Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveCreating impact: Meet the 5 young Indian innovators driving change

Creating impact: Meet the 5 young Indian innovators driving change

Compiled by: Charu Thakur

(January 21, 2023) “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” These words of Theodore Levitt stand true for the brigade of Indian teen innovators who are helping solve the biggest issues, one problem at a time. From saving the earth to creating social impact, this new generation of precocious youth is solving the problems of today with ambitious, ground-breaking technology.

Global Indian turns the spotlight on such young innovators who are breaking the glass ceiling with their innovations.

Zain Samdani

As a 15-year-old visiting India from Saudi Arabia, Zain Samdani had no idea that this family vacation was set to change the course of his life. A meeting with his partially paralysed distant maternal uncle left him “shocked.” In the era of technology, seeing his uncle dependent on others for every small thing was nothing short of a horror. That encounter nudged this robotics enthusiast and innovator to develop Neuro-ExoHeal, an exoskeletal hand rehabilitation device that utilises neuroplasticity and Azure technology to help patients with neurological damage recover faster at an affordable price. The innovation not only left Google CEO Sundar Pichai impressed but also made the 21-year-old win Microsoft 2022 Imagine Cup World Championship, which is considered as the ‘Olympics of Technology’ with more than 10,000 participants from 160 countries.

Zain Samdani

“Having been interested in robotics from a very young age, I started working with prosthetic designs in 2013. But I realised that a cosmetic prosthetic hand could cost between ₹1-₹2 lakh while a robotic prosthetic hand was available anywhere between ₹40-₹50 lakh. I knew that affordability was the key. But the meeting with my uncle only strengthened my passion to find an affordable solution,” Zain told Global Indian. The earliest prototype made him one of the 16 global finalists at the Google Science Fair in 2016, and later the advanced version recreated the magic in 2019. “My uncle could feel the sensation on the very first day of using Neuro-ExoHeal. It’s something that otherwise takes weeks or months to achieve.”

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Jui Keskar

India is home to 0.58 million persons living with Parkinson’s disease, and Pune-based inventor Jui Keskar’s abode was no different. Having seen her uncle battle the illness for the past nine years with incessant rounds to the hospitals, she was keen to help him. But how? The question gnawed away at her, until the 2020 lockdown came as a blessing in disguise for the teenager, giving her the time to dive into research and find a potential solution to helping her uncle. While scrolling through heaps of data on the internet, the innovator realised that the medication depended on the tremor history, and there was no device to measure them.

Jui Keskar

That was a turning point for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2022 recipient as she decided to develop a wearable device to measure tremors and analyse data to chalk out a customised medication for the treatment. After months of hard work, the innovator nailed the solution in JTremor-3D, a wearable device that enables the tracking of tremors every 1/10th of a second in a person’s body, and stores the data in a Cloud database, which is then sent to the doctor after the information is processed. Embedded with sensors and accelerometers and gyro meters, this device helps in producing the data that can help determine the course of action for a patient.

Follow Jui Keskar on Linkedin

Nikhiya Shamsher

A hospital visit for her project, Compassionate Clowns, changed Nikhiya Shamsher’s life forever. She was just 14 when she saw a man who had had half his jaw removed due to oral cancer. Upon inquiring about him, the nurse affirmed that he was one of the few lucky ones to survive. Unable to get the ghastly image out of her head, she began researching on oral subject and found staggering statistics. Five people die every hour because of oral cancer, and India itself accounts for almost one-third of the cases in the world. It’s the late diagnosis that accounts for high mortality rate.

Nikhiya Shamsher receives Diana Award for Prince Williams and Prince Charles

Perturbed by the condition of the patients, she found her eureka moment in QuitPuff – a diagnostic device that could help early risk detection of oral pre-cancer and cancer. Explaining the process of its functioning, the innovator told Forbes India, “It is a simple principle, it detects a biomarker present in the saliva, and changes colour. The more the biomarker, the darker the colour will be, which means the higher the risk of developing oral cancer.” The device contains QuitPuff reagent which changes colour after an individual spits in it and heats it for 15 minutes. One can compare the colour to the colour chart to understand the risk stage. Priced at ₹38, QuitPuff has already been tested on more than 500 patients.

