to 16 hours after being powered for only half that time.
What an idea
It was while he was working on a school project that the young innovator got the idea for VAXXWAGON. He read several textbooks to learn everything he could about refrigeration, then he did research online to learn more about vaccines. Next, he began formulating his ideas on paper. Rather than relying on electricity or ice, Anurudh figured out a way to use wheels to power a refrigeration system for about eight hours. The entire rechargeable cooling system can be pulled to areas in need of vaccines by bicycle, car, or animal.
However, there was a loophole in his design that he not only identified but also managed to fix. To be safe and effective, vaccines must maintain a "Goldilocks temperature" between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius — similar to a very cold refrigerator — from the time they leave the manufacturers to the moment they reach the patient. Hospitals will package the vaccine on ice, but this can easily backfire if the ice is too cold and freezes the vials, or if it melts before the vaccine reaches its destination. "I took a refrigerator apart," the innovator recalled, adding, "I saw how it worked and tried to re-engineer it so that it used no electricity and no ice to provide accurate refrigeration of vaccines while in transport." All this, in roughly $100.
Eventually, Anurudh took his design to professors at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland for advice. Not only did they confirm that VAXXWAGON could work, but they also offered Anurudh funding to help build it. To test the prototype he had built, the innovator ran the VAXXWAGON on a treadmill at eight miles per hour for six hours — racking up the energy to power the refrigerator — and let it rest for nearly five hours to collect data while the compressor wasn't being powered. In this simulated last leg of the trip, the fake vaccines maintained a temperature in the Goldilocks ranges for over four hours.
The road ahead
After nearly two years of refining a half-dozen prototypes, Anurudh has a patent pending for his latest design of VAXXWAGON now. He has won several awards for his innovation including Google Science Fair and also got a chance to demonstrate the working of the machine to US President Obama at the annual White House Science Fair. However, his main priority at this time is to start selling the machine to relief organisations by the end of the year so it can be used to help people around the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnDevi9r0hM
“In my mind,” the innovator said, "my design will be a success as soon as it saves even a single life. If it can save one life, it can save many more.” Currently, pursuing a finance degree at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Anurudh's message to the other young innovators is quite simple. "Don’t give up on your ideas. But always try to help others with your projects. That’s the point of innovation - to help people."
(November 15, 2023) Imagine being dubbed a ‘Kachra Wala’ while striving to keep your city's river banks clean. This was something that software developer and environmentalist Vivek Gurav faced. With a deep passion for environmental cleanliness, he weathered the initial backlash and founded Pune Ploggers. His community of volunteers engages in ecological rehabilitation through clean-up drives and plogging (combining jogging with picking up litter), and adopting rivers like Mula-Mutha, Indrayani, and Pawana in Pune for rejuvenation. What began as a modest initiative in Pune has blossomed into a movement spanning 32 cities across India with more than 10,000 volunteers, and has also expanded to the United Kingdom, impressing the prime minister of UK, earning the ‘Points of Light’ award and wide recognition in UK’s media. [caption id="attachment_34111" align="aligncenter" width="533"] Vivek Gurav[/caption] Pune Ploggers in the UK After completing his bachelors in computer science engineering in Pune, Vivek went on to pursue a master's in environmental policy and management at the University of Bristol in the UK. Undeterred by cold weather and snowfall, he extended his community-benefit efforts in the United Kingdom as well, and gradually got successful in establishing plogging communities in several cities of the UK with thousands of
anagement at the University of Bristol in the UK. Undeterred by cold weather and snowfall, he extended his community-benefit efforts in the United Kingdom as well, and gradually got successful in establishing plogging communities in several cities of the UK with thousands of volunteers.
Vivek's initiatives earned him the Point of Light award from the UK PM, leading to an invitation to 10 Downing Street. He met PM Rishi Sunak who showed immense interest in the youngster’s plogging initiatives. Reflecting on this journey, Vivek remarked in a speech “What made this small campaign transform into a global voice was the intention to make an impact. My purpose didn’t allow me to sleep, and keep my dreams confined to one location. I wanted to expand and reach out to as many youngsters as possible and build a community that would thrive on the simple idea of change making.”
