Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveYoung innovators shine: Indian Americans lead the way in 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2023

Young innovators shine: Indian Americans lead the way in 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2023

Written by: Team GI Youth

(July 22, 2023) In a remarkable display of scientific brilliance, six young innovators of Indian American heritage have emerged as shining stars among the USA’s brightest in the prestigious 3M Young Scientist Challenge. These ingenious middle school students have secured their spots in the competition’s top ten finalists, captivating judges and spectators alike with their groundbreaking research and innovative ideas. Hailing from diverse backgrounds and regions, these budding scientists have proven that age knows no boundaries when it comes to transforming the world through science.

Innovators | Global Indian

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, renowned for its rigorous selection process, attracts talent from all corners of the US. Global Indian delve into the stories behind these six extraordinary kids, whose names are etched in the hall of fame for young scientists. The future indeed looks brighter with these young trailblazers at the forefront of scientific innovation.

Ishaan Iyer

The brilliant innovator behind the groundbreaking Tactile Electronic Braille Display Device 2.0, Ishaan Iyer is the youngest among the ten finalists of the esteemed Discovery 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2023. With a passion for creating solutions that make a difference, Ishaan set out to revolutionize the process of Braille writing for the visually impaired. His ingenious device offers a cost-effective and efficient alternative to the traditional slate and stylus method, encoding the English alphabet into Braille language and simplifying the way the visually impaired read.

When asked about his favourite invention from the last century, Ishaan enthusiastically cites the reusable rocket, showcasing his fascination with space exploration. Aspiring to be a rocket scientist, he dreams of contributing to the development of economical and eco-friendly spacecraft. Beyond his years in age, Ishaan’s innovative spirit and determination have propelled him to the forefront of the Young Scientist Challenge, earning admiration and respect from his peers and mentors alike.

Anisha Dhoot

The remarkable Indian American innovator’s passion for the environment drove her innovative project, aimed at creating a sustainable planet through the use of kelp seaweed to enhance soil nutrition and combat climate change. With a vision for a better world, Anisha aspires to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to positively impact the lives of people on Earth.

At just 14 years old, Anisha is determined to break barriers and challenge the underrepresentation of girls in STEM fields. With her scientific curiosity and dedication, she aims to inspire a shift in this trend both during high school and college and in professional careers. Hailing from Portland, her journey as a budding scientist reflects her unwavering determination to create a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Shripriya Kalbhavi

Just in eighth grade, and already making headlines. A student of Joaquin Miller Middle School in San Jose, Shripriya is making waves with her groundbreaking invention: EasyBZ microneedle patches, an affordable and painless solution for medication. This active drug delivery system utilizes Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction automation, enabling precise doses of medication to be administered into the body. Fueled by her passion for scientific advancements, particularly in the realm of medication, the innovator harbors dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon.

Beyond her impressive work in the medical field, Shripriya’s talents extend to mathematics, where she excels as a mathlete. Her enthusiasm for numbers and problem-solving has led her to actively participate in esteemed math competitions like Math Kangaroo and AMC8, showcasing her versatility and acumen in diverse academic pursuits.

Adhip Maitra

Ever heard of ptosis? It’s a condition that causes eyelids to droop abnormally, potentially obstructing vision. Though often linked to aging, many individuals remain unaware of its presence until it worsens. This intriguing fact, combined with ptosis being a symptom of 48 different diseases and disorders, served as the catalyst for Adhip Maitra’s brilliant idea: a computer programme for early ptosis detection. With his innovation, he aims to identify the condition promptly and unveil any underlying serious ailments that might otherwise go unnoticed until advanced stages.

An eighth grade-innovator from Jackson Heights Middle School in Oviedo, Florida, Adhipa delved into the realm of deep learning and other cutting-edge technologies to develop this remarkable computer programme. By employing these advanced tools, he hopes to make a significant impact on healthcare and improve the lives of countless individuals. As he continues to fine-tune his invention, Adhip’s dedication and ingenuity shine as a beacon of hope for a future where early detection and intervention lead to better outcomes for patients facing ptosis and related medical conditions.