Follow Nikhiya Shamsher on Linkedin

Siddharth Mandala

He was 12 when the infamous Nirbhaya rape case shook the nation in 2012. People took to the streets asking for justice, and his mom was one among them. Curious about the protests and confused about the word ‘rape’, Siddharth Mandala joined his mom for one of the protests. After surfing the net, he understood the gravity of the issue and decided to do everything in his capacity to prevent sexual assault. This awareness led to the birth of Electroshoe, a small badge that can be clipped onto any footwear, or worn as a ring or pendant and can be easily activated during any threatening situation by pressing. “It pulls out two sharp pointers, mimicking the mechanism of a stun gun and pierces through clothing, and even skin to electrocute the attacker,” explains Siddharth. He took two years to build a working prototype and another three years to create a market-friendly product by interviewing over 500 women across India and California.

Siddharth Mandala

The 21-year-old reveals Electroshoe activates an alarm sound to alert nearby police stations and sends location to family members. “It can even sense angst in a conversation, and can raise alarm,” the entrepreneur told Global Indian. With a built-in solar plate, it recharges itself when exposed to sunlight. “The idea was that it should be something that women can carry with them easily all the time.”

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Vinisha Umashankar

“We have every reason to be angry. But I have no time for anger. I want to act. I am not just a girl from India. I am a girl from Earth and I am proud to be so.” These words of the 15-year-old innovator and environmentalist Vinisha Umashankar received a thunderous standing ovation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021. The teen from Tamil Nadu, who was the only school student to earn a spot among the finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2021, was invited by Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, to speak at the World Leaders’ Summit at the COP26 in November 2021.

Vinisha Umashankar with her solar-powered ironing cart.

At 12, the teen innovator started the idea of inventing a solar-powered ironing cart while accompanying her mother to deliver ironing clothes. Seeing six ironing vendors in her neighbourhood, she realised how charcoal burning is a threat to the environment. She found her eureka in solar power which effectively substitutes charcoal. The innovation won her the Children’s Climate Prize in 2020 helped her get a slot as a finalist at The Earthshot Prize in the Clean Our Air category in 2021. “I was happy that environmental innovations like a solar ironing cart got due recognition. It can play a crucial role in reducing environmental damage and climate change. I hope my innovation motivates students to innovate on products that could help protect the environment for future generations. I am happy that the solar ironing cart is my little contribution towards an ambitious goal,” she told Global Indian.

Follow Vinisha Umashankar on Linkedin and Twitter

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Published on 21, Jan 2023

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Kevin J Patel: Indian-American climate activist leading the charge for a greener tomorrow

(October 11, 2023) "My activism doesn't come as a choice. My activism doesn't come as a hobby. It's a survival tool for my community," says Kevin J Patel, a Los Angeles-based climate activist, who is the founder of OneUpAction International, an organisation empowering marginalised youth by providing them with the resources they need to be changemakers. Being one of the youth voices on the climate crisis, Kevin currently serves as a 2020 National Geographic Young Explorer. It was at the age of 12 that a health issue led Kevin to become aware of the environmental damage caused by the many oil refineries in the surrounding area. He is one of the two million California residents who live within 2,500 feet of an operational oil and gas well and are prone to health issues. Born to immigrant parents who moved to the US in search of better opportunities, Kevin grew up in a space where they grew their own food. However, he lived in a community in South Central Los Angeles where food scarcity was common, and it was in his first semester of sixth grade that he became aware of the issue. "I realized my community wasn’t getting access to

community in South Central Los Angeles where food scarcity was common, and it was in his first semester of sixth grade that he became aware of the issue. "I realized my community wasn’t getting access to healthier foods; I really wanted to do something about it. I started teaching my peers to grow food. Many did not know that food comes from farms and they can grow their own foods," he said in an interview.

However, things amplified in the second semester of his sixth grade when one day sitting in his classroom, he felt a sudden chest pain. He was fit, played sports, and had no high blood pressure, but ended up being diagnosed with arrhythmia, a condition in which the heart beats at an irregular rhythm. Confused, he started looking for answers as to why this might have happened to him and he found the answer in the location he lived. "South-Central Los Angeles was classified as a 'sacrifice zone' — places where residents, often low-income and/or people of colour, live close to freeways, factories, and oil wells. That's where environmental inaction and damage have resulted in arrhythmia-stoking levels of smog. So, I started protesting. I led marches, petitioned government officials, and demanded climate justice from anyone who would listen," he said.

