Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveHarshwardhan Zala: The inventor’s drone can destroy landmines without human risk

Harshwardhan Zala: The inventor’s drone can destroy landmines without human risk

Written by: Charu Thakur

(September 28, 2022) A video on YouTube sparked a life-saving idea in Harshwardhan Zala – the one that came after the teenager saw a handful of soldiers trying to defuse a mine, and in the process, it exploded leaving many injured. He couldn’t get the image out of his head and kept thinking about a possible solution that could help locate and deal with landmines without putting human life in danger. This gave way to a drone that can detect and detonate landmines, which the inventor and co-founder of Aerobotics7 built at the age of 15.

“We’ve developed a technology called multi-spectral detection to identify metal and plastic landmines, unexploded ordnance, and improvised explosive devices. We can detect explosive devices, track their location and detonate them with our wireless detonator, averting any human risk,” the bespectacled teenager told Forbes India.

Inventor | Harshwardhan Zala | Global Indian

Harshwardhan Zala is the co-founder of Aerobotics7

Developed over three years, EAGLE A7 (Escort for Attacking on Ground & buried Landmines as Enemy) is a battery-operated quadcopter drone that was built using a 3D printer. With an accuracy rate of 91 percent, it can detect landmine explosives and send real-time data to a ground control station. So how exactly does it work? The drone detects landmines while hovering closer to the ground, and sends real-time signals to the nearest army base. It also drops a wireless detonator on the spot, which can be blasted by the military. “I am currently working with the Indian Army and CRPF to help clear all the landmines in the country. Once that is accomplished, I will share my technology with the rest of the world,” India’s drone whizz told The Better India.

Born to an accountant father and a homemaker mother, the Ahmedabad resident was always into electronics and technology, so much so that at age 10, he made a remote control that could control and operate home appliances wirelessly. Seeing his interest in gadgets, his parents encouraged his talent. At a tender age, he was busy looking for solutions to the problems of the world. “I would be reading books about the problems that the world was facing, and when I could, I would visit the cybercafé and watch YouTube videos about these problems. Finding a solution was like my mission then,” he told The Better India in an interview.

Harshwardhan Zala working on the prototype

Since he was too young to be allowed at a cyber cafe, he asked his granddad to accompany him and would spend seven-to-eight hours reading and learning. During one such visit to the cyber cafe, he came across a video that reflected how people die of explosions because of undetected landmines. This got him thinking about a solution, and made a prototype, however, his age played a spoiler as none of the companies took him seriously. “Some advised me to complete my education, while others were outright dismissive,” the Global Indian added, and the rejection was a redirection for him as he soon started his company Aerobotics7 in 2016, with the help of seed money from his parents and his savings that he earned by guiding engineering students on their academic courses and projects.

The invention got the attention of the Gujarat government with whom he signed a Memorandum of Understanding worth ₹5 crores at the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017. “In 2017, after the exhibition of my 5th prototype in Gujarat, the govt provided me with two and a half lakhs. The funds were still not enough for building the drone so, I imported parts from Taiwan and China and concentrated on the tech,” he told The Tribal Box. It also opened up more avenues for the teenager who visited Silicon Valley and was invited to events like Maker Faire Bay Area. Harshwardhan, who took a break after his class 10 exams to focus on his startup, enrolled in the Copenhagen Business School to study Business Strategy and Innovation. In 2018, he demonstrated the drone to the Indian and Israeli Prime Ministers, and in 2020, “we did a successful demonstration and started working closely with Indian Army and CRPF. The device was tested by the Army and we recorded a great accuracy of 91 percent.”

Harshwardhan says that over 110 million active landmines are buried under the ground, and it will take around $33 billion to clear all the landmines across the globe, according to a UN report. And he plans to help the world. “I always wanted to make our planet a better place to live in,” he told BBC, and the 20-year-old is exactly doing that with Aerobotics7. In no time, it has established itself as one of India’s most innovative and purpose-driver drone companies, and now has its eyes set on the American market to build the best technology and make the world a safe place. “We partnered with PeaceJam Foundation in the US and under the mentor-ship of the Noble Peace Prize winner Jody Williams, we have launched a campaign called World Without Landmines. The mission is to remove all landmines across the world by 2025 and reclaim and re-imagine the land for agriculture and other purposes which can also contribute to fighting against climate change,” he told The Tribal Box.

