Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveHow Kanak Jha rose to become America’s table tennis star

How Kanak Jha rose to become America’s table tennis star

Written by: Team GI Youth

(January 11, 2023) “America is the land of dreams. What am I doing here if I don’t let my son follow his?” Karuna Jha’s 22-year-old son, Kanak, is a table tennis prodigy and as he grew up, his parents made sure every penny went towards helping him and his sister train. Their efforts have more than paid off. The young Global Indian has won the US Men’s Singles not once, not twice but four times, the youngest player at the 2016 Rio Olympics (he was 16 then) and the first American to win a medal at the Youth Olympics in Argentina in 2018. All this before his twenty-third birthday.

A piece I came across in ESPN poignantly describes Kanak’s graduation from high school. When his name was called, there was no applause from his classmates, “his mother’s lone claps fade meekly away,” the writer says. “The youngest athlete – and the first born in the 21st century – to represent the United States at the Olympics and the International Table Tennis Federation World Cup is a stranger at his own school.”

Dedication, sacrifice and an early start

Kanak Jha at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

It’s a strange thing, Kanak Jha, with the amiable good looks of a jock and an easygoing manner, has everything it takes to be the most popular kid in school. It’s a small sacrifice made along the way, however, for this single-minded young champion. Jha doesn’t seem to be easily fazed, table tennis has strengthened his mind just as much as his body. “I’m quite strong mentally because table tennis is a very mental sport,” he said. “i’m always trying to stay positive when things aren’t going well. My mental game is quite strong and it’s one of my biggest strengths.” That resilience has helped his game, too – Jha has the maturity of a veteran, keeping his calm, staying positive and turning around a poor game.

At the Jha house, the living room is filled with Kanak’s many trophies and accolades. The house, his mother told ESPN, hasn’t been re-done since the mid-1990s, because all the money has been spent on table tennis for Kanak and his sister Prachi. Always a spirited kid, his parents noticed early on that Kanak’s eyes lit up when he saw a game of table tennis at the India Community Center in Milpitas, where the family lived at the time.

Both his parents were IT professionals and could cough up the steep price of experienced coaching – anywhere between $50 and $100 per hour, with around twelve hours of training per week, per child. While they could pay, it meant giving up a lot of things, from family vacations to a new car.

Moving away from home

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A post shared by Kanak Jha (@jhakanak)

As his friends started high school Kanak had found victory in the 2013 US National Championships, which he won four times. That’s when, at the age of 14, he and his sister decided to leave home and head to Sweden, the global hub for table tennis. Kanak wanted the best coaching and also, a better class of opponents.

Kanak arrived in Halmstad, Sweden and fell in love with the place. He found fame there, he would walk down the street and have people recognize him, a far cry from the United States – and many other countries, really – where table tennis simply command such viewership. His life remains a mix of fame and obscurity, from being stopped for selfies to barely being recognized by his own classmates.

Making history at the Rio Olympics

Training was rigorous and his sister kept him company, cooking his meals at the end of the day. He was training for eight hours a day, at the bordtennisklubb, perfecting his game under world champion Ulf Carlsson, who was head coach at the time. At 14, he was selected for the World Cup and two years later, made it to his first Olympic Games, becoming the youngest American Olympian. “At the time I didn’t fully realise what it meant to be an Olympian,” Kanak grins. “I’m very happy to have been able to compete there and it definitely gives me an advantage.”

In 2018, he won the World Junior Circuit Finals in Luxembourg, shooting up the U18 world rankings. A year later, he decided it was time to perfect his technique even more and joined the Budesliga in Germany, where he trained for seven hours a day, six days a week. “The world class are setting the bar very high. The Chinese are practicing six to seven hours a day. So, if you want to compete with them you have to find a solution. Just practicing two to three hours a day will not work,” Kanak’s coach, Joerg Bitzigeio, stated.

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A post shared by Kanak Jha (@jhakanak)

Finding resilience

The pandemic was a big blow, also because Kanak’s game started out very strong in 2020. In April that year, looking somewhat down in the dumps, he spoke with Pong Positive, saying, “It’s been tough for me. I’m just trying to stay positive. Normally I train all the time, I love playing and practicing. So, it’s been tough.” He made the best use of his time, watching old games and fine-tuning his technique, something he didn’t have the time to do otherwise. As always, he showed remarkable maturity and persistence in the face of very trying circumstances. “I’m lucky enough to have a table at home, as well as a robot, so I could practice.”