Shruti Sivaraman

An aspiring app developer with a mission to make a difference, Shruti Sivaraman has created a remarkable application to diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), a serious vision-related complication affecting those with diabetes. Her innovative smart app utilizes retinal image analysis, offering a more efficient alternative to the traditional dilated eye exam, which typically involves the use of dilation drops.

Currently studying at Canyon Vista Middle School as a seventh grader, Shruti’s passion for technology and her relentless pursuit of excellence have led her to dream of becoming a computer engineer. Through her groundbreaking app, the innovator aims to contribute to the field of medical technology, making healthcare more accessible and effective for individuals affected by Diabetic Retinopathy.

Anish Kosaraju

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2021, cybersecurity failure ranks among the most critical risks of this decade. Addressing this pressing concern, Anish Kosaraju, based in San Jose, has carved a place among the finalists of the prestigious 3M Young Scientist Challenge 2023 with his groundbreaking invention. Anish Kosaraju’s innovation revolves around harnessing the power of machine learning to bolster cybersecurity measures.

His ingenious model focuses on verifying the legitimacy of login attempts, providing an added layer of protection to accounts lacking multi-factor authentication. By preventing cyber takeovers, Anish’s invention offers a proactive approach to safeguarding sensitive information from potential breaches. With aspirations set high, the innovator envisions himself as a cybersecurity expert in the future, determined to play a pivotal role in fortifying digital defenses against ever-evolving cyber threats.

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Published on 22, Jul 2023

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Young Indian environmentalists are working hard to save our planet

(February 21, 2023) The climate change sweeping the world is occurring at a faster pace than previously thought, making it imperative that governments act now to reverse the damage being done to the planet. According to a study by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), over the last few decades, the exploitation of our planet and the degradation of our environment has gone up at an alarming rate. With several natural disasters striking us more often in the form of flash floods, earthquakes, blizzards, tsunamis, and cyclones, many environmentalists have positioned themselves as advocates of sustainability, determined to meet the climate crisis at humanity’s doorstep. Global Indian takes a look at young Indians, who have been working on protecting this planet. Through their sustainability efforts across fashion, water conservation, waste management, education, policymaking, and sustainable energy, these young environmentalists inspire and impact thousands of people around the globe. Sneha Shahi, reviving rivers As a young child, environmentalist Sneha Shahi would visit the northeastern region of India, almost every summer, where her father was stationed. And that's when she fell in love with nature. Growing up in Vadodara, Gujarat, Sneha was always a girl who showed a keen interest in environmental activities.

n love with nature. Growing up in Vadodara, Gujarat, Sneha was always a girl who showed a keen interest in environmental activities. Today, a Ph.D. scholar at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment, Bengaluru, Sneha is among the 17 UN Young Climate Champions from India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maQzojOBQ44

"Since we were in school, we have been learning how plastic waste and its irresponsible disposal harm our flora, fauna, and land water systems. While we are taught about it, most people do not do anything to reduce the impact," shared the activist, who removed about 700 kg of waste from a natural rivulet that people thought to be a gutter.

Currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Extreme Hydrological Events at ATREE, Bengaluru, Sneha is gearing up to work on the restoration of the only perennial river in Tamil Nadu, Thamirabarani. "It has been only six months since I started the programme here and the project is still getting developed. The objectives currently are to restore this beautiful river, Thamirabarani, which is about 128 km long," shares Sneha, adding, "It supports drinking water and agricultural activities. We do not just want to install physical instruments to control pollution, but also create awareness about the pollution and change their mindset," shared the environmentalist.

Sagarika Sriram, climate change activist

A young 17-year-old took centre stage while top leaders from across the world gathered to discuss how they can save our planet from the changing climatic conditions at COP27, held in Egypt. Addressing her audience, the young environment activist, Sagarika Sriram, pointed out the youth’s perspective on sustainability and how youngsters can have their voices heard. Stressing how awareness must be raised in schools, her closing remarks pushed for the youth around the world to be heard when it comes to their sustainable goals, ending her speech to thunderous applause from the audience.