While getting actively involved in activism, Kevin didn't see many people who looked like him, especially in the youth climate movement. In 2018, more than 85 percent of staffers in over 2000 environmental nonprofits were white. This nudged him to start OneUpAction International in 2019 to create a platform for young individuals who were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). "I consider myself an intersectional climate activist, and one of the millions of people across the world who are already victims of the climate crisis. I didn't see a home for people like myself."

Over the years, OneUpAction translated into more than just giving voice to BIPOC, it turned into an organisation that supports and empowers marginalised youth to become changemakers, and to tackle the climate crisis within their local communities for a regenerative future. "Now we're an organization that is helping young individuals across the globe implement and accelerate solutions within their communities."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmBUTxqkREw&t=19s

Kevin, who is pursuing Political Science at Loyola Marymount University, has over the years collaborated with the community to create a one-of-its-kind Youth Climate Commission in LA County to amplify youth voices. "The power of young people is crucially needed. I also think we just need to intergenerationally work together to really make sure that we're solving these issues."

The young climate activist is into hiking and photography, and is keen to get more young people equipped with the resources like monetary aid, membership and all "to implement solutions and drive action within their communities." "We need more young people at the table, and this is where OneUpAction is currently focused. Youth will drive the change our planet needs."

Follow Kevin J Patel on LinkedIn and website

Reading Time: 4 min

Sarvesh Prabhu’s bio-insecticide is a boon for farmers

(February 18, 2023) Sarvesh Prabhu can leave audiences spellbound with his live performances of Carnatic music, beat you at a game of chess or show you some swift swimming strokes. Playing a piano comes naturally to him. Academics? Well, he is good at that too. When he is not doing any of the above, you can find him patiently searching for insect larvae in the millet field, in the middle of a hot afternoon! The 17-year-old represented India at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Atlanta, USA last year and won the third prize and US $1000 in the biochemistry category for developing a cost-effective bio-insecticide from the leaves of the ‘bullock’s heart’ (Annona reticulata) popularly known as Ramphal. “My diverse interests and activities have helped me develop into a well-rounded individual capable of bringing joy, creativity, and compassion to the world,” smiles Sarvesh Prabhu, a research intern at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, in conversation with Global Indian. How it began During the pandemic-induced lockdown, Prabhu took to gardening, like many others. “But the yield was disappointing due to insect damage. After some thinking and a few experiments, I created a

="https://www.globalindian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Indian.

How it began

During the pandemic-induced lockdown, Prabhu took to gardening, like many others. “But the yield was disappointing due to insect damage. After some thinking and a few experiments, I created a bio-insecticide using Ramphal as it was the only tree in my garden that wasn’t damaged by pests,” says the youngster. It taught him the basics of chemistry, biochemistry, and entomology. “It ended up creating an affordable solution for small-scale farmers.”

The project titled, ‘A novel study of bio-insecticidal properties of Annona reticulata’ showcased the bio-insecticidal properties of the leaves of the plant. Traditionally, the extracts of various parts of this plant have been used to treat diseases like dysentery and pediculosis. The study revealed that extracts from its leaves could be effective against three disastrous pests, with the mortality rate ranging from 78-88%.

The use of chemical insecticides increases the cost of cultivation from ₹2,000 to ₹4,200 per acre, they also destroy the beneficial insects and contaminate the soil and food produce. On the other hand, bio-insecticide is eco-friendly and the cost of making the insecticide from leaves costs ₹27 per litre, making it affordable.

Global reach

“The solution not only protects crops but also generates additional income through selling the fruits for food and the leaves for producing the bio-pesticide,” points out Sarvesh, who presented the outcome of his research at the world’s largest pre-college science fair in Atlanta.

For Sarvesh, the ISEF will always hold a special place in his heart. “Interacting with delegates and individuals who shared similar aspirations broadened my perspective,” recalls the young researcher, describing the competition as nerve-wracking.

Post his first overseas trip to US, Sarvesh traveled to the UK and then to South Korea as part of the Atlas fellowship and Korean Cultural Centre India respectively in October-November last year.

“These trips have been instrumental in shaping my personality,” says the youngster, who was also awarded the first prize and Rs one lakh by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, as part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Innovation Award for School Children.

Diversity at home

The son of a central government employee, Sarvesh was born in Lucknow and studied across India, including including Mumbai, Bangalore, Kozhikode, Raipur and finally Hyderabad. “My father's job required frequent relocations, which allowed me to learn new languages and cultures,” says the youngster, whose mother is a home maker.