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Published on 28, Sep 2022

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Young scholar Isha Puri is working on the earlier detection of dyslexia among kids

(March 11, 2023) Despite many studies on the subject over the last few decades, dyslexia remains the world’s most common neurological learning disability. Affecting approximately one in 10 people worldwide, the disorder involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words (decoding). Through her efforts, young scholar Isha Puri has developed an easier, simpler, and cheaper application for the detection and precise prediction of dyslexia. With a combination of various machine learning algorithms, the application can help in averting this neurological learning disability in kids. "My goal is to build a free web-based application that will use a standard computer webcam to screen a child while reading and then use an accurate eye tracking algorithm to detect if the child has a higher risk of dyslexia," the scholar, who was the finalist at MIT Think 2018, shared with Global Indian. Currently, a student of Applied Math/Computer Science at Harvard University, Isha is working on developing the project further and taking it to the market. "Currently, most screenings are either extremely expensive, costing around $1000-$2000, or require hefty scientific equipment, effectively rendering them inaccessible to a majority of the world. Because my

cience at Harvard University, Isha is working on developing the project further and taking it to the market. "Currently, most screenings are either extremely expensive, costing around $1000-$2000, or require hefty scientific equipment, effectively rendering them inaccessible to a majority of the world. Because my application will be completely free and will not require any hefty scientific equipment, this solution will be accessible to millions of families around the world without regard to financial status," the scholar shared.

Passionate about AI

Born to Indian immigrants who settled in the USA, Isha grew up in the lush green neighbourhood of Chappaqua in New York. Attending Horace Greeley High School, the scholar was introduced to the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) through her parents as kids, who further encouraged her to explore the field on her own. Having developed a few applications as a young teenager, the youngster started working on software to detect dyslexia after a chance meeting with a few affected kids.

"My research interests have always been at the intersection of computer science and social good. Early detection is crucial to helping a child with dyslexia reach their full potential, and unfortunately, far too many children in today’s world go undiagnosed. My research aims to close this gap by providing a freely accessible application for the early diagnosis of dyslexia," the scholar said.

No stranger to competition, Isha has won several awards for her research, including the Second Grand Prize Award in her category at the 2018 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, the 2018 MIT THINK Scholar award, the 2018 National Security Agency Mathematics Honors award, and the 2018 Regeneron WESEF Neuroscience first-place award.

Spreading her wings

Isha's research, "A Scalable and Freely Accessible Machine Learning Based Application for the Early Detection of Dyslexia," involves developing a way to screen children for the disorder using a standard computer webcam. Using a novel combination of two different machine learning algorithms to detect the corners of the eye and the center of the pupil, the eye tracker has a very high accuracy, with a maximum possible error of only a few pixels. These eye-tracking results are then analyzed to determine the duration and frequency of gaze fixations made while reading, as studies have shown that dyslexics exhibit significantly longer and more frequent fixations. Based on this metric, the application will be able to predict if a child has a higher risk of dyslexia.

Explaining her research, the scholar shared, "My research first builds an accurate eye-tracking algorithm that uses only a standard computer webcam. The application then uses this algorithm to track the eye movements of a subject's pupils while reading. And because medical research has shown that dyslexic children have different eye movement patterns while reading than non-dyslexic children, it can classify a subject for dyslexia."

A Cutler-Bell Prize winner (2019), the youngster is also the founder of CreAIte, which is an organisation aimed to inspire girls in artificial intelligence and computer science by teaching creative, hands-on workshops that emphasize artistic and humanistic applications of tech. We hold workshops across the country, in cities like Santa Clara, New York City, Chicago, and Oakland. "In an an age where the number of women in the fields of computer science and artificial intelligence is much less than the number of men, one of the most important things we can do is nurture a community among girls interested in the field. A community of women who will lift each other, inspire each other, and empower each other to be our best selves," the scholar shared.