Called an "inspiration to all young girls in her country and West Asia” by the U.N. Environment Programme, the Dubai-based Indian ex-pat has been able to inspire and motivate numerous kids to join the movement for a cleaner and healthier future for all. Her digital platform Kids for a Better World, which the young environment activist created in 2016 as a school project, has brought together nearly 100,000 young kids from around the globe who too want to fight climate change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPWtMtGOs-s

The environmentalist who has organised numerous local clean-up drives and workshops for kids believes that young people have to stand for the cause to prevent the impact of climate change. "I want to make a real change and contribute towards helping the planet revive. I just finished my final examinations and want to take a year's break to concentrate on the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, COP 28, which will take place in the UAE," she shared.

Soumya Ranjan Biswal, marine conservation

Mangroves might appear to be merely coastal forests, but these rich ecosystems support the planet and living being in many ways. From providing breeding grounds for fish to carbon storage, and protection against flooding mangroves does it all. However, despite its importance, the mangrove forests are under threat. Odisha-based, 24-year-old environmentalist Soumya Ranjan Biswal has been voluntarily growing intending to regenerate the mangrove forests along the 18-km-long beach stretch for the last few years. Locally called Rai, Harakancha, Sundari, Bani, Guan, and Keruan, these plants are integral to the coastal habitat and livelihood of local fishermen.

The youngster is also working tirelessly to protect the threatened habitat of Olive Ridley turtles. From making sure eggs of the endangered species are protected from predators like dogs, jackals, and other animals, taking out cycle rallies to spread awareness among coastal inhabitants for the safety of the sea turtles to cleaning the beaches for the release of hatchlings, Soumya, fondly called Olly Boy has been doing it all. When the Odisha government agreed to have the Olive Ridley sea turtle as the mascot for the 2018 Hockey World Cup, that was when the young environmentalist decided to hold their historic one-month-long cycle expedition, paddling through coastal pockets of Rushikulya, Puri, Chilika, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore to create awareness about the protection of the turtles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeXCsE5eKEo

While Olive Ridleys are close to Soumya, he has also been working for the cause of sparrows, reviving dry water bodies in forests and keeping beaches plastic-free. "As a coastal village boy, I've always been affected by ocean and beach pollution, high mortality rates of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, and mangrove destruction which have resulted in the occurrence of consistent natural calamities. This made me feel more strongly about issues like environmental degradation, climate change, and its impact on the marine ecosystem." Soumya had said during an earlier interview. Soumya was part of the "We The Change" campaign initiated by the United Nations in India.

Hina Saifi, clean air and renewable energy activist

Working with NGOs within her village in Meerut, Hina Saifi started to work on climate awareness after noting a lack of environmental awareness in her polluted village of Sisosla. From campaigning for solar-powered solutions to mobilising local communities to tackle air pollution through public campaigns, call for action, and pamphlets, Hina has been associated with the 100% Uttar Pradesh Campaign and The Climate Agenda since 2018.

"I believe that if there’s public awareness first, then we can improve the environment. It will happen if people are aware of climate-friendly behaviours and actions. This is why I want to work in the space of public awareness and mobilization." Hina advocated during a press interaction. After she launched ‘Suraj Se Samriddhi’, a campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of solar power, Hina was selected as the United Nation Young Environment Champion last year.

Berjis Driver, sustainable urban planner

An urban planner and associate member of the Institute of Town Planners India, Berjis Driver is working with the government authorities to reduce disparities, and improve accessibility and quality of life in cities. Berjis' expertise in environmental planning was important in understanding the relationship between Mumbai’s infrastructure and its environment. As an architect, he has been contributing to statutory urban policy and guideline preparation in Mumbai and Amravati.

A UN Youth Environment Champion, Berjis advocates that the urban cities' environment has been disconnected from the ecosystem. The norms on a per capita basis track back to the 60s and 70s and are not relevant to India today. He has been working to implement the basic benchmarks for green infrastructure, with rigorous control, in every city. "The promise of being able to reach out and scale up climate action, to learn the truth behind the origins and contexts of sustainability, help navigate it favourably, and to be able to safeguard the weakest in the face of climate change, is what continues to motivate me in this journey," Berjis has shared during an interview.