The life changing journey
In 2014, Vivek moved to Pune from a small village of Maharashtra with aspirations to attain something big in life, oblivious of the milestones he would soon achieve in the sphere of community development. “As a village boy the first thing that caught my attention in the big city was the poor condition of Mula-Muttha river. It was filthy and looked like a drainage.” It stinked and the water was black due to the trash that flowed through the heart of the city. Vivek witnessed the same filthy condition of another river that flowed near his engineering college.
[caption id="attachment_34118" align="aligncenter" width="860"] Pune Ploggers Team[/caption]
“I come from a village where clean rivers flow. We can actually go and drink the clean river water. When I came to Pune I was disappointed to see that rivers of the city in such a polluted state,” said Vivek adding, “People from villages go to cities to study, to build their dreams but the problem in the cities is that people are not mindful enough about their natural resources.” This discovery compelled him start changing the scenario, one step at a time.
Initiating change
In his first year of college, he launched a cleaning drive along the littered river near his campus. To begin with he approached the local municipal council but encountered a blame game between residents and authorities regarding their responsibilities. Frustrated with finger-pointing on each other, he decided to take action on his own. Igniting his inner eco warrior, he started cleaning the river at five am daily, inviting friends to join. Over three months his efforts transformed the once filthy riverside into a clean and popular hangout spot for students. This became a powerful example of an individual initiative and team effort bringing about positive change.
The birth of Pune Ploggers
In 2019, after graduating, Vivek finally transitioned from recognising a problem, working for community around him to launching a city-wide movement—Pune Ploggers. Combining jogging and picking up plastic, a concept originating from Sweden in 2016, the campaign aimed to make a positive impact for the residents of Pune. Volunteers would pick up trash during their morning walk or jog, engaging in a dual purpose - personal fitness and environmental clean-up. “Since our inception in October 2019, Pune Ploggers has evolved into a global community with over 10,000 active participants, spanning four years of dedicated efforts,” Vivek shared.
[caption id="attachment_34119" align="aligncenter" width="685"] Vivek's plogging efforts in the UK[/caption]
Movement to the UK – dream come true
Vivek got so steeped into the cause of tackling climate change by managing garbage that he wanted to gain expertise as a climate scientist and environmental policymaker that he thought was crucial for his non-profit’s growing environmental initiatives.
With no funds and limited financial backing, securing a loan also proved difficult as the only asset that the family could project for guarantee against the loan repayment was a small farm land in the village.
As he had been trained as a software developer, his decision to study a master’s in climate science was also met with rejection from several universities, who said he had no prior academic exposure to the subject. However, the University of Bristol finally recognised his achievements beyond his engineering course and offered him a full scholarship. Vivek Gurav left his IT job and seized the opportunity. “Coming from a humble background with no financial support, securing full scholarship was a boon and strengthened my determination to mitigate the impact of garbage and trash on the climate,” he said.
[caption id="attachment_34114" align="aligncenter" width="663"] Vivek Gurav at BBC's studio, UK[/caption]
The cause inUK
When Vivek moved to Bristol for his studies in 2021, he went on to establish a plogger community there. “When thousands woke up early on weekends, gathering to pick up trash, their collective positive intentions became a powerful force for better environment,” the Global Indian said.
“Against all odds, I found myself in a foreign land, talking to climate scientists, conducting research, and expanding my knowledge. Last year, I undertook a remarkable journey, traveling to 30 cities in the UK in 30 days, facing challenges like snowfall. This journey expanded the plogging community with thousands of active ploggers in the UK.”
To reshape mind-sets, Vivek Gurav and Pune Ploggers team has introduced an innovative initiative called ‘Chalk of Shame’. “Using chalk, we circle cigarette butts and other such litter on the streets, and write sarcastic slogans to make people realise their shameful act,” he says. This creative tool became a nationwide phenomenon, garnering millions of views on social media. It not only tackled the litter problem but also fostered creativity and awareness. The Pune Ploggers community has further expanded its focus on solving problems and encouraging values like equality and diversity, allowing like-minded individuals to thrive in generating ideas and solutions that contribute to positive societal change.
Good intentions can bring change
What began as a small initiative in Pune expanded across 32 cities in India and several cities of the UK, with a significant presence in London. Vivek Gurav’s journey, from a small town to studying climate science, exploring UK as a climate activist, and establishing a global task force, stands as a testament to the power of intentions and the transformative impact of a small yet significant issue of litter management with the big goal of averting climate change.