Tokyo calling

All that effort culminated in 2021, for after ten years of training eight hours a day, he headed to the Tokyo Olympics. His parents couldn’t go with him, as pandemic restrictions were still in place at the time and outside spectators were not allowed. He had another Indian-origin player, Nikhil Kumar by his side.

He lost 4-2 to Russian player Kirill Skachkov and the USA, still a fledgling nation in the table tennis arena, at least, lost to Sweden. However, Jha managed to secure one victory for America, defeating Mattias Falck.

In 2022, he was ranked number 22 in the world. “It feels really good,” he said, in an interview with Butterly. “But honestly, not as good as the top 20 would sound. That’s the next step.”

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Published on 11, Jan 2023

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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

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.

From Tirupati to Troy: Jupudi Vamsi Kalyan turns vision into action with AI-powered BrightLyf

(December 20, 2024) After working for one-and-a-half years as a software developer at IBM, Jupudi Vamsi Kalyan moved to the US in 2023 to pursue a master's degree in computer science at Troy University, Alabama. During his time there, he identified a significant gap in America's mental health support system. Determined to address this, he came up with the idea of BrightLyf, an AI-powered mental health platform. BrightLyf recently won the Troy University pitch competition, earning $2,000 in prize money. For someone who has been in the US for less than two years, taking on such a crucial challenge and gaining recognition for his efforts has been a significant source of motivation for Kalyan. It has strengthened his resolve to develop innovative, solution-focused products to help society. [caption id="attachment_41055" align="aligncenter" width="677"] Kalyan received Troy University's pitch competition's first prize[/caption] “BrightLyf is currently in active development, with plans to begin operations in January 2025. We're working closely with Troy University's Psychology Department to develop and validate our AI-powered mental health platform. Our initial pilot program is scheduled for Q1 2025, followed by a public beta launch in Q3 2025,” Kalyan shares with Global Indian. A solution for young adults in the

h plans to begin operations in January 2025. We're working closely with Troy University's Psychology Department to develop and validate our AI-powered mental health platform. Our initial pilot program is scheduled for Q1 2025, followed by a public beta launch in Q3 2025,” Kalyan shares with Global Indian.

A solution for young adults in the United States

“Young adults across the United States often face weeks-long wait times for mental health services. As an international student, I experienced this firsthand, which led me to realize how widespread these accessibility challenges are—affecting students, adults, and institutions nationwide,” the 25-year-old says. Through research, he discovered that university counselling centres are often overburdened with cases. “Some students wait up to three weeks for initial appointments, while others struggle to find support during off-hours when they need it most.”

This systemic issue inspired Kalyan to combine AI technology with clinical expertise to create BrightLyf—a comprehensive support system designed to provide immediate, accessible mental health support while helping institutions better understand and serve their communities.

[caption id="attachment_41058" align="aligncenter" width="691"] Kalyan during Troy University's pitch competition[/caption]

Kalyan works closely with his co-founder, Jaydeep Patel, who brings extensive clinical mental health expertise to the table.

Their team is further strengthened by advisor John B., a seasoned CTO and healthcare executive at a leading healthcare technology company. Together, this combination of technical innovation, clinical knowledge, and healthcare industry experience forms a robust foundation to tackle the complex challenges of mental healthcare accessibility.

From India to the US

Kalyan hails from Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage. His father, Jupudi Mahesh, serves as a Village Revenue Officer in the Andhra Pradesh government, supporting the local farming community. “Growing up, I watched him serve others while my mother, Jupudi Annapurna, provided unconditional support at home. This taught me the importance of using one's skills to help people. My parents’ emphasis on education and service to society has deeply influenced my passion for solution-focused entrepreneurship,” he shares.

With aspirations for both personal and professional growth, Kalyan secured admission to Troy University after working for one-and-a-half years at his first job IBM in Bengaluru. He completed his B. Tech in Computer Science from Vel Tech University in 2021.

[caption id="attachment_41059" align="aligncenter" width="463"] Jupudi Vamsi Kalyan[/caption]

Coming closer to passion

Kalyan has always been driven by a desire to develop innovative solutions that make a meaningful difference in people's lives. The recent win at Troy University not only reaffirmed his passion but also fuelled his ambition to bring his ideas to life. “While my experience at IBM provided valuable insights into enterprise technology, my passion lies in creating innovative solutions that directly impact people's lives,” he says.

The $2,000 prize from the competition has provided the initial momentum for Kalyan and his co-founder to push BrightLyf forward. They are now actively working on incorporating the company and advancing product development. Their vision is to revolutionize how young Americans access mental health support, making it more immediate, accessible, and effective.