Thus far creAIte has impacted over 500 students from traditionally underrepresented groups in tech across the USA. "Over time, I have realised that creAIte was not just a “girls coding” organisation. We weren’t even just an “AI and art” organisation. We were a community of firebirds — rising from our stories, taking control of our destinies, and supporting each other as we do it," the young scholar explained, adding that she wishes to expand CreAIte's operations beyond the USA in the coming years.

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Reva Srivastava: US Presidential Scholar making Kathak popular in America

(February 4, 2024) It was 6 am when Reva Srivastava of Fermont received a confirmation mail on being named a 2022 US Presidential Scholar in the Arts. Unable to contain her excitement, the Kathak dancer jumped so hard in joy that for a minute her mom Anupama Srivastava thought that there was an earthquake. When the Srivastavas applied, they weren't aware of the magnitude of the honour. Each year only 20 scholars are selected from a pool of 60 candidates nominated by the YoungArts program. [caption id="attachment_35628" align="aligncenter" width="559"] Reva Srivastava[/caption] An active participant in National YoungArts Week+, she engaged remotely with a young Odissi dancer and received mentorship from Bharatanatyam dancer Nadhi Thekkek. However, Reva didn't feel getting the experience was any less because of it being online. Reflecting on this experience, Reva said in an interview, "She had a really interesting way of approaching your dance, which I hadn’t thought of. She really pushed us to show more than just the story that was being told, like how we were feeling because of the story, and to go a deeper layer." It was her exceptional work ethic and commitment during National YoungArts Week+ that led to her nomination

t was being told, like how we were feeling because of the story, and to go a deeper layer." It was her exceptional work ethic and commitment during National YoungArts Week+ that led to her nomination for the U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts award.

Love for dance

It all began with Reva's mother Anupama who began learning Kathak at the age of 6 under Padma Shri Shovana Narayan in Delhi. But her relocation to the US post-marriage and the demands of work and family life put a stop to her consistent practice. But her daughter Reva's fascination with dance prompted Anupama to establish InSyncKathak Dance School when Reva was only 6 years old. Recalling the inspiration, Reva shared, "There was something about the dance and seeing how happy it made my mom that kind of captured me at a really young age." Speaking about her daughter Reva, Anupama said, "She made me a teacher. I was just a dancer."

[caption id="attachment_35629" align="aligncenter" width="713"] Reva with mom Anupama Srivastava[/caption]

Learning from Shovana Narayan

Moreover, Reva has also received training from her mom's guru Padma Shri awardee Shovana Narayan whenever she would visit the US, training primarily in the Lucknow Gharana style of Kathak. "I was so focused on what she was saying. She’s able to draw you in. And she was saying really complicated things. But the way that she explained everything was really helpful to me," Reva added. However, learning from Shovana Narayan wasn't too dissimilar to learning from her mom. Their teaching styles are almost similar, however, she could always see "a very clear separation" between her mom and guru.

Reva choreographed a solo piece to Taylor Swift's Epiphany, depicting the experiences of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through dance, she portrayed the dedication of healthcare workers who assist others, witness loss, and resiliently continue to aid those in need.

Bringing positive change

While Reva's future plans include attending medical school, she asserts that dance will always be an integral part of her life. "When I'm dancing, I'm not thinking about anything else," she affirmed. Her creative abilities and artistic platform, she hopes, will contribute to positive change in the world. "I want to make art that inspires me and art that helps me stand up for what I believe and bring a positive evolution," she added. Reva encourages young dancers to focus on building a strong foundation and technique, urging them to learn as much as possible from their gurus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiwSv2svJto

Reva, who calls yaman her favourite raga, says that she feels the energy of all of the positions, full orchestra, and the singer. " I just feel it’s so much fun to dance to those pieces because you take that energy into yourself."

Reflecting on her passion, Reva advises aspiring dancers to focus on their training and personal growth rather than comparing themselves to others.

