Karun Kaushik: Indian-American teen helping fight pneumonia with a cost-effective AI solution
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(May 21, 2024) 2020 had just begun and things were getting difficult for California boy Karun Kaushik as a delayed pneumonia treatment due to an inaccurate diagnosis nearly cost him his mother’s life. The harrowing experience put him face-to-face with Covid-19 and the grim reality of pneumonia – a global killer that took the lives of 2.5 million people in the world, out of which 600,000 were children under the age of five. The startling statistics led the Indian American teen to think on his toes as Covid-19 had only exacerbated the situation.
With many relatives in India, he was concerned about the hospitals in India as he knew from visits that they had nowhere near the resources or technology necessary to save lives like his mother’s. As the world went into lockdown and Covid-19 swept across the globe, the 17-year-old spoke with radiologists in India, who confirmed that overwhelming patient volume and impossible working conditions were creating diagnostic bottlenecks, resulting in unnecessary deaths.
That’s when the Indian-American teen decided to focus on developing a solution to remove the ever-building backlogs. He spent months learning Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create X-Check-MD, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) software that can diagnose Covid-19 and pneumonia with 99 percent accuracy in under one minute. It won him the Gloria Barron Prize 2022 for Young Heroes.
We’re wowed by 2022 Barron Prize winner Karun, who created AI software that can diagnose Covid-19 and pneumonia with 99% accuracy in under one minute. His tool is part of Democratize Health, the nonprofit he founded to save lives in impoverished regions. Grateful for you, Karun! pic.twitter.com/VFM9ODc7cu
— Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes (@BarronPrize) December 13, 2022
This innovation led to the birth of Democratize Health in March 2020, a non-profit initiative to empower healthcare workers in underprivileged communities with fast, affordable, accurate, and remotely accessible artificial intelligence-based diagnostics solutions. “It’s easy to feel hopeless at times with the issues the world is facing but, in my opinion, hope is our strongest resource and weapon,” Karun said in an interview.
So how does X-Check-MD work? It allows doctors to take a picture of an X-ray with their mobile phone’s camera, upload it to a globally accessible website, and receive a diagnosis within seconds, thus making the process faster, and cheaper than traditional methods where the typical turn-around time for diagnosis is 4-18 hours by radiologists. The 99 percent accuracy reduces the chances of misdiagnoses due to human errors such as visual and cognitive fatigue under overwhelm. It also eliminates the diagnostic backlog which is common in developing countries while helping reduce delays in treatment.
Karun Kaushik is the founder of Democratize Health
Democratize Health also educates impoverished communities about environmental risk factors, preventative measures like vaccines (as 71 million children didn’t get the full pneumococcal vaccine in 2018), and available treatment options. So far, it has impacted more than 3,000 people in India, and the non-profit believes that it has the potential to save the lives of 800,000 children worldwide who die from pneumonia each year.
Since this Global Indian provides the technology to doctors and hospitals for $2.75 per scan in India, he is hopeful it can help prevent deaths from pneumonia, 90 percent of which occur in the world’s poorest regions. Currently, he is working to expand global outreach for Democratize Health and build diagnostic solutions for more diseases. Karun, who was selected as a 2021 Global Teen Leader by the We Are Family Foundation, wants to ensure that no one’s health is left behind, regardless of their geography or socioeconomic status. “I want to drive change to make a better world.”
(June 9, 2024) Growing up in a village in the East Champaran district of Bihar, Adarsh Kumar lived a life that was harsh and difficult. But the struggles didn't deter him from pursuing his dream - to become an entrepreneur. Now on his fourth startup Skillzo, the 16-year-old is on a mission to upskill over 10,000 school students in Bihar to become future leaders by providing them exposure, experience, and networking opportunities. "We are empowering a generation of learners with hands-on experience and resources to pursue careers and start businesses," he tells Global Indian. Coming from the grassroots, Adarsh understands the struggles and limitations that children like him face and knows that learning is the solution. In just a year, Skillzo has impacted over 7000 students, and Adarsh is excited to bring practical skills and knowledge to students who need it the most. "It's the need of the hour," says the teen, who has secured a ₹30 lakh scholarship from Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, a leading IB School in India. Rising above the challenges Born in East Champaran, Adarsh was brought up by Monika Upadhyay, who wanted her son to have access to the best education. This led Adarsh
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Rising above the challenges
Born in East Champaran, Adarsh was brought up by Monika Upadhyay, who wanted her son to have access to the best education. This led Adarsh to DAV School which was different from his previous government school. "It opened up a new world to me. Back home, we spoke Bhojpuri, here I found students conversing in Hindi. But my dream was to become fluent in English, and I wanted to start by reading one page at a time. Around the same time, smartphones came in which sparked my curiosity for the digital world." When he was in fourth grade, his mom gifted him a laptop. "Jio revolution was happening, and the internet became cheap and easily accessible. Soon I explored how to make apps and create websites." Around the same time, he stumbled upon the term entrepreneurship for the first time.
