Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveAshish Kumar Verma: Taking challenges in stride to excel in science, technology, and life

Ashish Kumar Verma: Taking challenges in stride to excel in science, technology, and life

By: Amrita Priya

(July 10, 2024) For a boy who has just turned 18, Ashish Kumar Verma has accumulated a lifetime of experiences. At eight, he learned to write with his left hand due to circumstances and has come a long way, inspiring many with his multifaceted achievements. Due to his innovative science and technology projects Aashish has had the opportunity to interact with the Prime Minister and President of India that helped strengthen his determination to be of use to the society. “I have not only met the Prime Minister twice but also shared the stage with him as an anchor during Pariksha Pe Charcha,” he tells Global Indian.

On another occasion, the winner of Rashtriya Bal Vaigyanik Puraskar showcased one of his science projects to the Prime Minister, at an event. This presentation also led to a discussion where the Prime Minister suggested the idea of an app to control students’ screen time. Inspired by this, Ashish has launched NamasteScreen, an app designed to help students become more focused.

Indian youth | Ashish Kumar Verma | Global Indian

Ashish with PM during Pariksha pe Charcha and with President at Rashtrapati Bhavan

Adding to his impressive list of experiences, the youngster had the opportunity of visiting the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raksha Bandhan, where he gifted a Rakhi to the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. He also witnessed the launch of Chandrayaan 3 in the presence of the Union Minister of State in the Department of Space, Jitendra Singh. “Such opportunities have been humbling and inspiring. They have increased my appreciation for our nation’s leaders, cultural traditions, and technological prowess,” he says.

His scientific acumen has also earned the Delhi based youngster a fully funded trip to Japan as part of the Sakura Science Program. With three research papers and numerous awards and speaking opportunities to his credit, Ashish won a bronze medal and a cash award of Rs 50,000 at the WorldSkills national championship. He also secured second place at the national-level Microsoft Fastest Coder Hackathon, winning a medal. Having cleared JEE this year, he is all set to join IIT-Delhi to pursue a bachelor’s in engineering.

NamasteScreen

In 2022, Ashish created the project ‘AR Prayogshala,’ aimed at accelerating the implementation of NEP 2020. The project has already garnered over 25,000 users. His teachers at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Delhi have also utilised it to create content for the PM eVidya Channel.

During Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) 2024 Aashish had the opportunity to showcase his project to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who presided over the event. During their interaction, PM Modi suggested developing an application to help students reduce mobile phone distractions, decrease screen time, and improve focus.

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A post shared by Ashish Kumar Verma (@imdigitalashish)

“The conversation inspired me to create NamasteScreen,” Aashish says. “It’s more than just an app; it offers a complete screen makeover to reduce distractions and increase focus. The project is being developed as open-source and is currently in the alpha-testing phase.

“Developers from all over are contributing to create this launcher for anyone looking to overcome phone addiction,” he adds. “This collective collaboration helps us achieve our goals faster and allows us to directly address the needs and concerns of our target users. We are actively collecting feedback through an open GitHub repository where users can raise issues and request features.”

In love with technology

Ashish had developed an interest in working with computers at a young age, which sparked his early passion for programming. Although he will be joining IIT-Delhi soon, he has been at the prestigious institution before. As part of Code Day Delhi, an initiative by Hack Club – an international organisation promoting scientific culture among youth and partially funded by Elon Musk – he participated in an event that encourages young people to build innovative projects.

During this event, Ashish and his team created a real-life human interaction AI. “This AI can engage in conversation and perform various tasks, functioning like a super-intelligent assistant. It’s not just a concept—it’s a working system,” he mentions.

Ashish at IIT Delhi

He not only won the Code Day Delhi award but also had the opportunity to showcase his AI innovation at Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) 2024, where it was used to welcome the Prime Minister of India upon his arrival. “The AI greeted the Prime Minister, demonstrating its capabilities in a high-profile setting using facial recognition technology,” he shares.

Just before the launch of Chandrayaan 3, Ashish had scored a perfect 10 in the Space Innovation Challenge organised by NITI Aayog and ISRO. For this challenge, he designed a spacecraft for a Mars mission capable of accommodating humans. “I named it KDMMH (Kyunki Dil Mein Mars Hai – Because Mars is in the Heart), inspired by the movie ‘Mission Mangal’,” he tells.

A memorable trip to Japan as part of Sakura Science Program

As part of a cohort of 63 talented students from across India, Ashish had the opportunity to visit Japan thanks to his successful project AR Prayogshala. It’s an experience he cherishes not just for the learnings but also for the camaraderie that developed while travelling and staying together in a hotel.