Honoured by White House and Biden, Celebrated by Bush Family: How Shrusti Amula is leading change

With a warm smile, Joe Biden turned to Shrusti and said, “Well, Madam President, thank you.” The crowd chuckled as he continued, “Shrusti, thank you for that wonderful introduction. Just promise me this—when you are president one day, and someone says, ‘Joe Biden is in the waiting room,’ you won’t ask, ‘Joe who?’” His light-hearted comment drew laughter from the audience, and Shrusti, sharing in the humour, responded with a grin, “I won’t.” Owing to her remarkable work with the Rise N Shine Foundation, the 18-year-old was invited to the 2024 White House Diwali celebration as a special guest. Her tireless efforts to combat food waste among the affluent and fight hunger in underserved communities have gained national attention in the U.S., earning her the honour of introducing the President of United States at this year's Diwali event. Biden’s playful yet encouraging words hinted at the immense potential he saw in the young Indian American to achieve even greater heights. The day was a significant milestone in Shrusti’s inspiring journey of service and leadership. Awestruck by the honour The Diwali event at the White House, attended by about 600 guests, left Shrusti awestruck. “This Diwali brought a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Shrusti

ttps://www.globalindian.com/youth/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Joe-Biden.webp" alt="Indians in USA | Shrusti Amula | Global Indian " width="1600" height="900" />

Awestruck by the honour

The Diwali event at the White House, attended by about 600 guests, left Shrusti awestruck. “This Diwali brought a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Shrusti shared with Global Indian. “Being invited to the White House was incredible, but standing next to the President and introducing him was beyond anything I ever imagined.”

She shared the stage with prominent Indian American figures like U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who sent a recorded message from space. “It was just me, Dr. Vivek Murthy, and Sunita Williams representing the Indian community, and I had the honour of inviting President Biden to the stage before he addressed the crowd,” Shrusti said, recounting the unforgettable moment.

But that wasn’t her only brush with national recognition this year. Just a week later in the first week of November, Shrusti found herself attending the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Awards Gala, where she was honoured for her extraordinary philanthropic work. Meeting members of the former U.S. president George H. W. Bush’s family, including his son Neil Bush and grand-daughter Lauren Bush, was another surreal experience.

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Fighting hunger, combating food waste through Rise N Shine Foundation

“When I founded Rise N Shine foundation in 2019, I had a simple vision – to create a positive change to my community by reducing food waste and empowering young individuals to take action. Over the past six years Rise N Shine Foundation has provided over 350,000 meals, and diverted over 200,000 pounds of food waste from landfills,” she shared amidst applause during the George W. Bush Points of Light Awards Gala.

It was a humbling experience for the young Georgetown University student, majoring in Science, Technology, and International Affairs, to be in a room filled with people who have dedicated their lives to service. These honours didn’t come by chance—Shrusti has spent the last six years leading transformational efforts to make a difference. “It reinforced my belief that no action is too small to make a difference,” she remarked.

[caption id="attachment_40501" align="aligncenter" width="578"] Shrusti at 2024 George W. Bush Points of Light Award function with members of the Bush family and other delegates[/caption]

From vision to action

Shrusti’s journey began in 2018 when she stumbled upon the staggering environmental impact of food waste during a STEM competition, where she presented a project on food waste and its potential solutions. After learning that nearly a third of the U.S. food supply is wasted annually, she realised how this problem exacerbated issues like climate change and food insecurity.

One of her ideas—diverting food waste to composting facilities, became the foundation for her first pilot program. “It all started with a simple idea,” she recalled. “But the more I worked on it, the more I realised how much of a difference one person can make.” The success of that program gave her the confidence to scale her efforts and eventually start the Rise N Shine Foundation in 2019, when she was just 14.

“When I founded Rise N Shine, my vision was simple, to create positive change by reducing food waste and empowering others to take action,” Shrusti said during her Points of Light Award acceptance speech. Over the years, her foundation has delivered on that promise, making a measurable difference in her community and beyond.

[caption id="attachment_40485" align="aligncenter" width="797"] Shrusti with her brother, Vayun Amula, during one of the food donation campaigns[/caption]

Composting and food recovery

Shrusti launched her first composting program at Clarksburg Elementary School. Her team collected leftover food from lunchrooms and converted it into compost, reducing the school’s waste footprint and creating a valuable resource for local farmers. The success of this pilot project led to partnerships with more schools. By June 2024, all 209 schools in Montgomery County adopted her composting initiatives.