Reading Time: 6 mins

Aryan Sharma and Ayush Pathak: The AI whizkids being funded by Sam Altman

(December 14, 2023) Around eight months ago, two teenagers, Aryan Sharma and Ayush Pathak were both contemplating college plans. Aryan had even received a scholarship from a foundation in the US and anyway, both the teenagers were adept coders and earning a fair bit of money. Enough money, actually to fly to San Francisco and attend conferences, where they were soon crossing paths with some of the Bay Area's tech and VC titans. In comparison, college seemed a lacklustre option. They actually wondered if the experience might hold them back. Why not take a deep dive into entrepreneurship instead? That's how they got to building Induced AI, which, very simply put, presents a solution for businesses to streamline their backend workflow processes using bots. Less than a year in, they have raised $2.3 million in seed funding, and count OpenAI's Sam Altman as an investor, along with Daniel Gross and Nat Friedman. [caption id="attachment_34641" align="aligncenter" width="601"] Aryan Sharma and Ayush Pathak, the co-founders of Induced AI[/caption] The journey of a lifetime How did the Global Indians come so far, so quickly? For starters, both Sharma and Pathak were learning coding by the time they were 13 years old. They didn't

ong>The journey of a lifetime

How did the Global Indians come so far, so quickly? For starters, both Sharma and Pathak were learning coding by the time they were 13 years old. They didn't grow up in the Bay Area or in Bangalore, although they were both based in India. "I would listen to podcasts and read about the AI and tech startup ecosystem. I started writing code very early and was doing remote work when I was still in school," Sharma says. When he could afford it, he made another, very bold move - he bought a flight ticket to San Francisco. "I was going to a lot of events and meeting people and investors, who would eventually become part of the company."

The Bay Area, he found, was very welcoming, even to someone as young as him - it might even have worked in his favour. "Everyone is open to taking meetings," Sharma smiles. He discovered that ambition and hard work do pay, and age doesn't always have to be a factor. Sharma and Pathak also decided that college was off the cards, at least for the moment, even if they could have taken their pick of institutions. Sharma, who seems more given to media appearances and interviews, says his parents were both doctors, who were concerned with his decision but decided to support him.

When they weren't in Silicon Valley, they were writing cold-emails and sending DMs on Twitter. "I have embarrassing emails I sent out at 14," he laughs, during an interview with Varun Mayya and Tanmay Bhat in Overpowered. "I woud say 'I'm a big fan, I watch all your videos, do you have any advice for me'?" He recalls one response, which read, "Don't send emails to people, that's my advice. Go read up and start building things." He had als interacted with Sam Altman during this three year networking period and expressed an interest in working with him, "even as his secretary." OpenAI, he says, "had been releasing papers way before ChatGPT but Sam was too busy then with OpenAI and Helium."

Even in 2022, though, Sharma didn't really know how things would pan out. He was interested in a range of subjects, from AI to Space and Biotech. It was Altman who gave him advice then, saying, "This is all useful but the most high-leverage thing is AI and you will come back to this at some point." It did in fact turn out that way. In early 2023, Sharma and Pathak teamed up to form InducedAI. Now, they are also part of AI Grant, the AI startup accelerator created by Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross. Induced AI made it into Batch 1, along with companies like Perplexity, Animato and Replicate.

How does it work?

Induced AI helps businesses automate repetitive tasks typically handled by admin back offices. Users input workflows in English (known as a text workflow), which the AI then converts into pseudo-code for automation. The platform uses bots, each equipped with its own email and phone number for handling tasks like verification processes, including OTPs and other forms of authorization. These bots run on the cloud, ensuring full access without affecting the user's computer. "Say, a company has a 15-member team spending a lot of time on tasks like form filling or data entry, which could typically be outsourced to a backoffice," Sharma explained.

All this works on Chromium-based browsers (like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, etc.). And none of the work being done is actually visible to the user - for instance, if the bot is running a search operation, the user will not see a search bar with keywords being typed in. Induced AI has modified the browser's rendering engine, which usually turns website code into what you see on your screen, to work better for background tasks. They've tweaked how the browser responds to changes on websites and improved the way it communicates internally and with other systems.

"We control the browser layers remotely, which leads to more reliability compared to running as an extension," Sharma explains. "By controlling the browser, we also control everything that Chrome has access to." This enhanced control allows for more consistent and dependable automation processes.