Organised by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, the Sakura Science Program is an international youth exchange program that invites young people from across the world to Japan for a short period. This opportunity enables young scholars to learn about leading-edge science and technology and interact with scientifically inclined young minds in Japan.

Ashish Kumar Verma with the cohort from India at Sakura Science Program

Growing up as a fan of Doraemon and Shin-chan, Ashish excitedly shares how he saw houses similar to Nobita’s from Doraemon and ate Shin-chan’s favourite choco chips. “It was like living out scenes from the anime I watched as a child,” he remarks.

One of the highlights of the event was attending a lecture by Nobel Prize winner Hiroshi Kitagawa. They also visited several labs at Kyoto University, which further ignited Ashish’s passion for STEM. “This experience made me realise that I want to combine technology and pure science to create innovative solutions, as I believe true breakthroughs now lie in interdisciplinary approaches,” says Ashish, who also visited Tokyo and Osaka during the trip. He soaked in the diversity that the two bustling cities offered in comparison to the calmness of Kyoto, ending with a feeling of being ‘in two different worlds.’

“We visited many pilgrimage sites and temples. The experience was so surreal, it felt like being in a movie. Later, we explored various scientific institutions. I was particularly impressed by our visit to the RIKEN Science Centre, where we witnessed a real-life ‘invisible frog’ experiment – the frog was only visible under blue light, reminiscent of the movie ‘Mr. India’,” he remarks.

Ashish during his Japan trip

Although the opportunity clashed with another prestigious offer to visit Oxford University, Ashish chose the Japan trip instead. “The event aligned more with my future goals,” remarks the youngster who has lived in different parts of the country owing to his father’s transferable job.

The trip culminated in a cultural performance where members of each country showcased their culture. “I was selected to give the closing speech. We had just five minutes to showcase India’s rich and diverse culture through our performance. The Japanese hosts and other international delegates particularly enjoyed our presentation.”

Rising above odds

Ashish is a great example of rising above odds. In 2014, a tragedy struck. Through sheer willpower and support from his parents, Ashish persevered. “When I was eight, my right hand was caught in a lift. The following year was a blur of hospital stays, five to six operations, and numerous minor surgeries. I struggled to perform basic tasks, and writing became a challenge. Throughout it all, my parents, though worried about my future, never let their tears show. Instead, they fuelled my spirit with motivation,” he recalls.

He learned to write with his left hand and honed his motor skills by learning to play the piano. His determination didn’t stop there. “I trained rigorously and clinched a gold medal in Taekwondo. My passion for puzzles led me to set a national record of 17 seconds in a Rubik’s Cube championship. At 12, I won my first hackathon, followed by the top prize in a Google competition and victories in over 10 more hackathons,” he adds.

Ashish with Sara Kemp, Vice President, Intel Government Affairs and Gokul V Subramaniam. Intel India President

Venturing into freelance work and founding his startup, AI Navya, Ashish started exploring the world of AI, working on innovative projects that fetched him the Rashtriya Bal Vaigyanik Puraskar and a trip to Japan.

The multifaceted youngster has been invited to speak at prestigious events including Google DevFest in Noida, the INTEL AI Student Community platform, and the National Apprenticeship Awareness Workshop organised by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration in collaboration with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), among others.

“Throughout my journey, I have been blessed with great mentors who have guided and supported me. Our real treasures are our parents, teachers, and mentors who nurture and believe in us,” he signs off.

Follow Ashish Kumar Verma on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube

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Aarohi Thakur

July 12, 2024 8:17 pm

Such an motivating story… Kudos Ashish Kumar Verma !!

Published on 10, Jul 2024

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Hardit Singh’s AI route to healthcare for all

(January 28, 2023) The fundus camera, an instrument used in opthalmology for to capture colour images of the inner surface of the eye, can set one back by anywhere between INR 1.5 lakh and INR 5.25 lakh. In low-income countries, the prohibitive cost of devices used in diagnostic and rehabilitative care makes access a challenge. According to the World Vision Report, prepared by WHO, over 2.2 billion people worldwide are visually impaired and nearly half that number live with treatable or preventable conditions because they cannot get the care they need. The second-leading cause of blindness is glaucoma, with an estimated 57.5 million people around the world affected by primary open-angle glaucoma. In 2020, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, this number rose to 76 million. Among those tackling the problem head-on is Ontario teen Hardit Singh whose innovation is a step towards better healthcare for all. Speculor: A Comprehensive Teleopthalmology Platform for People Centered Eyecare fetched seventeen-year-old Hardit the top prize at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 2021. Using a portable imager and AI algorithms to screen for disease, Speculor, which has been field-tested in India, can detect glaucoma for the very-affordable sum of $300. The Global

the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 2021. Using a portable imager and AI algorithms to screen for disease, Speculor, which has been field-tested in India, can detect glaucoma for the very-affordable sum of $300. The Global Indian, who also won second place at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, intends for the device to be used by international NGOs working to bring equality in eyecare.