"Unused food in our country contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions," the Indian American explained. "Through composting, we’re not just addressing waste but also giving back to the environment."

In addition to composting, Shrusti expanded her efforts to tackle food recovery. Her foundation works with schools, businesses, and local organisations to redistribute surplus food to homeless shelters and food banks.

The COVID-19 pandemic made her efforts even more significant. "With rising food insecurity, it became clear that food recovery wasn’t just about waste reduction—it was about feeding those in need," she says.

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Recognitions that fuel the mission

Shrusti Amula’s dedication to creating meaningful change has earned her an impressive array of national and international accolades. In 2024, her Rise N Shine Foundation was also recognized as an Honour Rows recipient, an initiative by the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism, M&T Bank, and the Baltimore Ravens, celebrating her foundation's impact on community service. In 2023, she was selected as part of Hormel Foods’ 10 Under 20 Food Heroes, a program spotlighting young leaders across the U.S. working toward a more sustainable and secure food system.

Reflecting on her experience at Hormel’s global headquarters in Austin, Minnesota, Shrusti shared, “It was incredible to connect with Hormel Foods leaders and learn from their expertise while exploring opportunities to scale the impact of our projects.”

These recognitions join an already impressive list of honours. Shrusti was the youngest recipient of the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth Award in 2023, a platform she leveraged to expand the reach of her foundation. She also received the EPA President’s Environmental Youth Award and the Governor’s Youth Service Award the same year, highlighting her leadership in community-driven sustainability.

For Shrusti, these accolades go beyond the spotlight. “Each award is a reminder that small actions can lead to big changes,” she says. “They inspire me to keep pushing for a more sustainable and equitable future.”

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Challenges along the way

Like any grassroots initiative, Shrusti’s journey was not without its challenges. From securing funding to navigating logistical hurdles, she faced significant roadblocks. “One of our biggest struggles was finding sponsors to cover the costs of hauling food waste for an entire school year,” she said.

Despite these obstacles, Shrusti persisted. Her programs now run smoothly and have even influenced policy changes at the county level. Schools participating in her initiatives have earned Green School certifications, further validating her work.

Beyond environmental activism

While her environmental work takes centre stage, Shrusti’s accomplishments extend far beyond the Rise N Shine Foundation. A trained Indian classical dancer and member of the USA National Women’s Cricket Team, she is a well-rounded achiever who balances her passion projects with personal growth. She is also a mentor, debater, and a Girl Scout with bronze and silver awards to her name.

Her diverse interests and achievements make her a role model for young people, proving that it’s possible to excel in multiple areas while making a meaningful impact.

[caption id="attachment_40486" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Shrusti at the mayor and council meeting in 2022[/caption]

A light that shines bright

Shrusti Amula’s journey youth-led change and a matter of pride for the Indian diaspora. From standing on a stage at the White House to meeting the Bush family at an awards gala, her story exemplifies how dedication and innovation can transform lives.

Her vision for the future is ambitious. She aims to expand the Rise N Shine Foundation globally, partnering with international organisations to tackle food waste and hunger on a larger scale.

As she continues to advocate for sustainability and social equity, Shrusti’s message is clear: "No matter your age or background, you have the power to make a difference. All it takes is the courage to start."

Follow Shrusti Amula on LinkedIn and her website
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From the sidelines to the national team: Cricketer Laasya Mullapudi wants to win it all for the USA

(October 31, 2023) Her journey started when she would accompany her father to pick up her brother from the local cricket academy. Realising her passion for the sport, Laasya Mullapudi's father enrolled her in the California Cricket Academy as well. At the age of 12, the young cricketer had a dream of representing her country, which later came true for the young left-handed top-order batter as she got hand-picked for the USA Under-19 squad. Currently playing as the team's vice-captain, Laasya is inspired by Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana and dedicated her recent century to her. "My plan for a possible professional cricket career is to play in bigger leagues, such as WIPL and BBL, as well as The Hundred," the cricketer said in a recent interview, "The recently held ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup at South Africa has been a great tournament for me, and it greatly benefited me as well as the team. It was quite significant for the USA and the development of the sport in this country. I am looking forward to representing the USA in such a big tournament going ahead, and winning big." On the front foot Her parents moved to California in the

was quite significant for the USA and the development of the sport in this country. I am looking forward to representing the USA in such a big tournament going ahead, and winning big."