Intrigued, he researched more as he was keen to make an impact. "Growing up, I have seen people face troubles around me and I was always keen to work for them. But we are often told that we can change the world only when we reach a certain age." But he understood that age is just a number and co-founded his first startup 2Trillions in 2020 to empower education, animal welfare, and environment conservation. "We were making merchandise with thought-inspiring quotes, selling them, and donating the profits. But soon Covid-19 hit, and due to logistical issues, it had to shut down." Soon he found himself back in his village, and along with the help of a cousin and sister-in-law, he embarked on a social and political campaign Mission Badlao to make a difference in the lives of 1300+ families. "I realised that lack of education was the primary reason many were facing issues in the community. It was an eye-opener for me."
Bridging education gap with Skillzo
Keen to do something, he left his hometown in 2022 for Kota and later moved around Dehradun and travelled to almost 20 cities in the last two years. But soon realised it wasn't just Bihar that was stuck in the traditional methods of education, the situation was equally grim in other parts of the country too. It was a far cry from the education system in Delhi/NCR which is focussed more on practical knowledge and skill development. "I realised students lack in three things at the school level - exposure, experience, and network (of mentors and peer group). This led me to start Skillzo in July 2023 to bridge the education gap," says the teenager, who opted for a top-down approach.
He calls Skillzo a community of over 420 high school students from across the country. These students are exposed to various opportunities and events and also participate in mentorship sessions. "We have done sessions on entrepreneurship as well as study abroad scholarships for Indian students," says Adarsh, who calls these events a perfect networking opportunity for students. Moreover, Skillzo helps with internships along with assisting students who plan to study abroad in terms of SOP and essay writing.
Skillzo has partnered with IIT Guwahati and IIT Bombay to promote entrepreneurial skills at the school level. In the last year, Adarsh has reached out to his network and as well as used LinkedIn extensively to spread the word about Skillzo. In just one year, Skillzo has impacted over 7000 students by providing technical skills and knowledge, which is the need of the hour.
Upskilling 10,000 students
Eager to do something for his hometown and East Champaran district, Adarsh is now on a mission to upskill over 10,000 students in the area with the help of the IGNITE BHARAT program to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and culture. A 60-minute program which is a mix of lectures, masterclasses, and assignments elaborating on entrepreneurship, design thinking, content reach, and personal branding has been curated by students of IIT Guwahati, IIT Bombay, Harvard University, and Stanford University. "The idea is to launch the IGNITE BHARAT program in small towns of India, starting from East Champaran in Bihar," reveals Adarsh, adding that the instructors are from IIT-Bombay, IIM-Ahmedabad and MICA. The program, which is set to be launched in a couple of weeks, will be introduced to students from Grades 6 to 10 for free. "They can attend the program either at school or at home. Afterward, they have the option to work on a project, which they can submit to us and pitch during a district-level event."
Explaining the desire to come up with the program, Adarsh says he wants to expose the students to concepts like entrepreneurship and design thinking. "The kind of impact I am looking for is that people become aware and start talking about it in schools, tuitions, coaching institutes. I hope I become that example or inspiration for them to believe that it's possible to dream big even if you come from small cities and towns," he smiles.
Learning the ropes of IB School
As someone who comes from the grassroots, he understands the importance of education. "Education is the passport to success, and it holds for people who especially come from backgrounds like me. We have no other way, apart from education. But I don't want to confuse education with schooling, what I mean is learning," adds the teen, who has been elected to pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme from JPIS, one of the best IB Schools in India. It was a few years ago that learnt about the concept of IB Schools through LinkedIn. "It was a fantasy school for me. But when I looked up the fees, I was shocked. I realised why I wasn't aware of these schools," he laughs.