[caption id="attachment_26981" align="aligncenter" width="488"] Source: World Vision Report[/caption]

The vision

Born and raised in Waterloo, the idea took root around three years ago, when a friend from the Cameron Heights Collegiate in Kitchener, where Hardik studied, suffered from retinal detachment, where the retina begins to peel off the eye. "He went to three different opthalmologists and experts and was misdiagnosed all three times for different reasons. He went almost blind because of it," Hardit said in an interview for the Canada-Wide Science Fair. Luckily, doctors managed to detect it before the damage became irreversible. It made Hardit wonder - if such misdiagnoses can happen in a place like Waterloo, what could conditions possibly be in rural or low-income areas, where there is little proximity to healthcare facilities?

By this time, the then 13-year-old Hardit was already building classification algorithms and had a basic understanding of AI from previous projects. He hit the books, learning from YouTube, books and just "trying things out, playing around until it works. That works for hardware, you tinker until you understand what happens. It's the same with optics. I learned until I had enough to build what I wanted."

He began cold-emailing professors, eventually hearing back from the University of Waterloo's Department of Optometry. Hardit began working with a group of grad students, going to them with questions or when he was struggling. The hardware had to be built, the software coded and the two integrated. He worked in the lab, testing the device on a model eye in controlled conditions.

[caption id="attachment_26982" align="aligncenter" width="480"] Hardit Singh[/caption]

Challenges and stepping stones

Speculor worked smoothly in the lab and Hardit decided to roll out his prototype. When he tested it on the field, however, "everything failed," he admits. He had made one fundamental mistake - he hadn't geared the device for less than optimal conditions. "I had designed the prototype to work in perfect condtions but in poor lighting, when the patient is moving around, the device wsn't working at all. The AI had the same problem." The AI sensor was used to very high-quality images, taken by devices, Hardit says, that cost USD 25,000 and up. "My device can't produce such images and it was throwing the AI off."

"I was frustrated. I had put in so much effort and the device didn't work at all. But my mind was already working on how to fix it." With the hardware, his moment of revelation came through integrating cross-polarisation, a technique used in more expensive fundus cameras but rarely in more affordable devices. "It worked really well to ensure there was no glare on the fundus images," he said. He tried a number of solutions with the AI, but nothing worked, until he developed his own training method. The AI was trained to study low quality images, account for poor lighting and movement and detect anomalies under these parameters.

Hardit Singh sent the device for testing once more, this time to an opthalmologist in India. The feedback was far more promising. "The second time, the images turned out really good. It was amazing because I still wasn't expecting it to work, I only had acess to a model eye. This was a Hail mary move for me, sending a protype to India blindly without a test."

[caption id="attachment_26983" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Source: The Record[/caption]

Always a work-in-progress

Hardit's eventual goal is to commercialise the device, pricing it within reach of international NGOs and organisations, to improve healthcare in rural and underserved areas around the world. The cost is currently dominated by the lens, which is about $250. He is also working to improve the design, after a judge from the CWSF remarked that it was "too boxy."

Hardit Singh also wants to expand the scope of his device, which is now mainly used in glaucoma detetion. "I can reapply the same model over different diseases by changing the paramters," he says. He also wants to make it easy to understand, to aid doctors as they make a diagnosis.

Hardit has also published a paper on AI in the Journal of the Optical Society of India. His other interests include computer science, AI, optics, medicine and sports.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Footprints in the sand: UN Young Leader Udit Singhal breaks the ‘glass’ ceiling

(February 3, 2022) “Be mindful,” Udit Singhal implores in a TedX Talk. It is that same mindfulness that saw him solve the glass menace in Delhi. The UN Young Leader for sustainable development goals is a sum of many parts - social entrepreneur, youth leader, finance and tech enthusiast, artist and golfer. Primarily, though, he is a student at University College London (BSc in management science), and proactive on world issues. The 20-year-old was one among 17 selected by the United Nations for his contributions in 2020. Udit now hopes to galvanise the youth to work towards SDGs. The UN Young Leader, Udit founded Glass2Sand at 16 to address the glass dumping problem – it was the result of the glass bottles he encountered piling up at his home. “I asked why. I found that the collection of glass bottles for recycling is unviable due to dropping demand, large storage space requirements and high transport costs. Empty glass bottles are not segregated anymore, and have started to be dumped in landfills,” reveals Udit Singhal in an exclusive to Global Indian. The then enterprising teen uncovered the silent glass waste crisis, channelising his solution-driven mindset. “I founded Glass2Sand, an environment-friendly zero-waste

isis, channelising his solution-driven mindset. “I founded Glass2Sand, an environment-friendly zero-waste ecosystem and ‘no glass to landfills movement’ which stops glass bottles from being dumped in landfills by crushing them into commercially valuable sand, and repurposing it for sustainable construction. It is plugging a major gap identified in recycling of such materials,” says the young visionary.