(February 16, 2022) Frantically scribbling away ideas for a startup in 2019, Freya Thakral stumbled upon the huge plastic waste menace. The then 13-year-old created an app that recycles plastic, and even helps ragpickers live dignified life. The same year, India generated over 34 lakh tons of plastic waste, and the teenager knew it was time to take matters into her hand. Freya’s Recycler App, a free door-to-door waste collection service won her the Diana Award 2020. “I had no idea that my work was creating such a huge difference. The award was a validation of sorts, and has made me more comfortable about the path that I have taken,” she tells Global Indian. Incredibly, this isn’t the only app that made Freya a global name. The 15-year-old won the British Citizen Youth Award 2021 for empowering girls to express themselves through her wellbeing app Curiousify. An initiative that began during the pandemic, it helps women deal with mental health issues. [caption id="attachment_10922" align="aligncenter" width="493"] Freya Thakral at Young Founders Summit[/caption] When adventure gave her ideas Born in 2006 to a teacher-father and a homemaker-mother in the UK, Freya moved to Nepal with family at six owing to her dad’s
c1684-c02f-47a3-9d54-e084185d53901.jpg" alt="Diana Awardee | Freya Thakral " width="493" height="657" /> Freya Thakral at Young Founders Summit[/caption]
When adventure gave her ideas
Born in 2006 to a teacher-father and a homemaker-mother in the UK, Freya moved to Nepal with family at six owing to her dad’s sense of adventure. “After a year-and-a-half in Nepal, we moved to Delhi which was my home for almost five years,” says the 15-year-old who enrolled in the British School then. Fitting in was a task as neither was she “academically inclined” nor did she have “any particular hobbies.” However, things shifted for the teenager when she decided to participate in the Young Founders Summit, a global start-up competition and accelerator programme. There, Freya came up with the recycling app.
“Since I stayed in the UK and Nepal, I had seen the way waste was disposed. If England has a set system of disposing, open dumping of solid waste was a common practice in Nepal. In Delhi too, plastic was mixed with other waste, making it difficult to recycle. I realised no one was encouraged to recycle. That’s when the idea of a Recycler App struck me,” smiles the innovator who then involved ragpickers to help them in their vulnerability.
From “rags” to sustainable riches
It was after speaking to marginalised ragpickers in her locality, many of them children, Freya realised the need to build a more sustainable method of recycling. Driven by a passion to transform the lives of ragpickers, she decided to build the app to connect users with ragpickers.
The summit helped her find her first investor. With funds pouring in, she set up a warehouse in Ghaziabad and paid money to ragpickers. “A judge liked my idea, and even got me in touch with an investor who helped me understand the business side,” says the Class 10 student who had to learn coding online to develop the app with a little help from her father.
Launched in June 2019 on iOS, the app was initially available in South Delhi. “Anyone who wanted to avail the services could simply slot a date and time, and the ragpicker would collect plastic at the doorstep, which was sent to a recycling plant,” explains the young activist who at first started with only three collectors, and soon the number grew to 10.
[caption id="attachment_10924" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Freya Thakral with the middleman[/caption]
However, convincing ragpickers to work wasn’t easy. “Being so young, not many believe in your vision. So, it took time building trust. We worked with a middleman who had access to the app, and would send ragpickers to homes as not everyone had a touchscreen phone,” explains the Diana Awardee. Her motto was to improve the lives of ragpickers, and employ them. “Instead of roaming the streets, they could reach people who required their services. We would also pay a large part of the money we received from recycling to them,” adds the Brighton School Bangkok student who had 500 active users on the app that she calls the “Uber of recycling.”
Awards & glory thanks to a vision
Freya won the Diana Award 2020 for her app, and it completely “surprised” her.
“I had no idea that my work was getting noticed. While I couldn’t receive the award in person due to the pandemic, it was great connecting with those doing noteworthy work,” smiles the Diana Awardee.
Recycler’s operations are on hold since the pandemic began in 2020. “Collectors weren’t allowed into people’s houses. Since many came from squatter settlements, people were uncomfortable having them near during Covid-19. I, too, moved to the UK, thus it was hard to manage,” reveals Freya who wasn’t sure of “putting the burden of the business on someone else” in her absence. A handful of old users still use the app, and avail services.