[caption id="attachment_38164" align="aligncenter" width="492"] Adarsh Kumar with Ayush Periwal[/caption]
With his aspiration to get world class education and entrepreneurial mindset, he dreamt of top universities of the world and knew an IB School was a perfect stepping stone. "Moreover, I wanted to experience studying at an IB school as it's my dream to create an IB school in a budget-friendly way. The best way to do it is to experience it, that's when I decided to enroll in one." He began by cold mailing a few IB schools including JPIS, Jaipur. "I received an email from JPIS asking me to get on a call with group CEO Ayush Periwal who was fascinated by my story and invited me for a meet-up in Jaipur. That's when he told me I had received a scholarship for the next two years. For a moment, I felt I was daydreaming." Come July, and Adarsh will pack his bags to leave for Jaipur to experience studying at an IB School. "Since IB School is known to focus on practical knowledge and skill development, I'd want to learn and apply the same practicality in the area of education."
At just 16, Adarsh has come a long way, but he credits Skillzo for bringing about the change in him. "We got a ₹10 lakh investment for Skillzo from my mentor Rahul Narverkar and that changed everything - my confidence, my perception." An avid reader, he likes to journal as well as Netflix. Belting out advice to youngsters, he says, "Focus, hard work, and consistency is the key to success in every field. If you can access this article, you have no reason to say that you can't do it," he signs off.
(February 19, 2023) For someone who found her inspiration in Marie Curie, Texas-based Anika Chebrolu was always interested in science. It was in fifth grade that she first learnt about the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, and it made her interested in "drug discovery, viruses, and pandemics" at a very young age. All of 10, she started doing extensive research and found about the in-silico methodology for drug discovery. "I was amazed at how we can use computational methods like software and databases to find potential anti-virals against viruses and diseases. That's when I decided to combine my knowledge of influenza virus and the in-silico method for drug discovery to find a potential anti-viral against the virus," the Indian American told Forbes, a few months after winning the 2020 3M Young Scientist Challenge for her work using the in-silico methodology for drug discovery to find a molecule that can selectively bind to the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 virus in an attempt to find a cure for the coronavirus pandemic. [caption id="attachment_27667" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Anika Chebrolu[/caption] The pandemic was at its peak, and all of 14, Anika was busy working on drug discovery. She started with the influenza virus, about four years
The pandemic was at its peak, and all of 14, Anika was busy working on drug discovery. She started with the influenza virus, about four years ago. She got the idea for drug discovery using computational methods and over time that progressed from an idea to an actual potential discovery. That's when she signed up for the 3M Discovery Education Young Scientist Challenge. However, seeing the way the pandemic was altering the lives of people across the globe, she along with her mentor Dr Mahfuza Ali decided to shift the research from influenza to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. "I found a molecule from a database of 698 million compounds that can bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV 2 virus, and potentially change the function of the spike protein and inhibit the virus from infecting the cells," she added.
Her discovery of a novel antiviral drug that can bind to the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 created ripples at a time when the world was looking for a solution. Still, in its initial stage, it has a long way to go before it can make it to the market. "Drug discovery is a long and tedious process, and we want to create the best drug with the best potential and with the least or no side effects. One of the first methods in medicine is to not harm the patient. Before we take the drug to the market, there are a lot of stages that we need to go through. It would be the next stage to see how it works on the human body," the Independence High School student revealed.
Having worked on the project at a time when the world was under lockdown, the Global Indian had to face her own set of challenges. Being just 14, age did come into play at times for her as people didn't trust someone as young as her to be working on drug discovery. However, she continued being focussed on finding solutions. One of the biggest challenges was gaining access to the software as most of them have academic licenses or evaluation licenses, and this is where her mentor helped her, along with John Pastor from 3M, who is a computer specialist.
Anika, who wants to be a medical researcher and professor in the near future, began her journey in science at a young age. " I was in six or seventh grade when I started looking at the world, and its problems and how I can use my knowledge of science to solve those problems," said the teenager who says that age is just a number for anyone who is enough motivated to reach their goal.
The Indian-American, who loves to paint and learn Bharatnatyam, has found a support system in her parents, friends, and mentors. Her advice to fellow young scientists is to "never underestimate yourself because you are special. You have that motivation and potential in you, so bring that out by asking questions and keeping your curiosity."