Singhal also got a special grant from the New Zealand high commissioner in India, which aided in formalising an understanding with Kiwi patent-holders, “This helped me import technology from New Zealand that crushed glass bottles in under a minute,” smiles the university student.

The boy who saw too much waste

What gives Udit a decisively better understanding about problem solving evolved from a “family of trailblazing entrepreneurs.”

“My parents pioneered in setting up the market for international wine in India 25 years ago, when wine was relatively unknown. My father (Rajiv Singhal) was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Merite by the President of France – the second highest civilian honour. My brother, a wealth manager, was inducted into the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne,” Udit reveals. Not giving up in the face of adversity, and to think about the bigger picture is what his family has ingrained in him.

One can easily picture Udit as a child looking for places to hide and seek, and encountering heaps of bottles - wondering where he and the bottles could hide in tandem. “When I stumbled on the menace, it birthed the concept of Glass2Sand,” says the entrepreneur who hopes to leverage the Kiwi technology to continue the good work.

The former IB student at the British School, New Delhi, threw himself into learning with a two-week programme within sustainable development and social entrepreneurship at Yale in 2019. Incidentally, his father is also a Yale alum.

Emulating a family of achievers

Having role models at home, he has taken the learning a notch higher as a UN Young Leader. For the young preppy youngster, serious mindedness and self-belief are key, and now he wants the youth to muster the courage to manoeuvre through hurdles. “Seeking support is a step in that direction and finding a ‘good’ mentor will leave you in good stead,” smiles Udit. His most memorable experience was, “A meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in November 2020 which left a lasting impact. The opportunity to present Glass2Sand and mobilise strategies to drive the SDG’s forward offered me new perspectives.”

Turning glass to sand, responsibly

Seeing wine being swirled and its terroir as a normal conversation at home was undoubtedly a push to launch the “Drink responsibly, dispose responsibly” campaign to raise awareness about the silent glass waste crisis, in association with the ambassador of Hungary to India in 2019. “Till date, Glass2Sand has crushed 25,600+ bottles into 15,300+ kilograms of sand, and we now have over 350 volunteers and 18 partners (institutions and diplomatic missions) active on the Glass2Sand network,” says the proud UN young leader.

Young people are calling to be able to #LearnForOurPlanet!

On Friday, tune into #COP26 as @UNESCO puts #ClimateEducation in the spotlight 📚
@YAGClimate member @pcopaloma & 1 of our #SDGYoungLeaders @_uditsinghal will also join 🙌

🕐 12 pm EDT
➡️ https://t.co/dyeYadI8bv pic.twitter.com/QEGVwWVFPz

— UN Youth Envoy (@UNYouthEnvoy) November 4, 2021

The learning continues even as he juggles classes, connects with the other young leaders, and finds impressive solutions to global challenges. “Covid has made collaboration difficult, but we have come together at speaking engagements,” he adds.

Singhal also worked closely with Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s envoy at the youth office. “The best part of my appointment as a UN Young Leader for SDGs was being able to synergise and strategise closely with various UN organisations for effective youth climate action – a key learning was in taking initiative to create impact, rather than waiting for things to happen,” says the boy who is at heart a forward thinker.

A UN youth leader who is artsy too

Not many know that Udit is an artist, a gene he admits having inherited from his mother. “ I have been creating art since I was incredibly young. Despite being colour blind, I express myself through my artworks – paintings, sculptures and sketches. My passion for art got intertwined with my interest in the ever-evolving world of technology, manifesting in my first ever NFT Collection, Fabled Minds,” says the creator, revealing that it was a vividly curated collection of mystique paintings, photographs and sketches - powered by blockchain.

The UN young leader also loves to code and develop websites, in fact, he is most excited about a bid-based e-art gallery he developed to empower budding artists by monetising their artworks.

‘Putting’ the responsible forward!

On a sunny day when London weather complies, a bit of golf can do Udit a world of good. He calls himself a “scratch player” who started training formally at eight, having gone to the golf course as a tiny two-year-old.