Academics, he says, was never challenging for him, although he was often close to the attendance cutoff. “Nonetheless, I wrote my exams with confidence and passed them easily,” adds Sarvesh, who describes his school days as being "seldom in school" as his focus was on learning and exploring the world through interactions with people and their experiences.

Exploring scientific research

His internship at the ICRISAT's Entomology department commenced in September last year. It offered him an opportunity to gain practical experience in insect biology and research.

“I learn the methods for rearing insects and studying their life cycles. Besides, I participate in bioassays, such as detached leaf and pod bioassays and diet feed-based bioassays,” explains the XII student of FIIT JEE junior college, Hyderabad.

Visiting ICRISAT at least thrice a week, he also gained expertise in Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis and basic phytochemical testing.

Sarvesh says ICRISAT's Entomology unit has one of the best insect-rearing facilities in India, maintaining five to six insect cultures year-round and providing a regular supply of insect cultures and training on rearing and screening protocols to other research institutions.

“My internship with Dr. Jagdish Jaba, Scientist in the Entomology department, is extremely beneficial. I gained a lot of knowledge about insects and research methods. The guidance for research is excellent,” he says.

What’s in store?

As for his future plans, Sarvesh wants to pursue a career in research and natural sciences. “But right now, my entire focus is on preparing for my board exams (in February-March).”

Sarvesh is also a socially conscious person who strives to make a positive impact on the community. “I established ‘The Healing Hut’ a non-profit organization aimed at making mental therapy accessible to those who might not otherwise have access,” says the youngster, who has been able to provide a path of recovery and healing to many people struggling with mental health issues.

Follow Sarvesh Prabhu on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min

Economist extraordinaire: Dhruv Gaur is working towards drug stigma and inequality

(June 10, 2023) The global epidemic of drug consumption continues to cast a dark shadow, infiltrating societies across continents and leaving devastating consequences in its wake. What’s worse is it impacts the most vulnerable and stigmatised populations. In fact, according to he Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), between January 2021 and June 2021, about 1,150 youngsters aged 14 to 18 died from drug overdose in the US, and about 47 percent of adolescents started consuming illicit drugs upon graduation from high school. Trying to devise a solution for this pervasive crisis, is a young economist, Dhruv Gaur, who is delving deep into the study of drug use, homelessness, housing insecurity, poverty, and inequality through the lens of economic and epidemiological inference. The recent recipient of the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, Dhruv is working with various communities to raise awareness about the growing overdose epidemic and advocate for overdose prevention policy. An ambitious, pre-doctoral research fellow at Harvard University, the young economist is currently chasing the causes of inequalities in health and higher education in the USA. "I actively engage in studying the US overdose crisis, lending my expertise to the critical work of

ation in the USA.

"I actively engage in studying the US overdose crisis, lending my expertise to the critical work of generating research and shaping policies aimed at safeguarding individuals who use drugs from the perils of overdose and other drug-related harms," shares Dhruv, as he connects with Global Indian for an interview, adding, "I also play a crucial role in the maintenance and management of PreventOverdoseRI.org, a dedicated website specifically designed to combat the overdose crisis. I am determined to contribute to the collective mission of putting an end to the devastating impact of drug overdose in our community."

A curious cat

Even though Dhruv was born in the USA, the youngster shares that his family ensured that he grew up knowing and learning about his roots. "Both my parents are doctors, and they came over to the United States of America after finishing med school in India. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where my parents were completing their medical training. We later shifted to a town in Northeast Georgia," says the young economist, adding, "I grew up around a very tight-knit and supportive Indian community. My parents were quite keen on instilling Indian values in me and my brother, so over weekends, they would drive us to Balvihar, which is a Hindi school."

[caption id="attachment_30931" align="aligncenter" width="637"] Dhruv with his family[/caption]

As brilliant as he was, the economist shares that he was also quite a curious child, who not only loved to learn new things but also to pass on the knowledge. "I loved to read, just about anything that I could get my hands on," he shares, adding, "During my high school years, I had the incredible opportunity to volunteer at Balvihar as a teaching assistant. Little did I know that this experience would ignite within me a deep passion for teaching and mentoring. It was during those moments spent guiding and supporting others that I realised my aspirations to pursue a career as a professor. The impact of that experience has remained with me, shaping my path and fueling my dedication to education and the profound influence it can have on shaping lives."