For example, consider a task like searching for shoes on Google. Induced AI breaks this task into "chunks," then performs 'inference' to determine the necessary steps at each stage. The user just needs to provide the overall task description. Once the steps are outlined, the system autonomously executes the process, from opening the browser to carrying out the search. To the end user, it's akin to giving a command to Alexa to "play my favorite playlist," where Alexa autonomously locates and plays the playlist.

[caption id="attachment_34642" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Aryan Sharma[/caption]

RPA tech

However, Induced AI is tailored for back-office tasks, enhancing business workflows' cost-effectiveness and efficiency. It uses a 'headless' browser operation, meaning the browser works in the background without displaying web pages on a screen. It navigates and interacts with websites, but invisibly. "It's not meant to book a flight ticket or write an email," Sharma says. "It's designed for specific processes and tasks, like generating leads at 9 am every day, or collating insurance claims.

This is done through RPA (Robotic Process Automation), which usses 'bots' to automate repetitive and rule-based tasks within business processes. They emulate human actions and interactions within digital systems, applications and data and can carry out certain tasks as a human user would, following a set of predefined rules and logic. An added advantage is that it is non invasive and easily deployable along with being scalable and flexible.

The path ahead

Aryan now spends much more time in the Bay Area and Induced AI has signed up a handful of small to mid-sized customers, he told Tech Crunch.

"Induced is the definition of RPA 3.0," said investor SignalFire in a statement. "Not only are they taking a huge leap forward in providing true human-like interaction and efficiency, they democratize access by allowing users to describe their workflows in natural language and execute parallel agents any back-office workflow.

Follow Aryan Sharma and Ayush Pathak on LinkedIn.

From slum to stage: Documentary on ballet dancer Manish Chauhan vows international audience

(March 17, 2023) Call Me Dancer, a documentary feature adaptation of real life-story of Manish Chauhan, Mumbai’s street dancer, had its world premiere at Santa Barbara International Film Festival in USA. The 84-minute-long documentary marks the directorial debut of Washington based directors Leslie Shampaine. The film also had its East Coast premiere at the opening night of the longest-running dance film festival in the world - Dance on Camera Festival, New York. Call Me Dancer revolves around Manish’s struggles and triumphs and how despite odds stacked against him, with ambition, determination and passion the youngster finally managed to turn his dream into reality. Daring to dream in Mumbai’s slums, the professional ballet dancer got his break when he received a full year’s scholarship at the Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland in 2017. [caption id="attachment_28488" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Manish Chauhan[/caption] Manish has performed extensively in India and abroad. Coming from a community where people did not know the difference between ‘ballet dancing’ and ‘belly dance,’ Manish is an inspiration to many strugglers. The tale of dreams coming true Made both in English and Hindi (with English subtitles), the film chronicles the life of the talented street dancer who works on his dream

size-full" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Manish-Chauhan.jpg" alt="Indian youth | Manish Chauhan | Global Indian" width="638" height="541" /> Manish Chauhan[/caption]

Manish has performed extensively in India and abroad. Coming from a community where people did not know the difference between ‘ballet dancing’ and ‘belly dance,’ Manish is an inspiration to many strugglers.

The tale of dreams coming true

Made both in English and Hindi (with English subtitles), the film chronicles the life of the talented street dancer who works on his dream going against his parents wishes.

“My father and grandfather are taxi drivers and they often told me that dancing is a hobby for rich children not for us,” Manish Chauhan reveals in the trailer of the documentary.

However, he secretly starts training at a dance school and accidentally walks into a ballet class, where he meets Yehuda Ma'or, a short-tempered 70-year-old Israeli teacher. His desire to keep on trying is only strengthened when he meets an extraordinary teacher, who was once a professional ballet dancer. “I will make ballet dancing my career and will help my parents with the money earned,” Manish decides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cB4QL0lOgXk

Since he had started learning dance later than the others in Yehuda’s class, the trainer was sceptical about his abilities initially. However, Yehuda could see that Manish’s physical build and structure would take him far in the dance form – and gave him the chance to learn. “He has the kind of body that works best for ballet, and helps in turning and jumping,” Yehuda remarks in the documentary.

Over the course of time, Yehuda became a fatherly figure in Manish’s life, and helping the underprivileged boy with so much talent succeed became his goal.