Having delivered 25 plus keynote addresses so far (G20 side-event, UNRIC, UNITAR, UN75, etc.) and a sustainability podcast for Dell India in January 2021, the UN young leader looks for inspiration in life, music and golf, of course.

Art is a self-expression which Singhal has over the years embraced. His studio stems from this urge to create, “USStudio is a creative I founded that focuses on uplifting and enhancing the image and presence of brands through web development. It also spotlights creative portfolios - initiatives, photographs and artworks,” he adds.

His philosophy in life is about being initiative-taking, and he spurs others on, “You can’t just wait for something to happen – take a proactive stance – because unless you’re Newton, it’s unlikely that an apple is going to fall on your head. Opportunities don’t appear magically. You have to lead them your way,” avers the UN young leader.

Urging humans to address climate change as a collective problem, Udit says this is a make-or-break decade for the planet and instead of imagining a mythical entity to solve problems, get a solution-driven mindset.

Working from the ground up, Udit’s activism is real, not just “about optics and acoustics.” Not wanting to be another “nodding head in a numbered strike or draw attention through ‘blank’ signposts,” he wants to afford real solutions. And in that regard, he has already made great strides in cleaning the world of waste glass.

Follow Udit Singhal on Twitter and Linkedin
Follow Glass2Sand on Instagram

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From quantum biology to being a voice for child rights, social entrepreneur Mannat Choudhary does it all

(May 17, 2022) "It all started when I was 14," announces Mannat Choudhary, all smiles as she logs in for her interview with Global Indian. The vivacious teenager, now at home preparing for her Class 12 board exam, is fairly relaxed about the upcoming exam - she's already an incoming freshman at the University of Cincinnati, she says. A social entrepreneur at 17, she is the founder of Change In Us, which works towards protecting child rights in her home state, Chandigarh. Mannat has been recognised for her work in the same field by the government of Punjab, having served as the Ambassador for the Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR). She was also awarded by the government of India as a student mentor. On National Girl Child Day, Mannat was among a group of twenty girls handpicked from across the country for the National Girl Child Award. Now, she's all set to begin her studies in quantum biology, paving the way for what she hopes will be a career in research. In September 2022, she will also be part of the Civics Unplugged Fellowship, for future Gen Z social entrepreneurs, run by Duke University. "I'm also a

er 2022, she will also be part of the Civics Unplugged Fellowship, for future Gen Z social entrepreneurs, run by Duke University. "I'm also a summer trainee at Girls Who Code," says Mannat, who can code in C, C++ and is also learning Python.

"Entrepreneurs aren't made in a day," says the young social entrepreneur, who is a member of the Harvard Crimson Youth Entrepreneurship Society and a fellow under the Global Citizen Year Academy, run by alumni from the Stanford and Harvard business schools. "I got a full scholarship for the latter," Mannat says, proudly. Her early forays into social entrepreneurship were, no doubt, the reason for Mannat's entry into some of the top entrepreneurship societies. To her, however, it means a great deal more, a question she answered in her application for Global Citizen Year Academy.

Student topper and ambassador for child rights

Returning, however, to where her story began - Mannat, who was a tri-city topper in the Class 10 board exam in 2019-20, found herself briefly in the spotlight. "I was published in the newspaper then, for the first time ever," she says. Soon after, she received a call from the CCPCR, telling her she had been nominated to be an ambassador for child rights for the state government. "There were three of us and the other two were, coincidentally, both fencers," says Mannat. "I was the only one from the academic side of things."

Taking over as ambassador for child rights, Mannat quickly became involved with the government's Girls India project. The project, aimed at bringing opportunities to those who don't have them, opened Mannat's eyes too, in ways she never expected. "I never knew I had this quality," she remarks. "I didn't know I had it in me to actually reach other people."

Bridging disparities through the Girls India Project

The Girls India Project, which was aimed at bridging the gap between private and public schools, found great success under Mannat's participation.

"When we talk about things like MUNs, public debates and leadership programmes - these opportunities are only available to private school students. Their government school counterparts know nothing about them." Mannat began building collaborations between private and government schools in Chandigarh.

"The private school students would train government school kids in debate skills, how to speak in public and learn about international relations as well," says Mannat. When they found that disparities aren't limited to opportunities, Mannat also began organising trips for private school students to visit government schools and understand first-hand what was lacking. "I wasn't sure if it would work on not," Mannat admits. "But it worked so well that the schools continued collaborating even outside the MUNs."

Despite the success of the project, there was no denying that it had taken nearly two years to implement. "Girls India was launched in 2019 but came into effect in 2021," says Mannat. "It took so long that I began to think, 'there must be a more efficient way than this'." Mannat quit her role as Ambassador in March 2022 but continues to work with the CCPCR.