(January 18, 2024) 'Anyone can be a smilemaker', believe Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha, two teen brothers from Phoenix, Arizona. They are the founders of Project Smile AZ and as the name suggests, their aim is simple - spread some joy, which they have done over 80,000 people so far. The idea came to them in 2020 during the pandemic, as the brothers, who were 12 and 15 years old then, watched their parents, both of whom were doctors, fight the disease on the frontlines. They wanted to do something positive too, which led to the start of Project Smile Az. In 2023, their efforts fetched them a Diana Award. Pravneet and Hurshneet were born in New York City and later moved with their family to Phoenix, Arizona. A sense of service had been ingrained in the boys at a very young age. "When I was five, my mother took us to the community kitchen and we would help hand out meals, pack food and cook. It made me feel great," said Pravneet, the younger of the two, who is currently in high school. "We were young and didn't know much about what we were doing but we just knew we
So, when the opportunity presented itself in 2020, the Global Indians took it without hesitation. With both parents so actively involved during the pandemic, the situation was often the subject of dinner table conversations. "We had heard on the news how isolated people were, and we were talking about it with our parents," Pravneet told The Pollination Project. Things were shutting down and patients couldn't even meet their own families. "We wanted to make them feel that someone was there for them, that someone cared for them." That's when Hurshneet suggested making some get-well cards for them. It was a simple idea, but as we know, a little kindness can make all the difference.
Over the next two weeks, Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha worked everyday to make around 200 motivational cards for Covid patients. They designed and drew everyone, and composed the messages themselves. "I remember vividly the first batch of cards we gave was to the hospital, Banner Estrella." They reached out to the CEO asking if it was okay to send cards to the patients and he agreed. "They till have some cards hanging there, which is pretty awesome to see."
It was meant to be a one-off project but when thank you notes started pouring in, they realised they were actually making a difference. "We realised small acts of kindness can have a meaningful impact." They kept at making cards, going on to establish their non-profit with three additional board members and over 1000 volunteers across the US, Canada, Europe and India. Now, the cards go to hospitals, homeless shelters, veterans and cancer centres. They also mobilized young volunteers across the world to join in and do small acts of kindness once in a way. In fact, the movement took off so much that people began donating art supplies to them from around the world.
[caption id="attachment_35302" align="aligncenter" width="411"] Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha now also do book donation drives, and distribute art supplies, sports equipment and dental hygiene kits to young people in need.[/caption]
Working with foster children
When Pravneet was in elementary school, a classmate, who was a foster child, didn't have art supplies to do a class project. Pravneet shared his things with the boy and returned the next day with a bag of art supplies. "I can never forget the smile on my friend's face," he recalls.
Volunteers who wanted to join but couldn't afford art supplies also contacted them. They coordinated with various organisations in Arizona to share the art kits they received through donations. Now, donating art kits to foster children is a regular part of what they do, and each kit includes cardstock, crayons, colour pencils, stickers, markers, and of course, a message on the box. The children now pitch in to make cards that are donated to senior citizens' homes in Arizona State.
Branching out
Project Smile AZ has expanded from handmade cards to a host of other things. As part of their literacy drive, they collect "gently-used books" to donate to kids in need. Anyone can join in by doing a drive in their neighbourhoods, schools or churches, or simply gather the books they have at home. They also conduct snack drives for at-risk teens that need snacks at school, and distribute dental hygiene kits and sports equipment to underprivileged youth.
Even a project as noble as spreading kindness is not easy to accomplish. "One of the biggest lessons we had to unlearn was that you are too young to do anything on your own," the brothers said in an interview. "We were only 12 and 14 when we started this project." At the start, people didn't believe the boys were doing the work themselves, but they persisted. They built a webpage, opened social media accounts and reached out to clubs and organisations. They connected with youth entrepreneurs around the globe as well.
The idea is to keep it simple and make a change. "These acts don't require much funds or skills, making them inclusive for anyone, anywhere," they say. "We have even worked with children with disabilities who enjoy making cards from our smile art kits. The goal is to create smile makers doing acts of kindness to bring smiles for all."