A true changemaker

After finishing school, the youngster enrolled at Brown University to study economics and public health policy. Driven by the devastating overdose crisis plaguing his hometown, Dhruv became a part of the People, Place, and Health Collective, contributing as an undergraduate researcher. He actively published academic articles that shed light on crucial aspects of the crisis, providing valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.

The economist also played a pivotal role in maintaining real-time data resources, serving as a foundation for Rhode Island's informed and evidence-based response to the overdose crisis. Through his dedication and contributions, Dhruv has become an instrumental force in the ongoing efforts to combat the overdose epidemic and promote effective policy interventions.

"I held the role of an outreach team leader and finance chair for Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE), an organisation driven by students that focuses on direct service and advocacy for homelessness. With HOPE, I led a dedicated night-time homeless outreach team every week, striving to address the immediate needs of individuals experiencing street homelessness and ensuring they are connected to essential resources. I also engaged in advocating for housing policies at both the city and state level in Rhode Island, aiming to effect positive change and promote equitable access to safe and stable housing for all," the economist shares.

The power of giving

But Dhruv's journey hasn't been all about books. In 2018, the economist made his mark on the television show Jeopardy! College Championship trivia tournament, emerging as the victorious contestant and securing a substantial prize of $100,000.

Wait, that's not all... The following year, he returned to the Jeopardy! stage, capturing the attention of the entire USA for a profoundly heartfelt reason. Answering host Alex Trebek's Final Jeopardy question, Dhruv put his heart on his screen, writing, “We (heart) you Alex!”, showing his support for the host who was battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The gesture moved Alex to tears, and he could only manage to say, "That’s very kind of you."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BNH7UTaL-M

Seizing the opportunity to make a difference, Dhruv utilised the platform and the immense public interest to launch a national fundraising campaign dedicated to pancreatic cancer research and successfully raised over $100,000, leaving an indelible impact on both the fight against pancreatic cancer and the power of compassionate unity. "While I was at the show, Alex took a moment to visit the contestants in the green room. It was quite evident that he wasn't doing so well," shares the youngster, adding, "Later, when I stepped onto the stage, fully aware that winning the game was an unlikely outcome, I thought I could use this opportunity to support someone in need."

Interestingly, the economist grabbed the attention of well-known American television host, Ellen Lee DeGeneres, who called him to be on her show a few days later. Impressed by his efforts, Ellen too donated $25,000 toward pancreatic cancer research.

Miles to go

Currently, Dhruv working as a pre-doctoral research fellow alongside esteemed economists Raj Chetty, John Friedman, and Nathaniel Hendren at Harvard University. The young economist is focused on studying the profound inequalities that exist within the realms of health and higher education. Driven by an unwavering commitment to understanding the root causes and far-reaching consequences of severe marginalization, such as drug overdose, homelessness, and poverty, Dhruv aspires to pursue a doctoral degree in economics.

"Through my research pursuits, I strive to unearth valuable insights that have the potential to shape transformative policies, uplifting individuals from these challenging circumstances and fostering a society that is both equitable and inclusive. I aim to contribute to the collective effort of building a brighter and more just future for all," he expresses.

Follow Dhruv Gaur on LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 6 mins

Aisha Nazia: The only Indian woman to be selected for FIFA Master course

One of Aisha Nazia's fondest memories is of her standing in a crowd and watching a football match with bated breath. As her favorite team scored the perfect goal, the Kozhikode-born football fan was euphoric. Her hometown is a mecca for football and it wasn't long before love for the game rubbed off on Nazia, who has now been selected for the prestigious FIFA Master program. She is the only Indian woman out of the 32 people that were selected from across the world for the program. Chosen out of 700 applicants, Nazia has become an inspiration for dreamers as well as go-getters. A postgraduate sports executive program, organized in partnership with De Montfort University (United Kingdom), SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy) and the University of Neuchatel (Switzerland), the FIFA Master course is nothing short of an Ivy league program. The 26-year-old Indian has made the cut this year, but not without her share of struggles and challenges. As she quit a lucrative job to pursue her dreams, Nazia didn't find many supporters, but she was determined to follow through on her plan. How a childhood dream found wings Born in Kozhikode to Malayalam Muslim parents, Nazia found herself

im parents, Nazia found herself attracted to the game even as a child. After her parents' divorce when she was five, Nazia moved to Chennai with her mother who was then a teacher. But summer vacations took her back to her hometown each year where she fell in love with football. "I loved the way football brought the entire town together and it was the best show of secularism. It was at this tender age that my affinity towards football began to grow," she tells Global Indian in an exclusive interview from London where she has kick started the first leg of her course.