Helping those struggling in the pandemic
As lockdown put a spade on everything, Freya was busy creating the app Curiousify which focusses on wellbeing and the mental health of young women. After experiencing emotional difficulties, she needed a constructive outlet to express herself. “I realised many young women going through issues were exposed to negative and incorrect information, thus exacerbating the situation. So, I decided to bring a sense of community with Curiousify,” reveals the girl who offers a curated collection of bite-sized articles and videos that are positive and helpful. The mental health campaigner won the British Citizen Youth Award 2021 for empowering girls to express themselves.
[caption id="attachment_10926" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Freya Thakral at the British Citizen Youth Award 2021[/caption]
Freya is now bettering the app by adding new features like a language convertor to make it accessible to a larger audience. Looking forward to working for something bigger than her, the Diana Awardee avers, “Joining the United Nations is definitely on my list.”
She credits the awards for opening her mind to possibilities. “The current generation needs to get out of their comfort zone,” she implores.
(March 15, 2024) Indian-origin, Texas-based Madhalasa Iyer was appalled when she learned that in her district, a 13-year-old African-American boy was forced by his peers to drink his own urine. They even recorded the inhuman incident while yelling racial slurs at the victim. As she read the news and discussed the hate crime with her friends, Madhalasa learned of many more instances of discrimination and racism in her own district. In 2019, to help change societal mindsets, she founded Team Motley, an initiative emphasising the importance of solidarity for human equality. As part of her drive, she wrote a book titled 'Motley' to drive home the message of social equality. Later, the scope of her organisation expanded to include advocacy for environmental action. In addition to her work on social discrimination and the environment crisis, Madhalasa is working on a manuscript on phytomedicine to emphasise the benefits of ancient medicinal techniques. [caption id="attachment_36623" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Madhalasa Iyer[/caption] The author, researcher, speaker, and environmentalist has received several awards for her multifaceted talent, including recognition for her writing by the Alliance for Artists and Writers and the New York Life Foundation, as one of the six teen artists and writers chosen across
| Global Indian" width="539" height="539" /> Madhalasa Iyer[/caption]
The author, researcher, speaker, and environmentalist has received several awards for her multifaceted talent, including recognition for her writing by the Alliance for Artists and Writers and the New York Life Foundation, as one of the six teen artists and writers chosen across the US.
In 2023, as one of the Coca-Cola Scholars, Madhalasa Iyer was awarded a $20,000 college scholarship for her contributions to bring positive change in her community. She is currently pursuing neuroscience at Princeton University.
“I work on things that I am genuinely passionate about and this keeps me motivated,” Madhalasa tells Global Indian.
What does Team Motley do?
As an international initiative, Team Motley distributes books, stories, and artworks promoting acceptance, inclusion, and biodiversity to children and youth worldwide. These materials are created by teenagers who aim to share positive messages on these themes with children across the globe.
“We started by publishing our own children’s book, Motley, which discusses discrimination on a broader level, seeking to combat racism and bias in our society,” Madhalasa shares.
She and her team have successfully established Team Motley’s chapters in Texas and Washington State in the US, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Ismailia and Cairo in Egypt.
Talking about Motley’s other branch, environmental advocacy, Madhalasa remarks, “It was already a big part of my life considering I grew up watching my grandmother build our own greenhouse. I have participated in environmental advocacy since 2018 but added it to Team Motley in 2022.”
[caption id="attachment_36605" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Cover image of Madhalasa Iyer's book Motley[/caption]
Supported by grants from nonprofits such as Discovery Education, American Service Alliance, the Hershey Foundation, USC Shoah, and the National Century Foundation, as well as through community fundraising, Team Motley now has more than 2,500 participants in five countries.
Emphasising on changing mindsets for making life of youngsters easier, Madhalasa remarks, “Children are often the most susceptible to society’s opinions and social influences. Therefore, building a community of acceptance will promote inclusion for future generations, regardless of their skin colour or ethnic background.”
For its impactful work, her Team Motley has received several awards and recognition from organisations such as the Plano ISD Diversity and Inclusion Board.
Madhalasa attributes the success of her initiatives to her team members at Team Motley.
Merging science with writing
Although Madhalasa is currently pursuing Neuroscience at Princeton, she is passionate about creative writing as well. She has attended the Iowa Young Writers Studio and the Sarah Lawrence Writing Camp (sponsored by the National Anthony Quinn Foundation with a merit-based scholarship). In these programmes, the budding writer got an opportunity to develop her writing skills by garnering tips and advice from the luminaries from the world of writing.