Aryan Rajvanshi, a 16-year-old coding enthusiast and a Grade 11 student at Anand Niketan International School in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is making life easy for farmers. (February 3, 2024) When he was on the way to Udaipur in June 2021, Aryan Rajvanshi heard of two farmers who committed suicide due to their inability to repay a meagre loan of Rs. 70000. He soon realised that this is a widespread challenge that affects many farmers in India who struggle with poverty and debt. It motivated him to look for tech-based solutions to help address the problem, and he found MechaCrop. “I decided to use my coding and development skills to create a solution that can improve the lives of farmers,” the Global Indian says. Farmer first His initiative MechaCrop, uses drones and artificial intelligence to help farmers diagnose and prevent crop diseases, monitor crop growth, yield, and quality, and provide timely and accurate information. The idea is to help reduce crop losses, increase yield and ensure and ensure higher income for millions of farmers, thus preventing suicides. “MechaCrop uses a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, a branch of Machine learning that I developed using Python. The model was trained with over 5,000+
“MechaCrop uses a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, a branch of Machine learning that I developed using Python. The model was trained with over 5,000+ images of apple rot, tomato blight, and corn rust diseases and tested the model in the field using a drone that captured images of crops and fed them to the model. The model identified diseased leaves with 96 percent accuracy,” he says.
Tech calling
Born in London, UK, Rajvanshi has lived across various countries in Europe and Asia with his parents and sister, Aisha. He discovered his passion for tech after spending a few weeks at a technology camp in Haifa, Israel, where he learned about the latest innovations in different fields, agriculture included. “I have mastered several programming languages, such as C, C++, and Java, and am currently honing my skills in Python,” he says. He also scored a perfect 5 on the Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science A exam. On the academic front, he has been among the toppers at his school, apart from being a School Prefect and Model United Nations (MUN) winner.
Global call
Aryan’s project has received international acclaim and he was one of the only two project leaders from India selected to be part of the 07th Edition of 1M1B Activate Impact Summit 2023 UN Summit 2023, a global initiative that supports young innovators who are solving the world’s most pressing problems. As part of the program, an inspirational documentary based on Aryan’s project was showcased at the summit, where he received a standing ovation from the audience.
“It was an incredible experience to present my project at the 1M1B Activate Impact Summit at the UN, NYC, on 30th Nov 2023. I was honoured to have the presence and appreciation of the Ambassador of India to the UN Ruchira Kamboj, the Chief of NGO Branch Wookjin Chang, and the Director of Outreach Maher Nasser,” he recollects. A six-minute documentary on his journey and MechaCrop, was showcased at the UN NYC followed by an interaction with the esteemed participants which was inspiring and encouraging. “Declared as a "Purpose Rebel" leader, it reinforced my commitment to SDG Goal 2 of Zero Hunger,” he adds.
Scaling issues
He plans to scale his model by collaborating with local NGOs, government agencies, and private companies that work in the field of agriculture and rural development. He is hoping to reach out to as many farmers as possible and provide them with access to MechaCrop’s services.
“I also want to improve my model by adding more use cases, such as weather forecasting, soil quality assessment, and crop insurance. I have overcome many challenges along the way, such as lack of data, technical glitches, and logistical issues. The experience has provided immense learning in developing resilience, resourcefulness, and being adaptable in the face of difficulties. I have also sought help from mentors, experts, and peers who have guided me and supported me throughout my journey,” Aryan explains.
Learning lessons
He also shares that his journey has come with several lessons, the foremost being that passion is the key to success. “If you love what you do, you will find a way to do it well. Technology can be a powerful tool for social good. It can solve real-world problems and make a positive impact on people’s lives,” Aryan remarks. He also admits that purpose channelises one's effort and energy for the greater good.
“Having found the purpose to support farmers and sustainable farming in India, has given a direction early on to my work. Empathy is a crucial skill for finding real-world solutions.” In fact, Aryan worked closely with farmers for months as he built MechaCrop, to gain a firsthand understanding of the challenges they face. “Their long, tedious working day, their lack of resources, and their struggle for basics was an eye-opener,” he adds.
Future perfect
In his free time, he likes to unwind with Netflix or play video games on his PS4 console with his sister. “My favourite game is Elden Ring, which is a challenging and immersive adventure. I am also a certified advanced scuba diver, which allows me to explore the amazing world underwater. I have done more than 30 dives in different locations, and I always look forward to seeing new sights and creatures,” he smiles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPd8CT127wc
Looking ahead, he plans to pursue higher education in the USA, where he wants to major in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. “I believe these fields have immense potential and applications in various domains. After completing my studies, I want to return to India and dedicate my career to helping the farmers who have inspired me to create MechaCrop. I believe that by saving even one life, I can make a difference in the world,” he signs off.