On the frontlines of the pandemic

Not long after Mannat had assumed her role as Ambassador in 2020, the pandemic closed the country down. Mannat, who had just finished her Class 10 exams at the time, was determined to use every moment - she collaborated with Studio Matrix, an organisation working on ground to link people with Covid-related needs to those who could fulfill them.

"I was on ground collecting data all the time," Mannat says. She recalls working all the time, often besieged with panic calls late into the night. Calls which never, as a matter of principle, went ignored or unresolved if she could help it. "Even if we got a call at 1 am with someone saying 'ki Mannat, 20 oxygen concentrators ki zaroorat hai', I would help them get it done. I wouldn't sleep until I resolved it," she explains.

Change in Us

Watching their young ambassador in action, CCPCR Chairperson soon decided to felicitate Mannat. "I was awarded by the governor of Punjab as the 'best ambassador'", says Mannat. "The first award was for CCPCR and the second for the Girls India project." All this was in 2021, as Mannat entered her sixteenth year. By this time, she had already founded Change in Us, in tandem with her responsibilities as CCPCR ambassador.

Working under the guidance of CCPCR, Mannat went on to launch Change In Us, her own organisation designed to make a positive impact in the lives of children. The project did so well, Mannat expanded to Meerut and other parts of UP. Work mainly involved educating kids on child rights, in collaboration with schools, through webinars and other sessions. "As a child, what are my rights," says Mannat. "That's what I want my peers to know. We hold quizzes and other activities in schools to acquaint students with the rights they have in society."

Mannat would also accompany her mother, an employee with the social welfare department in Chandigarh, as she visited slum areas in the city. "These kids were stuck at home but unlike us, they didn't have phones to attend online classes," says Mannat, who roped in a friend to visit the slums every Sunday with her to take lessons for the kids there.

Access to mental healthcare for students

Mannat is currently working with a friend, Ananya Jain, from Georgia Tech. The goal? To create an app-based platform for young people to discuss their mental health. It will also offer guidance to budding young entrepreneurs, customised advice on goal preparation and career goals as well as the importance of civic engagement. "We're planning to launch this soon after our board exams," Mannat says, adding, "We want it to be free, because we're catering to students who might not be able to afford to pay."

Finding her own path

The journey hasn't always been smooth sailing. Apart from the guidance she received from a handful of mentors, Mannat discovered that the Indian education system isn't geared for those who want to break out of the mould. She was told often to give up on attending science fairs and concentrate on her studies instead. At home, however, her exacting parents, both government employees, have fuelled her motivation to excel. "My mum has done a lot for me and worked so hard to make sure I do well," Mannat smiles. "They will never be fully satisfied with me though and it gives me the zeal I need to do better because I want to please them."

Follow Mannat Choudhary on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 min

Indian-origin cricketer, Geetika Kodali, is leading the USA team to glory

(September 12, 2023) In recent years, cricket has transcended its traditional stronghold in the eastern part of the world and found a burgeoning popularity in unexpected corners, notably the USA and Canada. Across America, school and college competitions are now a common sight, drawing a vibrant pool of young talent aspiring to carve a career in this exciting sport, and the United States' entry into the International Cricket Council (ICC) not too long ago marked a significant milestone. The nation has even ventured into major international tournaments in both men's and women's cricket. And leading the charge for the USA U-19 Women's Cricket team is a remarkable young Indian-origin cricketer, Geetika Kodali, who started her international career at the age of fourteen. "It is an excellent time to get involved with cricket in the US. The sport of cricket is currently receiving a lot of attention and funding, and both men and women have several opportunities opening up," the young cricketer recently said in an interview, adding, “I’m grateful to benefit from everyone who represented the nation before me and battled for these chances to support the next generation. I hope this will encourage a lot more girls to start

n and funding, and both men and women have several opportunities opening up," the young cricketer recently said in an interview, adding, “I’m grateful to benefit from everyone who represented the nation before me and battled for these chances to support the next generation. I hope this will encourage a lot more girls to start playing cricket, and they will also have the chance to play franchise cricket in the future. The USA women’s pathway has provided the female cricketers in the country with many stages in which they could showcase their talents."

In the fast lane

Born in California to Indian immigrants - Kodali Prashant and Madavi, who are originally from Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh - Geetika spent most of her childhood years in Morrisville, North Carolina. Although she was first introduced to cricket through her family and friends, the youngster instantly fell in love with the small bat and ball her father had got her.