Merging her interest in science and her passion for writing, Madhalasa Iyer has published scientific work at IEEE, Journal of Student Research, Mentoring in Medicine Journal, and the Curieux Academic Journal.
[caption id="attachment_36611" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Madhalasa Iyer while receiving an award[/caption]
With the purpose of bringing the benefits of phytomedicine (herbal medicine with therapeutic and healing properties) to the fore; she is working on a manuscript on the subject. “It explores use of phytomedicine techniques in the ancient Chinese traditional medicinal practices, Vedic Indian scriptures, Native American treatments and mediaeval medicine practices,” she mentions.
An avid researcher, Madhalasa has presented her scientific research findings at esteemed platforms like the International SusTech Conference, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the Southern California Undergraduate Conference (SCCUR), the Harvard Research Club at NYC, the Harvard Science Research Conference, and the Texas Science and Humanities Symposium. She has also given talks at TEDx and EarthX (world's largest green gathering held annually around Earth Day in Dallas, Texas).
For her work as an author, environmentalist and social justice advocate Madhalasa has been recognised by national organisations of the US like the Discovery Education, YoungArts, Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, Leyla Beban Author’s Foundation, Anthony Quinn Foundation, Century Foundation, University of Washington, New York Life Foundation, National Rifle Association (NRA), the Coca-Cola Foundation, and Elks Organization among others.
Her literary works (prose and poetry) have been published in journals like the Cathartic Literary Magazine, The Weight Journal, Scars Publications, Literary Yard, Poetry Nation, Plain View Magazine, Bluefire Magazine, amongst others.
The numerous awards and recognition that she received for writing, has motivated Madhalasa in using the power of the pen to cultivate change. “Each of us have the ability to use our words or work of art to illustrate positive messages and ideas to our community and we should use it” she mentions.
[caption id="attachment_36610" align="aligncenter" width="423"] Madhalasa Iyer after receiving one of her awards[/caption]
Stronger than Hate Challenge
In 2021 when Madhalasa was still in high school, she bagged first place and won a $6000 scholarship in the ‘Stronger Than Hate Challenge’. Created to inspire middle school and high school students, the annual competition is conducted for students aged 13 and up in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Since the event emphasises the role of social-emotional learning in empowering students to overcome hate, and encourages young people to use their voices to connect with the community, Madhalasa had got interested in participating.
Inspired by, Madhalasa had created the multimedia poem titled ‘Where Were You’ emphasising the significance of standing up for what’s right in order to stop history from repeating itself.
“If we can all speak out against discrimination, our war on division the holocaust survivor Tamara Branitsky is won and acts such as genocide and atrocities would only be present in the pages of history,” Madhalasa believes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n0s0fmVH-s
Rising above odds
Although the Texas-based youngster has written several literary pieces and scientific research papers, and given talks at platforms like EarthX and TEDx, her journey of developing into a confident communicator has not been a smooth ride.
She was born in California but spent the first eight years of her life in Nepal and India. As an eight-year-old with a strong Indian accent, when Madhalasa moved to the US, she was looked down upon for her cadence and tone. “During my early schooling years, I struggled at grammar and writing tests. It took me years of continual accent therapy to rebuild the confidence that I had lost,” Madhalasa shares. But a creative bent of mind, dedication towards self-improvement, and love for reading kept her going in her self-enhancement initiatives.
“A combination of determination and support from my parents, family, and friends enabled me to overcome my speech and writing challenges, ultimately paving a way for me to become an author and a speaker,” she remarks.
[caption id="attachment_36609" align="aligncenter" width="645"] Madhalasa Iyer with Scholastic Art and Writing Awards[/caption]
With the attitude and experience of rising above challenges, Madhalasa Iyer aspires to create a world ‘where equality isn’t a question and where people sow the seeds of environmental action for the betterment of the future generation’. “As a citizen of the world, I wish to be an active contributor towards these changes.” She signs off.