On the front foot

Her parents moved to California in the late 90s in search of better opportunities. Laasya, who finds her father to be the most critical figure and her mentor, was always an outdoor girl. "I got involved in cricket by watching my brother play and attending his practice sessions and games," the cricketer said in an interview, adding, "I began playing cricket for the California Cricket Academy (CCA) and currently play them. I started playing when I was 12 years old. Throughout my journey, my father has been one of the most influential people in my life. I enjoy speaking to and learning the game from him. He has been by my side throughout my career and knows my playing style and mentality the best."

[caption id="attachment_33801" align="aligncenter" width="631"] Laasya with her team[/caption]

Just a year into the academy, the young cricketer was picked to play a local team, where she took her team to victory. And that was her pass to the national team. But, cricket isn't the only sport this champion plays. Growing up in a family of sportspersons, Laasya played several sports at school. "I love to play sports. During my time away from cricket, I represent my school in badminton and run in my free time. I am still a student and attend school and participate in several school activities. However, I must admit that if I were not playing cricket, I would continue playing badminton," the cricketer said.

Training at the CCA, the cricketer has been working hard on her bowling skills as well. Incidentally a right-arm leg spinner, Laasya is on the course to serve her team as an all-rounder. "Every team needs a good all-rounder. I have proven myself with the bat and now I am working on my bowling skills. It's hard, but I think I can learn the skill, which will help my team better."

Batting for her country

Lassi, as her teammates call her, feels an urgent need to attract more young cricket players to the USA. "Cricket should be incorporated in schools starting from a younger age and offered as a sport in colleges. Spreading cricket throughout the school system will automatically help attract female cricketers in the USA. I feel that several young players have the potential to do good at the international level. As a nation which is just entering the international scene, I feel USA schools should work on training these young talents," the cricketer said.

Talking about her future plans and inspiration, she said, "I have attempted to model my innings based on India’s female national cricketer, Smriti Shriniwas Mandhana’s innings. As someone who is quite dedicated, I am looking to score a century in the upcoming ICC tournament, Another achievement would be to score a half-century in under twelve overs."

Reading Time: 5 mins

Pepper Content: How 23-year-old Anirudh Singla built one of India’s largest content platforms

(March 5, 2024) Back in 2020, Anirudh Singla, like his classmates, went around with butterflies in his stomach during interview season. The only difference was that his classmates were giving interviews to get placed, while Anirudh Singla was preparing to conduct them. Anirudh Singla, Rahul Mathur and Kishan Panpalia were engineering students at BITS-Pilani, and, at the same time running a company that had generated Rs 1.25 crore in revenue by the time they graduated. They are the co-founders of Pepper Content and today, their clientele includes Google, Amazon, HUL, Facebook, and P&G, to name a few, as they on-board over 100 companies every month. Some three years after the Global Indians founded Pepper Content, the company was growing at 15 percent every month, and had received funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners, one of the world's top VC firms. Theirs is a fairytale story created through good old pragmatic hardwork, persistence, failure and determination. Young and driven to entrepreneurship It all started when Anirudh Singla decided he wanted to fund his own graduation. At BITS Pilani, he realised he was surrounded by 900 students who were as smart, if not smarter than he was and he wanted to stand out.