(April 30, 2024) Following in the footsteps of her father, Manoj Nelliyattu ‘M. Night’ Shyamalan, Ishana Night Shyamalan also graduated from his alma mater, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Similar to her father's journey, the Indian American youngster has turned into a filmmaker. She started her career by working on music videos and short films before stepping into the world of filmmaking. The 22-year-old, recently released the trailer of her debut feature film, ‘The Watchers,’ which boasts of an impressive star ensemble including Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouere. Scheduled to hit theatres in June 2024, ‘The Watchers’ trailer went viral soon after its release. In her debut feature film Ishana has worked on a horror-themed narrative, a genre that her father is renowned for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrhrNS0JFyg Influences in approach to cinema Although Ishana is deeply inspired by her father, she shared in an interview that a significant influence on her craft also comes from the works of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. “I think like in my bones, I'm most inspired by Miyazaki,” she remarked adding, “Like I just think those have been the movies that throughout my life have moved me the most and
o comes from the works of Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. “I think like in my bones, I'm most inspired by Miyazaki,” she remarked adding, “Like I just think those have been the movies that throughout my life have moved me the most and they're very sacred things to me. So, in many ways, this was just like chasing the experience that I feel when I watch those movies, which is one of wonder and adventure and innocence in many ways.”
Wong Kar-wai, Hong Kong’s director, screenwriter and producer and Polish film director Krzysztof Kieślowski are some of the other filmmakers who have had an influence on Ishana’s approach to cinema.
Carrying forward the legacy
“From making shorts, to going to Tisch, to becoming one of our top writer/directors on ‘Servant’ (TV series) to this incredible moment of #TheWatchers in theatres this summer… Ishana has always made me very proud. And even better than making a dazzling film, she is a wonderful person,” tweeted her proud father. He had immigrated with his doctor parents from Pondicherry to the USA when he was six weeks old.
The New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumni graduated in 1992, adopting 'Night' as his second name during his time there. A blend of Eastern and Western influences in name extended to his three children, including Ishana.
Not the first father-daughter collaboration
It’s not the first time that the father-daughter duo has collaborated for a project. Ishana contributed to M. Night Shyamalan’s eerie Apple TV+ series ‘The Servant,’ as a writer and co-writer for 10 episodes and as director for six episodes. She also served as the second unit director for her father's box office hits, ‘Old’ (2021) and the recent ‘Knock at the Cabin’ (2023). Both the productions had topped the charts during their opening weekends.
While working with him, M. Night Shyamalan, Ishana, his middle daughter, inherited his knack and expertise for crafting suspense, thrills, and compelling drama. “The training from him has existed my whole life,” she remarked.
[caption id="attachment_37460" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Ishana Night Shyamalan at the sets of M Night Shyamalan's movie 'Old' (2021)[/caption]
For her directorial debut, Ishana adapted the screenplay from a novel by the Irish author A.M Shine who has written several literary horror masterpieces.
Talking about her adaptation Ishana remarked, “It’s a journey of suspense that hopefully leads into a feeling of wonder at the end. My hope is it’s an experience that plays on that sense of unease – then takes you to a bigger, wonderful place.”
Pursuing art to survive
Since she was a child Ishana was creatively inclined whether it was painting, ballet, poetry and even designing clothes.
“I’ve moved through different forms of art throughout my whole life and kind of later in life came to filmmaking. But there’s really been no other option in terms of my psyche – I’ve only felt that I need to be doing art to survive,” she remarked.
For nearly twenty years, Ishana and her family, including her siblings Saluki and Shivani, along with their parents Bhavna and their father, have lived in Ravenwood, a 1937 Georgian revival house nestled on a 125-acre estate in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Proudly, the father has also backed Ishana’s directorial debut through his production company, Blinding Edge Pictures.
Adarsh Kumar with Ayush Periwal[/caption]
Anika Chebrolu[/caption]
Pravneet and Hurshneet Chadha now also do book donation drives, and distribute art supplies, sports equipment and dental hygiene kits to young people in need.[/caption]
Ishana Night Shyamalan at the sets of M Night Shyamalan's movie 'Old' (2021)[/caption]