As a child, Shreyas Ayaluri would spend hours scribbling just about anything on pieces of paper. It made no sense to anyone but him. From doodles, shower thoughts, ideas, catch phrases or just to-do-lists – he would be at it for most part of the day. Once, his teacher suggested he carry a miniature note-pad to capture all his haphazard thoughts and be more efficient with his scribbling. He followed the advice religiously. Now, at 27, he continues to scribble, creates magic out of it and is unstoppable. His flair for writing has led this US-based Global Indian to become an acclaimed screenwriter. His work has been featured at some of the best screenwriting festivals in the world while he makes strides in Hollywood with his latest screenplay Elvis Escobar and Juniper Lea which is all set to grace the silver screen in 2021. That is not all: The latest feather in his cap is writing a song for Broadway which has him on cloud nine. [caption id="attachment_10390" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Quentin Tarantino[/caption] An uphill climb "While all this is magical, I would be lying if I told you that the path was all sunshine and rainbows. I cannot fathom that I wrote a song for Broadway," says a beaming Shreyas, speaking exclusively
[caption id="attachment_10390" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Quentin Tarantino[/caption]
An uphill climb
"While all this is magical, I would be lying if I told you that the path was all sunshine and rainbows. I cannot fathom that I wrote a song for Broadway," says a beaming Shreyas, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. Based out of Los Angeles, the youngster from Hyderabadlikes to call himself a creative addict. His journey from being a scribbler to a screenwriter is as fascinating as it can get. Only, that screenwriting was never on his mind in his early days.
"After pursuing engineering, I gave advertising a shot. I worked as a copywriter for two years, trying to quench my creative thirst. It was my stint at the advertising firm that bridged the gap between science and arts," informs Shreyas, whose life took a 180 degree turn when he saw his first piece of work splashed across a huge billboard while walking home one day. "It moved me. All those feelings, emotions that I didn’t know existed in me, gushed through my body and I just knew it," recalls Shreyas, whose work has been featured and placed at the best screenwriting festivals including the likes of The Austin Film Festival, ScreenCraft, The Script Lab, StoryPros Awards and Film Empire.
[caption id="attachment_10391" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Jeff Goldblum[/caption]
While his stint in the ad agency where he wrote ads for major F&B brands changed his perception of telling tales and selling stories, which he refers to as the first step into the hero's journey, the determined youngster leapt at an opportunity to study screenwriting and film in the US.
It’s all in the family
Growing up in a traditional South Indian family, expectations were set and choices were made for Shreyas, whose father AK Srinivas was in the Indian Air Force. The options before him were straight forward, either join the Armed Forces or pursue engineering. "Luckily, my parents got my enthusiasm and my flair. They pushed me to explore further," informs the award-winning screenwriter, who first studied screenwriting at New York Film Academy and later at University of California.
Shreyas has written four feature length screenplays, two pilots and has multiple shorts to his credit. His very first screenplay Amuse Me fetched him an award for best screenplay and is still going strong at film festivals. The screenwriter says he loves to write custom comedies with a heart, soul and a mind of its own. His latest feature is called Elvis Escobar and Juniper Lea which is a romantic comedy. "The song I am writing for Broadway is still in production," informs Shreyas, who grew up listening to ABBA and watching movies like Top Gun over and over again. Shreyas, who has been in the US since 2018, also worked briefly with General Motors as a quality auditor.
[caption id="attachment_10392" align="aligncenter" width="621"] Shreyas with a friend[/caption]
Rooted in India
But like all successful people, Shreyas' journey came with a lot of ups and downs. "There were times when things got rough, financially, especially during the pandemic, as being an artiste is not a 9-to-5 job and one might work on a project for months without a paycheck. But one has to do what it takes to stay in the game and that’s what I did. Moonlighting and juggling different roles and working for less, it only brought me closer to my dream and made me realize that if you crave art that bad, you just have to be at it like a creative addict," says Shreyas, who did his schooling from Kennedy High and thereafter got admission in Page Academy in Hyderabad.
While at boarding school, Shreyas recalls how he would write letters to his mother Sridevi Ayaluri, telling her how much he disliked being there. "I didn’t hold back; I went on and on about how things could be different if I were back home. But what my mother remembers is how creatively I would tell that story through the letter," says Shreyas, who was the second rounder at the Austin Film festival of both 2019 and 2020 besides receiving several accolades for his work internationally.
So, what advice does Shreyas have for anyone starting off on a journey? "If anyone out there is still contemplating to take that first plunge, I say do it. It’s going to be difficult, scary and most likely you will fall. Pick yourself up, do it again and fall again. Falling may not be fun, but it’s just part of the process. I fall all the time but only I’ve learnt to bounce back quicker,” he says. Shreyas believes that every song has a story to tell and every story is a song, if understood well. "Be it stating facts or dreaming up a fiction, I try to put the right words to go with," he says adding that the one thing that helps ride the tide is his writing.