At BITS Pilani, he realised he was surrounded by 900 students who were as smart, if not smarter than he was and he wanted to stand out. "The one thing I was good at was writing," he said in an interview. He had also grown up in an entrepreneurial household, and seen his father build a $100 million business from the ground up. Singla knew about the importance of the hustle and the grind and got to work. He found a small digital marketing agency that needed 250 articles of 500 words each on car parts. "We quoted 75 paisa per word, which is around Rs 375 per article. However, the customer insisted on 10 paisa per word - you can't outsource it at that rate, no writer will agree. But we wanted a statistical advantage and we were just starting out so we negotiated it to 15 paisa per word," Anirudh recalls.

At the time, they were in the middle of exam season but Anirudh was determined to meet his goal of Rs 2.5 lakh in the next two months. He, along with Mathur and Panpalia, would write till 5 am, sleep for a couple of hours and then head out at 8 am to write their exam. After two weeks of this, they earned Rs 16,500. "It was a great feeling to have," Anirudh says.

Similarly, Panpalia had also arrived at BITS with big dreams and an entrepreneurial drive. Born in a tier-3 city named Akola in Maharashtra, Panpalia had made his first profit in the ninth grade, when he bought five kilos of produce, and sold it when the price was higher Rs 50 per kilo. "Those few hundreds I earned ignited the entrepreneur in me," he says. He would spend his time reading inspiring stories of young entrepreneurs who had made it big and like most ambitious Indian teens, wanted to make it to an IIT. He wrote the exam and was admitted to BITS Pilani, which he describes as the best thing that ever happened to him. "I entered college in 2019 and in the first year, like any tier-3 student, the first three months were bizarre. I was in a new world, full of new people and I was sure I didn't belong." He put himself out there anyway, joining entrepreneurial cells and clubs, where he happened to meet Anirudh Singla, who was just starting Pepper Content.

The cold-calling method

They built their company through cold calls and cold-emails, weeding through hundreds of rejections - not only were they very young, they were also engineering students with no experience in content. They cold called 50,000 people, and cold-emailed 10,000 others. "We didn't know the right way, so we cold called," said Panpalia. He put college on the backburner to join "a company that was not even a company," he says. His friends and family advised him not to do it, saying he should at least finish his engineering first, and that he was too young for entrepreneurship. "But I took the plunge. We needed our first 100 customers and we didn't know how to get them."

So, they pooled in their resources. "Initially it was all about customer obsession," Singla says. "LinkedIn was my Instagram. We had class till 1 pm in my second year and during that time I would send 40-50 customised LinkedIn messages to marketing heads and CFOs and everyone. That's 1,200 messages per month." Colleges have marketing teams and databases, which they also used. They were doing upto seven hours per day of just cold calling. "I learned that consistency is very important, it always compounds," he says.

Pepper Content started out as an aggregator of sorts, linking talented content creators, graphics designers and later video editors with businesses. The pandemic helped grow their business, as the gig economy expanded with it and many professionals turned to freelance works instead of structured nine to gives. They offer video production, blog writing, whitepaper content, thought leadership content, subtitling, voiceovers and infographics. "Every company is a content company," Singla states. The idea, they say, is to ensure that companies have access to the 'top three percent of freelance talent' in a single platform. Today, their company is valued at over Rs 500 crores as the global content economy is valued at more than $400 billion.

The company, which is based in Mumbai and boasts some 1,50,000 creators and 2,500 business clients, also has a library that includes blogs on content marketing and technology and how to stay ahead of the curve, case studies about their customers, e-books and whitepapers on the latest trends and marketing insights. On the SaaS side of things, they have now launched an AI co-pilot for enterprise marketers.

The AI platform

"The future isn't just AI or human intelligence, it's AI + human intelligence," Singla told Forbes. Rather than seeing AI language models like Chat GPT as a threat to businesses like his, he believes they will only help them. As companies are now scaling up content requirements in a big way, the handful of writers and creators on marketing teams will now need a certain amount of automation.

Their platform will work on keyword research, identify the right creators for the job and use data analytics tools to assess the final product. "Every piece you publish should be more intelligent than the last one," he says. The AI platform will help with the biggest struggle for marketers - organic traffic and providing returns on investment. "It will help build an SEO content strategy, content operations, content analytics and distribution," Singla explains. "Every piece you publish should be more intelligent than the last one."

Follow Anirudh Singla on LinkedIn.