[caption id="attachment_10971" align="aligncenter" width="392"] Aisha Nazia at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester[/caption]

While the soccer field made Nazia quite happy, she was equally ecstatic nestled between her pile of books. After securing the eighth rank in mechanical engineering at University of Kerala, she found herself working with the Indian Oil-Adani Group Pvt Ltd in Kochi in 2017. Two years before she entered the corporate world though, Nazia had volunteered as a football facilitator for the 2015 National Games that were held in Kerala. Then a third year student at TKM College of Engineering, she heard about the games being held in her city and couldn't let the opportunity slip by. "It gave me the perfect exposure to the sporting industry and the workings of it," she adds.

The turning point

Though her job at Indian Oil kept her happy, she would often find herself drawn to the varied sporting events taking place in the country. So when the FIFA Under 17 World Cup was set to make its debut on Indian soil, Nazia found herself looking for volunteer opportunities on their website. Despite the fact that she didn't have a sports management degree, Nazia rolled the dice of fate and applied for the role of a workforce manager. Luck was on her side, and the 26-year-old found herself at one of the biggest sporting spectacles. Those months with FIFA turned out to be a game changer for this young woman as she learnt the tricks of the trade and found her true calling in sports management. In 2018, she quit her job to chase her dream and moved to Bengaluru.

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Since sporting events in India happen only once every few months, Nazia took up jobs as a consultant with startups to keep her stable financially. In between, she worked on two seasons of the Indian Super League.

When NBA found itself playing in India for the first time ever in 2019, the organizers got in touch with Nazia after reading a feature on her on FIFA. The conversation soon translated into an operations role in logistics.

A chance meeting

After working with the best for a few years and gaining valuable insights into the world of sports management, Nazia knew she was ready to take it a notch higher with the FIFA Master course, something she had heard about six years ago. "While volunteering at the National Games in 2015, a referee from Tamil Nadu who had trained under the Premiere League saw potential in me and encouraged me to take up the FIFA Master course," adds Nazia. But she wanted to give herself four years after her graduation before taking a plunge into any Masters program.

[caption id="attachment_10974" align="aligncenter" width="395"] Aisha Nazia at NBA matches in India.[/caption]

So when the entire world came to a standstill in 2020 and sporting events became a rarity, Nazia knew it was the right time to pursue her FIFA Master dream. "The selection process for this course is like it would be for an Ivy league school. This year 32 students were selected from a pool of 700 applicants across 29+ countries," adds the Kozhikode native. The one year course will have Nazia travel to three countries (England, Italy and Switzerland) to complete her Masters in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport.

Crowdfunding, not charity

If securing a seat among 700 students wasn't a rigorous process, Nazia found herself raising 22,000 CHF (approximately ₹28 lakh) for the course. She is one among the three students to have secured a merit scholarship which has halved her course fee, but the amount is still heavy on her pocket. "In a country like India, you can apply for an education loan against mortgage of property or gold, and I had nothing as security. Crowdfunding seemed like a wise decision to raise money for my education," says Nazia.

It was her mentor Gautham Chattopadhaya, who works with NASA, who advised her to opt for crowdfund. "Abroad, it's a very common concept to raise money for education, but in India, it's still at its nascent stage. I weighed my options for a long time and even posted on LinkedIn to get some feedback. Many encouraged me to go for it as they couldn't pursue their dreams owing to financial constraints. The stories of people on the post made me take it up as a social cause to empower people to follow their dreams. Education is a basic necessity and I decided to go forward with it to raise money and also inspire others to follow their dreams," adds Nazia.

[caption id="attachment_10977" align="aligncenter" width="423"] Aisha Nazia at Indian Super League 2019-2020[/caption]

With GoFundMe inaccessible to Indians, Nazia opted for Ketto to raise money for her education. "In India, crowdfunding is mostly restricted to medical emergencies, so my plea to raise money for education falls a little short in comparison to their issues."

However, this reality check has inspired Nazia to launch an education crowdfunding platform for Indian students soon. "I want to start a platform for people who dream of studying in India or abroad but are unable to do so due to financial constraints. My priority would be to get meritorious students their due through this crowdfunding platform," she explains.