"I started playing sports a lot when I was a child. I would switch sports every season. So, I started with soccer and then basketball and then volleyball, tennis, and swimming. Like, it just kept going," the cricketer said, adding, "But then at 11, I came across cricket and I didn’t know it was being played in America professionally. Until then, I would just play with my cousins in the backyard, like gully cricket, and if you hit a car, you get out. So that’s how far my expertise went. But then I started professional training and I just fell in love with the sport, so I never switched back to any other sport."

[caption id="attachment_33015" align="aligncenter" width="600"] USA Women's U19 captain Geetika and vice-captain Anika Kolan[/caption]

One of her earliest memories, which catalysed her passion, was witnessing a match between the USA Women's team and the Pakistan Women's team in Florida. “That was like the moment I was like, I want to play for USA one day," the Global Indian recalled. And the cricketer's ascent to the international stage reads like a surreal tale.

The Captain's call

Geetu or Geets, as she is referred to by her friends counts Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood as one of her favourite cricketers. Her penchant for delivering medium-pace bouncers to opposition batters may be influenced by this admiration. At 11, she started training at the club called Cricket Zeal Academy, where her coach was also the head coach of the USA’s National Women’s team. "He trained me very well," she recalled, "I never expected to play for an Under-19 team because there wasn't one when I first started playing. My debut for the Women's team came at the age of 14 when I played against Canada in the ICC Women's World T20 qualifier in May 2019."

[caption id="attachment_33016" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Geetika with her team[/caption]

In 2022, the Trinbago Knight Riders acquired the young cricketer as an overseas player for the debut edition of The 6ixty, hosted in the West Indies. And it was here that Geetika shocked the world, and made history by becoming the first player to claim the first-ever hat trick in the history of the “6ixty” for TKR against the Barbados Royals. The cricketer dismissed three notable wickets – Hayley Matthews, Britney Cooper, and Chloe Tryon, who collectively boast an impressive tally of 449 international matches among them. "It is an incredible feeling to take the first Hat Trick in the history of the Sixty competition. When I entered this event, I never imagined that I would be making history. I was thrilled to make an early breakthrough," the cricketer said, "I have had tremendous support from the team on and off the field, and we have faith in one another’s abilities."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFhz9NyUoxY

Later the same year, the cricketer was chosen to captain the USA Under-19 women's national team for the 2023 ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup, which is also set to be the inaugural edition of the ICC Women's Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Talking about captaining the team, the youngster said, "When it comes to motivating the team, I never have a hard time because as soon as game day hits or even the night before, everyone is super excited and like, there’s just a fire in the team, so we all want to come back with the cup or come back with the win on a given day. In the morning there’ll be a lot of music and we’ll all be super competitive and fired up and the warm-ups will be extra chaotic.”

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Chess brilliance: Young Indian players carving a legacy on International boards

(September 1, 2023) Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa's triumph, securing the silver medal at the 2023 FIDE World Cup, marks just the initial step for India. Not too long ago, Magnus Carlsen, the World's No. 1 chess player showered Indian chess players with praise, predicting that it's only a matter of time before India emerges as the 'foremost chess nation in the world.' Carlsen remarked, "I believe India is on the right track, and it's only a matter of time before it unmistakably leads the global chess arena." Although apart from Viswanathan Anand, who clinched the coveted crown five times, no other Indian has been challenged for the World Championship title, the rise of numerous young Indian chess players to the esteemed 'Grandmaster' status suggests a promising trajectory. This surge in talent hints at India's potential to capture numerous international trophies in the years to come. Global Indian takes a closer look at these young chess prodigies, who have impressively carved out their names on the international stage even at a tender age. Aditya Samant Meet the 17-year-old chess prodigy, Aditya, who recently achieved the prestigious title of Grandmaster (GM) at the young age of 17. Hailing from Pune, Maharashtra, Aditya's journey into

y achieved the prestigious title of Grandmaster (GM) at the young age of 17. Hailing from Pune, Maharashtra, Aditya's journey into the world of chess began when he was just 6 years old. His first taste of competitive play was at the National Under-7 Open 2013 tournament held in his hometown. Chess runs in Aditya's blood as his father, Sachin Samant, was also a passionate chess player during his college days. "My father used to give the positions to me and then we used to solve them together," the chess player said in an interview, adding, "Till I was around 2200, he was my trainer. Now I have started working on my own. Even he created opening files for me sometimes by looking at the database."