Film full of emotions

Filmed in India, the United Kingdom, Israel, and the United States, the documentary revolves around Manish’s journey which is full of heartaches, hope and hard work. Together, Manish and his teacher transform each other’s lives, finding a purpose.

“People in my neighbourhood used to think that I am just an acrobat but I used to correct them by saying - I am not an acrobat, call me a dancer,” Manish remarks. “This is where the title of the documentary comes from,” writes director Leslie Shampaine in her message on the film’s website.

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A post shared by Call Me Dancer Movie (@callmedancermovie)

Shampaine, who is a professional ballet dancer herself, has interspersed the sensitivities of a dancer with her directorial acumen to create a poignant narrative. “Dance films are typically created by looking into our world from the outside. They convey the difficulty of the profession, but what is often lost is the passion and inner joy that pushes dancers past the pain,” she mentions. “I knew that as a dancer myself, I could offer an insider’s perspective,” she adds.

Global collaboration

The New York City-based debutant director followed and documented Manish Chauhan’s journey for five years, before she was able to tell his story on screen.

Call Me Dancer boasts of an international team comprising Indian film professionals with insights into the culture and the socio-economic reality of Mumbai.

With two original songs by British-Indian singer and songwriter Jay Sean, music by Bangladeshi American hip-hop artist Anik Khan, and a score by award-winning British-Indian composer Nainita Desai, the film is an ultimate global collaboration. “This is a story that I hope inspires people across the globe,” Shampaine remarks.

[caption id="attachment_28489" align="aligncenter" width="960"] The Global team of Call Me Dancer[/caption]

The inspirational journey...

Call Me Dancer is not Manish Chauhan’s first foray into the world of films. In 2020 the Global Indian played a part in the Netflix film Yeh Ballet.

The journey of the boy from Navi Mumbai’s chawl is a quintessential rag-to-riches story. From getting his torn shoes stitched by his mother every night, the ballet dancer who travels globally for shows has carved a niche for himself through sheer grit, passion and dedication.

Check out Call Me Dancer's website, Instagram and Facebook page

Reading Time: 5 mins

How artform torchbearer Hemlata Kabdwal’s intricate ‘Aipan’ restores the village craft

(March 29, 2022) Invoking good tidings is an inherent part of Indian culture. The oft-seen delicate rangoli motifs at entrances of homes add artistic ethos which sometimes lie forgotten. This native of Satoli, 12 km from Mukteshwar, saw this lack of regard for an indigenous artform called Aipan, and preserved it for future generations. Hemlata Kabdwal used to see her mother and elder sister delicately tracing Aipan, a ritualistic folk art of Uttarakhand. “Aipan is made at the entrance of every house on auspicious occasions, and festivals. Not content with the artform confined to just our region, I wanted to popularise it far and wide,” says Hemlata Kabdwal in an interview with Global Indian. Aipan is made by Kumaoni women at the entrance of their homes. The belief is that it invokes a divine power which brings about good fortune and deters evil akin to rangoli. [caption id="attachment_13674" align="aligncenter" width="626"] Hemlata Kabdwal, Aipan artist[/caption] Hemlata was listed in the Champion Book of World Records for creating the most aipan artifacts. The 22-year-old is also the recipient of the National Women Pride Award from Navbharat Rashtriya Gyanpeeth (2022), a charitable organisation. “Since we cannot showcase entrances of our homes and temples

obal Indian" width="626" height="724" /> Hemlata Kabdwal, Aipan artist[/caption]

Hemlata was listed in the Champion Book of World Records for creating the most aipan artifacts. The 22-year-old is also the recipient of the National Women Pride Award from Navbharat Rashtriya Gyanpeeth (2022), a charitable organisation.

“Since we cannot showcase entrances of our homes and temples to highlight the beauty of Aipan, I started experimenting on clothes, bags, diary covers, and key rings to share its beauty,” says the artform’s torchbearer.

Goodness on the way

The stars shone on Hemlata as owner Lokesh Lohani, Woodhouse Farm in Satoli, became captivated with her ideas. His space, a hub for tourists, was a perfect space for what he thought were Hemlata’s good intentions, to set up a gallery. Suddenly, the folk artiste was mesmerising tourists. Actor Manoj Bajpayee, playback singer, Maithili Thakur, and others visited Satoli, discovered Hemlata’s Aipan and were wonderstruck. “My work has a market in Delhi and Mumbai, and it has also reached former union minister, Prakash Javedkar who showered praise too,” smiles the artform torchbearer.