[caption id="attachment_41060" align="aligncenter" width="730"] Kalyan received Troy University's pitch competition's first prize[/caption]

Hopeful of entrepreneurial dream in America

While there are regulatory challenges for international entrepreneurs in the U.S., Kalyan believes innovation and determination can overcome these barriers. “The key is to build something truly valuable that addresses critical societal needs. There are various pathways available for international founders, and with proper guidance and a commitment to creating meaningful impact, these challenges become opportunities for growth,” he says with hope.

The overall life in the United States has been transformative for the youngster. He finds the entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly the support from universities and local communities, ‘extraordinary’. “Troy University's IDEA Bank and various mentors have provided invaluable guidance in developing BrightLyf.” The blend of academic excellence and entrepreneurial opportunity creates an ideal environment for innovation and Kalyan is making complete use of the opportunities and resources.

[caption id="attachment_41061" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Jupudi Vamsi Kalyan[/caption]

Making use of learnings in India and United States

Growing up in India, Kalyan witnessed firsthand how technology could bridge critical gaps in service delivery. Now, he sees an opportunity to transform mental health support on multiple levels—from personal care to family dynamics and community-wide wellness. Driven by a desire to address meaningful challenges and help millions access better mental health support, Kalyan remains motivated and focused on his vision of strengthening family bonds and community connections.

“My goal is to build BrightLyf into a comprehensive platform that not only transforms how young people access mental health services but also creates ripple effects of positive change within families and communities, fostering healthier, more connected societies,” says Kalyan, who aspires to make a lasting impact on mental healthcare by enhancing both individual support and broader community wellness.

Follow Jupudi Vamsi Kalyan on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

The science of immune engineering: Rishi Goel is at the frontier of healthcare tech

(May 24, 2022) The ongoing global pandemic COVID-19 brought the world's attention to the importance of a good immune system. No remedy was too far-fetched, people around the globe tried everything they could get their hands on, from Ayurvedic herbs to home-made concoctions. Meanwhile, medical student Rishi Goel was hard at work learning more about immune engineering, trying to apply the principles of engineering to design and workings of the immune system. "I am working to understand immune responses to viral pathogens," the young Indian-American youngster tells Global Indian, adding, "My work has contributed to a better understanding of immune memory in the context of COVID-19 and mRNA vaccines. I also helped start the Immune Health Project at Penn, which aims to lead the transformation of routine human immune profiling for impact across medical disciplines.” [caption id="attachment_17065" align="aligncenter" width="624"] Rishi Goel, with immunologist Dr E. John Wherry, after receiving the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship[/caption] The young doctor, whose family hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is currently a research fellow in E. John Wherry’s laboratory, at the University of Pennsylvania, and aims to become a physician-scientist working on immunology research to enhance the patient experience. Rishi recently received a Paul &

The young doctor, whose family hails from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, is currently a research fellow in E. John Wherry’s laboratory, at the University of Pennsylvania, and aims to become a physician-scientist working on immunology research to enhance the patient experience. Rishi recently received a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship which provides funding up to $90,000 over two years for postgraduate study. The fellowship is open to immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States.

An Indie kid

Rishi's grandfather, a civil engineer, came to USA about four decades ago along with his son, who was just six or seven years old at the time. "My father," Rishi shares, "is a businessman. My mother, on the other hand, grew up in Lucknow and moved to the US after she got married." Growing up, Rishi was deeply inspired by his grandfather who, he recalls, "brought scientific curiosity and wonder to everyday household tasks." The duo would spend their weekends together experimenting with new ingredients.

[caption id="attachment_17066" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Childhood image of Rishi[/caption]

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rishi was always a very active child, involved in various sports during his school days. However, as much as he loved the US, he never lost touch with his roots. Growing up in a Hindi-speaking household, Rishi says he loved his visits to India. "We would visit my Nana and Nani during vacation and I used to enjoy my time there. It was kind of a reunion for me, because all my cousins would come home, there would be amazing food, and we would have a gala time," Rishi shares.

Fascinated by immunology

After completing school, Rishi graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and a minor in applied statistics. Through his work at the Michigan Nanotechnology Institute, Rishi became fascinated with the immune system. "During that time, I designed and tested a novel therapeutic vaccine for food allergies that was able to re-train pathologic immune responses and suppress disease. I was amazed by the immune system's ability to learn and improve over time, and began to wonder how it could be used or engineered to treat disease."

[caption id="attachment_17067" align="aligncenter" width="642"] Rishi with his family[/caption]

Following his undergraduate education, Rishi earned a master’s degree in immunology from the University of Oxford, where he was awarded highest distinction for his academic work and was a member of the Blues lacrosse team. Explaining, the young doctor shares, "There I completed an IRTA Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health, investigating new mechanisms of tissue damage in autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis."