[caption id="attachment_32839" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Grandmaster Aditya Samant[/caption]

The young chess player's path to becoming a Grandmaster started to take shape at the 28th Abu Dhabi Masters in 2022. And in an impressive display of skill and determination, Aditya's FIDE Rating soared past 2500 points on the May 2023 FIDE Rating list, merely four months after his remarkable victory at the Abu Dhabi Masters. "I'm excited about enhancing my gameplay, diving into more matches, and giving it my all. At the moment, I'm planning to participate in maybe one or two tournaments before dedicating time to my upcoming board exams," Aditya said after the tournament.

Divya Deshmukh

During a press conference, the 17-year-old chess player was asked about her future chess plans. With a confident smile, Divya replied, "I don't really have any specific plans. My main focus is to continuously improve my game." That's the level of assurance radiating from this remarkable talent in Indian chess. Her journey with chess began at an early age, and her passion for the game shines brightly. By the time she turned 12, she had already secured an astounding 14 gold medals for India on the international stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QSiTABXeT4

Hailing from Maharashtra, this young chess prodigy clinched the title of National Women's Chess Champion in 2022. Adding to her impressive list of achievements, she recently emerged victorious at the Asian Continental Women's Chess Championship held in Kazakhstan. "I am very happy to win my maiden Asian women's gold medal," the chess player said after the tournament, adding, "In fact, this is my entry to the World Cup through one more route."

Nihal Sarin

At just 14 years old, he achieved an impressive Elo rating of 2600, securing his place as the third youngest player in history to accomplish this feat at that time. Nihal, hailing from Thrissur in Kerala, is the child of Sarin Abdulsalam, a dermatologist, and Shijin Ammanam Veetil Ummar, a psychiatrist. His remarkable abilities were evident from a young age, as he could identify the capitals and flags of 190 countries by the age of three. He also astounded many by memorising the scientific names of insects and plants during the same period.

[caption id="attachment_32840" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Grandmaster Nihal Sarin[/caption]

The story of how his journey in the world of chess began is quite fascinating. To keep his son engaged during school vacations, his father introduced Nihal to a chess set, while his grandfather A. A. Ummar taught him the game's rules. By the tender age of seven, this budding chess enthusiast had already clinched multiple titles, including the Kerala State Championship in the Under-07 category, two Under-09 titles, two Under-11 titles, and one Under-15 title. "I want to play the best players of the world. I don’t know if I would be able to defeat them, but playing is something I can surely do," said the chess player who won the Gold Medal as part of the Indian team in the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad 2020.

Rakshitta Ravi

Achieving a remarkable 93 percent in her 10th board exams, Rakshitta Ravi's exceptional academic performance was closely followed by her attainment of the title Indian Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in 2019. However, the fact that her father, T.S. Ravi, is a former International Master (IM), made her achievement less of a surprise for those who knew her story. “My parents are aware of the rigors that come with the sport. They help me stay grounded and motivated. In fact, my coach, RB Ramesh sir has also been instrumental in helping me raise my game in the last few years,” Rakshitta said in a recent interview.

[caption id="attachment_32841" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Grandmaster Rakshitta Ravi[/caption]

Recipient of the National Child Award for Exceptional Achievements in 2016, presented by the former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, this young achiever took her first steps on the chessboard at the tender age of two. Rakshitta's journey into competitive chess commenced when she was only four and a half years old. A significant breakthrough arrived in 2012, marked by her notable performance at the Asian Youth Chess Championships in Sri Lanka, where she secured a bronze medal. Swiftly following this triumph, merely a year later, Rakshitta claimed gold in the U-8 rapid blitz category at the World Youth Chess Championships in Dubai. "I have been working hard on becoming more consistent in the last one year and that has paid dividends. But, I do not want to compromise on my education as well, so I take time out to make sure I study," the chess player said.

Raunak Sadhwani

Raunak, the fourth youngest Grandmaster from India, achieved an Elo rating surpassing 2500 before even entering his teenage years. Just recently, he showcased his remarkable skills by maintaining an undefeated streak and securing the championship in the Masters group of the Serbia Open chess tournament held in Belgrade, where he competed among a formidable gathering of 233 participants. "Nothing in the world can beat the pleasure of winning strong tournaments. I am happy that I played some good chess and consider myself deserving of this title. I am happy that I can put our Indian flag on the top of this list of Serbia Masters. This is just the beginning, I will work harder and try to bring home more titles," the chess player said after winning the tournament.

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

Ranked as India's 13th player, this Grandmaster stands tall among the world's most accomplished chess prodigies in his age group. Crediting his parents for his success, the young player said, "As it is rightly said - behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believes first. So I want to thank my parents for their strong belief in my strength, and standing rock solid with me in my chess journey of highs and lows. I also want to thank Indian Oil Corporation, my coaches, and West Bridge Anand Chess Academy."

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