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A post shared by Aipan ki duniya🥰 (@hemlatakabdwal)

Social media played a big role too, and soon Aipan was being popularised on Facebook, Instagram, etc. Promoting it through training sessions on zoom, she has also conducted a free physical 10-day camp to teach the nuances of Aipan in her district - 70 eager participants joined in to learn. Revenue from orders via social media have been significant, and one particular month, she recalls clocking ₹64,000 too.

Family support played a big role

The class 12 science student slowly turned to a bachelor’s in fine arts despite her family’s initial unhappiness due to meagre career prospects. However, her agriculturist father (whom she lost four years ago) was the first to understand her inclination, and gradually her mother and three siblings followed. As her village didn’t have a college, Himani, as she is fondly called, moved 70 km away to Almora to study BFA. Now in her second-year master’s in fine arts, she says, “All young girls in my village are married off after 18. I am thankful to my family who gave significance to my education and also supported my career choice.” The artform torchbearer feels spreading the word about cultural ethos has more value than just earning money, “Money can come from other sources too, what is more important is to make the culture prosper.”

[caption id="attachment_13672" align="aligncenter" width="864"] Hemlata with her mother[/caption]

Aipan never takes a backseat

At Himani’s Almora college, she religiously devotes a couple of hours to Aipan. For her gallery at Satoli, her brothers pitch in during class, but soon, she ambles back to helm it. She never hesitates from spreading the word about her fine arts peers’ artworks to potential customers.

Good gestures have a special place

Hemlata beams recalling the first person who showed interest in her work while she was in school. The tourist even took her Aipan creations back. Chuffed at the idea of her craft getting its own identity across the country, Himani gave it free then. The next time the tourist visited, she was generously gifted colours and tools. Motivated, Aipan soon became her calling.

An online connect with Gattam Venkatesh, an artist from Vishakhapatnam who is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, led her to greener pastures. Venkatesh had approached her for an artwork for his studio, this chance association flourished into a mentorship - How to project oneself and publicise work. Her elder sister is a huge inspiration too.

Come what may…

Himani rues the fact that though her art is appreciated in Delhi and Mumbai, people in her own village take her achievements for granted. “The more they try to hush away my achievements, the more determined I become to take Aipan to greater heights,” chuckles Hemlata. Miffed that copies of her artworks are being sold by fly by night hawkers to tourists, the fact that she has been unable to copyright her art saddens her.

Of course, this also sullies her original work - her artwork priced at ₹8,000 was digitised and sold by a hawker at ₹1,800. “It’s easy to get my creations online, you just type ‘Hemlata,’ you’ll find me,” smiles the artform torchbearer.

Himani wants to do a PhD in fine arts, and dreams of becoming a lecturer. Her second love, animals, inspires her to set up animal rescue centres too. “I had an inclination towards performing in dramas but Aipan took over,” says the unapologetic folk artist.

Follow Hemlata on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter

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How India’s coding clubs are changing the game for kids who’re starting young

In our pursuit of unique tales about the Indian diaspora, GI's new series documents trailblazing ideas and phenomenons across the globe (November 24, 2021) Not too long ago, coding was considered the forte of computer geeks only. It was an intimidating concept best left to experts. IT’s top brass Larry Page of Google, Bill Gates of Microsoft and Steve Dorsey of Twitter were themselves coding prodigies before they started ground-breaking tech conglomerates. Coders like Indian Canadian Tanmay Bakshi whose AskTanmay is the world’s first web based NLQA system was built using IBM Watson’s cognitive capabilities. The 19-year-old Indian-origin Harsh Dalal in Singapore started Team Labs that is valued at $25 million. Today children in India as young as five and ten are creating waves. US-based Samaira Mehta, 12, is behind CoderBunnyz which makes coding fun for kids. It was only apt that coding clubs sprang across India to create a new generation of innovators of the future. Technology everywhere “Technology has and will continue to expand rapidly, claiming spaces in almost every professional industry,” says Krish Samtani, founder of 0Gravity, a free coding club for school children in India, who adds, “Coding seem slightly intimidating at first, but it offers children the chance to apply their knowledge in a real-world context.”

almost every professional industry,” says Krish Samtani, founder of 0Gravity, a free coding club for school children in India, who adds, “Coding seem slightly intimidating at first, but it offers children the chance to apply their knowledge in a real-world context.”