[caption id="attachment_17069" align="aligncenter" width="651"] A sports lover, Rishi was a part of the Oxford City Lacrosse Club[/caption]

Focused on understanding the human immune system better, Rishi has published over 20 academic papers, including first-author publications in Science, Cell, and Nature Medicine. His recent work on understanding immune responses to viral pathogens and has led to new insights into the development of immune memory after SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA vaccination. "I aim to bring immune profiling into the clinic to better diagnose, treat, and prevent disease," says the young doctor, who is excited to have received the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship. When he says he hasn’t lost touch with his roots, he means it: "My family is very proud but they keep asking me when I’m going to finish my education, start earning and get married," he laughs.

Going beyond the call of duty

During the last two years of pandemic, people across the globe have been bombarded with misinformation - not just about the disease, but also about vaccines. When cases peaked in United States last year, Rishi became a leading science communicator on COVID vaccines, with regular contributions to major news outlets such as The Atlantic, Nature News, and NPR.

[caption id="attachment_17068" align="aligncenter" width="637"] Dr Goel, with his friends, at the Bryce Canyon[/caption]

"While there were several health bulletins being published or broadcast across the world, many people were still choosing to believe the forwarded messages of their family members on social media. Even today, many people in the US are hesitant to get vaccinated. I think it is imperative that doctors should be able to communicate in a language that the masses understand. Thus, I started communicating with various media outlets, dispelling the myths about COVID and its vaccinations," shares the young doctor, who wishes to become a physician-scientist in the future.

Follow Rishi Goel on Twitter and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 7 mins

AI for auditory wellness: Surya Maddula’s quest to tackle noise pollution

(January 19, 2024) According to World Bank estimates, by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people are projected to have hearing loss, and at least 700 million will require hearing rehabilitation. Also, over one billion young adults are at risk of permanent, avoidable hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. This is an issue 16-year-old Bengaluru boy Surya Maddula wants to tackle. The youngster was intrigued by the cacophony surrounding him. The never-ending noise stirred his curiosity to find a solution, whether it was the clamour of traffic and ongoing construction work nearby, animals around, or the thunderous departure of planes. Fueled by the constant disturbances, he devoted himself to inventing a solution for the challenges posed by such man-made environmental challenges and was able to. He came up with the idea of ‘open-air active noise cancellation using artificial intelligence’. [caption id="attachment_35320" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Surya Maddula[/caption] When the teen was confident about the potential of the solution he developed after dedicated research, he filed a patent at The Patent Office, Government of India, and was granted the patent for an invention of ‘A noise cancellation system and a method to operate the same'. “Later, I applied at the India Book of Records,”

urya Maddula | Global Indian " width="474" height="350" /> Surya Maddula[/caption]

When the teen was confident about the potential of the solution he developed after dedicated research, he filed a patent at The Patent Office, Government of India, and was granted the patent for an invention of ‘A noise cancellation system and a method to operate the same'.

“Later, I applied at the India Book of Records,” Surya shares with Global Indian. He is glad to have earned their appreciation certificate and medal for getting a patent for his AI-powered solution to combat noise pollution at 15 years and 10 months.

Apart from working on this burning issue, Surya has other achievements to his credit. He is engaged in an apprenticeship with a Professor from Columbia University and is also associated with The Knowledge Society (TKS), a teenage accelerator programme. He has also contributed to and received value from entrepreneurial skills development programmes conducted by Google, Y Combinator, and BITS Pilani - Dubai Campus, to name a few.

Addressing noise pollution

“I realise that Noise Pollution is a big problem that is putting millions of people at risk, and as a responsible citizen of my country, it is important to me to address this problem to change the lives of people in India for the better,” he says. Surya has leveraged the power of AI to find a solution. “One of many abilities of my solution is using AI to understand foreground and background noise and classify them to eliminate unwanted background noise.”

With validation received as a Patent Certificate from The Patent Office, Government of India, the youngster is now working on the hardware.

“My hardware design is about using strategically placed sensors/sound level meters that send sound data to the Home Device, which processes noise using Cloud Computing. It puts out a sound wave with the amplitude inversed so that the sound waves cancel each other out as proved by destructive interference,” he says. “It will also help in emergency noise detection and intelligent noise sensory capabilities.”