[caption id="attachment_10979" align="aligncenter" width="575"] Aisha Nazia at a sporting event.[/caption]

The future

Nazia, who is currently at De Montfort University in Leicester, is excited for the program. "It will be an enriching experience with lots of learning and field trips. After completing three months in the UK, we will move to Italy for the next quarter. And the last six months will be in Switzerland, which is also the headquarters of FIFA. Getting to work with their management will be exciting. Also, at the end of course, FIFA selects three people for employment," reveals Nazia.

Being an advocate of sustainability, Nazia plans to work for the development of the Indian sports ecosystem after the completion of her course. "I want to focus on inclusion, youth development and come up with solutions to reduce carbon footprint during a sports event," signs off Nazia.

Reading Time: 7 min

Prathik Naidu: Indian American’s innovation helps analyse cancer DNA

(July 3, 2024) For someone keen to become a scientist, Indian American Prathik Naidu jumped on the bandwagon at an early age when at age 17, he won $70,000 in the Regeneron Science Talent Search for developing DNALoopR. "What I essentially did was built an easy-to-use software that can analyse the cancer DNA. Using the software, I was able to analyse some new aspects of the cancer genome," he said. With cancer being the second leading cause of death in the world, the Standford University graduate was keen to find help a way to understand the structure of the genes behind cancer. So much so that he was one of the three US student representatives to present the research in Stockholm for the Nobel Prize Awards ceremony in 2017. A scientist in the making Growing up in Fairfax, Naidu was always intrigued by the idea of being a scientist. He often envisioned himself wearing a lab jacket, and such was his passion that he performed his first experiment using a chemistry kit that was gifted to him on his birthday. The venue was his parents' kitchen, and the objects were his kit, a lab coat, and miniature goggles. This was

, a lab coat, and miniature goggles. This was enough to keep the fire of becoming a scientist alive in him.

[caption id="attachment_23956" align="aligncenter" width="460"] Prathik Naidu is an Indian-American innovator[/caption]

The dream translated into a passion when he applied for internships at Johns Hopkins University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while attending Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County. During one such summer spent at Johns Hopkins University, he discovered computational biology - a field wherein scientists make predictions on computers using biological data. The revelation broke his myths around science, and he knew he had found his calling.

"I always envisioned a scientist to be someone who is in a lab coat and pouring chemicals wearing goggles. But what I didn't realise was that science also comes in the form of working at a computer and analysing data and making predictions and writing software. That transitionally helped me understand what science is. It's not just about mixing chemicals, it's really about answering tough questions," the young Global Indian said in an interview.

[caption id="attachment_23957" align="aligncenter" width="768"] Prathik Naidu at the Regeneron Science Talent Search[/caption]

He knew computation biology was his way of answering those questions. "Computational biology is using computer science techniques to solve biological problems. This was something I was trying to pick up when I was in high school as genetics started to get popular. And I was reading more about it in the news and classes, that's when I got interested in the field," added Prathik Naidu.

Curiosity led to innovation

This interest made him dive deep into the subject, and one such class on biology made him interested in the fundamental aspects of how genes are activated or deactivated, which impacts the progression of cancer. "Even after decades of research on the genetics behind cancer, there's still a lot more work to be done in this area and I wanted to see if I can help answer some interesting questions in the field," he explained.

This curiosity led him to explore more on the subject during a summer internship at MIT wherein he developed DNALoopR, a fast and easy-to-use tool, that examines the genes of cancer cells in a three-dimensional way and helps discover new biological patterns. "The software can help scientists find new ways of reactivating genes that could help stop the growth of cancer cells and also lead to new types of genetic-based treatments that are more targeted than conventional methods," he added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQyLPgO6Aqs

For months, he focused incessantly on learning math, algorithms, and statistics that were useful in creating the software. This project helped him take home $70,000 in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, also known as Junior Nobel Prize, where he secured seventh place. Later, this passion for computational biology took him to an international conference in Dublin, making him the only high school student to present a research paper. He even established a computational biology conference to get more high school children interested in the real-world applications of computer science. "If I learn something cool, then someone else should know it, too," he added.

The Indian American, who has his roots in Chitoor, now works as the product lead at Rutter. When not busy with research and work, the 22-year-old loves playing basketball and hiking.

Prathik's creation of easy-to-use software for analysing cancer DNA is a big step forward in cancer research. By making it simple for researchers and doctors to study the genetic details of cancer, his software helps improve the understanding and treatment of the disease. Naidu's work shows how innovative thinking can make a real difference in health care, giving hope for better, more personalised treatments for cancer patients everywhere.

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