As technology takes over every aspect of life and industry, coding is now an essential life skill. Employers are willing to pay a premium for coders. Manan Sharma, founder, Tokens.com, agrees. Sharma has been employing coders to spur his business that spans 20 years (Indiamart, IGP and now Tokens). “Earlier, we would hire coders to create the entire coding done for our sites, but now with pre-coded sites like Shopify available, there are templates to work with. Yet, the need for coders persists as businesses look to customise sites,” he tells Global Indian, adding, “As sites get bigger, automated software can only do so much.”

Tykes can code

As increased businesses rely on technology to drive operations, it is essential to understand what goes into the making of codes and applications to run successful businesses. Which is where coding clubs like Indian Girls Code, Code Club, and 0Gravity deliver. They encourage kids to understand the seemingly complex world of coding and technology from an early age, bust fear and encourage them to create and innovate.

[caption id="attachment_16610" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Aditi Prasad of Indian Girls Code[/caption]

Founded by Aditi Prasad and her sister Deepti in 2013, Indian Girls Code takes coding to schools to encourage girls to create technology. Through programmes, they encourage girls across Chennai schools – private and government – to use technology to solve real world problems. Aditi and Deepti believe in using a hands-on approach to teach children the nuances of coding – even using drag and drop to create fun projects using coding language. In 2015, the team launched Phiro Robots which are now used by educators, globally. The robots use Lego compatible toys that can be coded using Scratch to create anything - programming a robot to sing a birthday song to performing specific functions.

Coding to innovate

Ed-tech startups like WhiteHat Jr offer classes on coding, and Karan Bajaj, CEO wants to convert them from passive consumers of technology to builders and creators of the future. A notion that Madhukar Varshney, founder, CEO, NimbleQ wholeheartedly supports. The biomedical engineer who lived in the US for 20 years chose to return to India to found NimbleQ to help students apply the knowledge acquired. “Sure, coding is an essential skill, but it is not enough. One should know how to apply this skill to solve real-world problems. We have a lot of well-qualified professionals who 20 to 30 years down the line are directors and VPs. But why not founders? Why not innovators?” he questions, adding, “It’s because our education system does not encourage one to think like a creator. At NimbleQ, we encourage our students on using coding to problem solve. We teach them to understand business, entrepreneurship, and money.” Varshney hopes this will encourage creators of technology.

Krish, who launched 0Gravity at the age of 14 in Bengaluru is now a second-year student at UC Berkeley, California. His tryst with coding began at a summer camp at John’s Hopkins University. “I was very inspired by the applied education, and that made me want to attend a similar class back home (India). However, I was unable to find any, which led me to start the club to teach children applied computer science,” he says, adding, “So far, we have educated 1,500 plus children across India. The latest batch of 0Gravity was comprised of the children of abandoned sex workers.”

[caption id="attachment_16612" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Krish Samtani during one of the 0Gravity sessions[/caption]

The club teaches children from the ages of 10-18 in courses that typically last three months with classes on Saturday. During the pandemic, they switched to online and now Krish wants, “to inspire a spark in children to chase their dreams.”

Manan Sharma avers that one of the main advantages of learning to code early is the fact that it takes away the fear of intimidation. “My nephew is studying coding and I know that he is no longer intimidated. He knows the application of code and that will hold him in good stead,” he says, concluding, “The opportunities are limitless. Coding can be used across industries and sectors. You never know what innovations these children will produce.

Why code?

According to The Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum, it is predicted that 65 percent of children entering primary school today ultimately work completely new jobs that do not even exist yet.
According to the Annual Employability report by Aspiring Minds, 80 percent Indian engineers are not fit for any job in the knowledge economy and only 2.5 percent possess tech skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
In India, only one in 10 kids learn to code when compared to one in three abroad.
Over two-thirds developers are partly self-taught, HackerRank data shows.

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