[caption id="attachment_35316" align="aligncenter" width="635"] Surya Maddula at the Shell Changemakers of Tomorrow conference in Bengaluru[/caption]

Apprenticeship with Columbia University professor

Though noise pollution is his primary interest, the 12th-grade student is curious about many other applications of AI. Although Surya is still in school, he is working closely with Columbia University Professor Alejandro Zarate, and under the professor’s guidance, he is learning about Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and applying it for data extraction and customization of documents. “Document processing is a big business problem, and extracting the relevant data is key for organisational success.”

Talking about the opportunity to learn from a Columbia University professor while still in school, he remarks, “I reached out to him on LinkedIn because I had been following him on the platform, and he inspired me so much that I wanted to learn under his guidance. Through the tips and guidance given by my Directors at The Knowledge Society, I learned efficient networking, helping me get opportunities I never thought I’d get,” he adds.

He is working on a project under Professor Zarate’s guidance on Large Language Models (LLMs). “The opportunity to work under the professor has improved my professional skills, and has led me to understand how LLMs work is of utmost significance,” he says. “The Zoom calls, the brainstorming sessions, the WhatsApp chats, the guidance I get, and the entire scenario of working with such an experienced professional is so exciting. There is something to learn from every call with him and every message I get from him. I feel privileged and humbled that I was able to get this opportunity,” he remarks.

Association with The Knowledge Society

Surya is also associated with The Knowledge Society (TKS) - a group of highly ambitious youngsters who want to, ‘quite literally put a ding in the universe.’ “TKS alumni go to some of the best universities in the world. They have raised millions of dollars, launched successful companies, partnered with dozens of multi-billion-dollar companies, and spoken at events and conferences, creating an impact.” Surya believes in ‘getting value and adding value,’ which is why he loves being part of TKS. The organisation has changed his perspective towards giving back and boosted his confidence with some great speaking opportunities.

[caption id="attachment_35317" align="aligncenter" width="720"] Surya Maddula at the Shell Changemakers of Tomorrow conference in Bengaluru[/caption]

“I started with TKS as part of their ‘Innovate’ program in September 2022. Since then, I’ve worked on many projects while learning about new technologies.” As part of TKS activities, he has also had an opportunity to develop an entrepreneurial bent of mind by working on problem statements and pitching solutions to problems to senior business executives of multi-billion-dollar companies who are partners of TKS.

Apart from that, he has learned from case studies to prepare for real-life entrepreneurial situations and develop skills like networking, building relations, adapting to technologies, and thinking like a business leader or future entrepreneur. “It’s a life-changing programme,” remarks Surya.

“The more effort and work you are willing to put in, the greater the outcome. That's exactly how it was for me. You can’t even compare pre-TKS and post-TKS Surya,” he remarks.

A business leader in the making

Surya aspires to have a career focusing on making life better for people around him and is enrolled in Google’s Student Entrepreneur Program. It’s a self-paced instructor-led program with coursework and lectures to prepare future entrepreneurs.

[caption id="attachment_35327" align="aligncenter" width="732"] Surya Maddula pitching at BITS Pilani Dubai's YEB[/caption]

He also traveled to Dubai for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Boot Camp (YEB) held at the BITS Pilani Dubai Campus. It was his first international flight alone after passing the selection process that comprised a written application with several questions.

“My experience there was fantastic,” he says about the trip. “I was able to explore the city, understand it, and navigate the differences between Bengaluru and Dubai. I spent an entire day with one of my friends from TKS, and we explored the city together on the metro, the tram, and on foot from Al Karama to Atlantis. The city is magical. There’s a lot a person can learn from being in a foreign country.” Surya is grateful to everyone who made this trip happen, especially Dr. Ramachandran from the BITS Pilani - Dubai Campus.

While exploring different career options, after finishing university, he is determined to work around computer science and AI, irrespective of what he chooses to become.

Finding support in family, hobbies, and a good lifestyle

The youngster finds immense support in his family, and just by looking at his parents, he learns life lessons every day. “My dad is the best life coach, and my mom’s perspective on things is on par with how good her food is,” he says. Being always ready to face anything while keeping the environment at home peaceful, working hard, and not letting one part of one’s life affect the other are the qualities of his parents that he would like to learn.

[caption id="attachment_35318" align="aligncenter" width="722"] Surya Maddula at Shell Changemakers of Tomorrow conference in Bengaluru with Yuri Sebregts, CTO, Shell[/caption]

The teenager loves swimming, sketching, and basketball and considers sleep integral to well-being. “Sleep is so underrated. I can feel myself getting recharged when I get a good night’s sleep,” he says.

He is an avid currency collector and has currency from across the globe - from Venezuela to the UAE to Uzbekistan to Hong Kong to Singapore. “I haven’t visited all these countries but got them by trading with other collectors,” he signs off.

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