Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveMaking India proud: Meet the young prodigies who are finding solutions for global issues

Making India proud: Meet the young prodigies who are finding solutions for global issues

Written by: Team GI Youth

(August 14, 2022) While people of the country were busy fighting over various problems, the youth have been working quietly behind the scenes, away from the noise, to find answers. In the last 75 years, India has witnessed many young minds who have played an instrumental role in finding the solutions to some of the biggest issues plaguing our society. From space technology to artificial intelligence, and environment to social issues, these innovators have earned global recognition in various fields.

Global Indian puts the spotlight on five young prodigies, whose research and innovations are making a positive impact – not just in India, but across the world.

Self-powered freezer to keep vaccines cool

When he was 15 years old, Anurudh Ganesan invented VAXXWAGON, a portable refrigeration system to transport vaccines safely and effectively. The invention won him a slew of awards, including the LEGO Education Builder Award and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. The VAXXWAGON runs on a “no ice, no electricity” system and is very cost-effective (less than $100). It can also keep the temperature consistent for several hours at a stretch.

Innovator | Anurudh Ganesan | Global Indian

When he was an infant, his grandparents carried him ten miles in rural South India to get him his routine polio vaccination. When they finally arrived, they found the vaccines were useless after having not been refrigerated for an extended period.

Always given to questions and innovation, he recalls asking his father when he was five years old, about inventing a vehicle that doesn’t need gas. The innovator didn’t stop there. He went on to research the subject, learning everything he could about self-generating power. In keeping with this, VAXXWAGON works with “wheel-powered refrigeration”. As the wheel turns, mechanical energy is converted to thermal energy and can keep vaccines cold for up to 16 hours after being powered for only half that time.

Follow Anurudh Ganesan on LinkedIn

Teen’s answer to aircraft accidents

Back in 2019, Pravin Nagendran, a student of Biotechnology at Bannari Amman Engineering College in Erode, began working on a plant-based, flame-resistant alternative to materials like glass fibre. To minimise damage caused by impact, aircraft and other vehicles are built using a composite material, like glass fibre, to add tensile strength. The flip side is that they are flammable.

Working out of his lab in college as soon as the lockdown was lifted, the innovator developed a prototype, made by extracting nanoparticles from the ash of the plant, he told Better India. This came after one year of research, during which he worked with members of the faculty to identify a suitable biomaterial. They tested the material at high temperatures and found it completely resistant to fire. It is also biodegradable.

The invention won him third place from over 65,000 entries at the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s contest, Dare to Dream 2.0. He hopes to commercialise it after he graduates from college.

The girl who has a planet named after her in the Milky Way

Growing up in Bengaluru, the city of lakes, Sahithi Pingali had come across many infamous incidents of the Bellandur, Arthur, and Agara lakes bursting into flames from the heaps of garbage around them. Worried about the pollution in the water bodies, the innovator came up with an award-winning paper – ‘An Innovative Crowdsourcing Approach to Monitoring Freshwater Bodies‘, and presented it at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).

Her work was based on the insights she had gathered through a lake monitoring app and a monitoring kit that she had created to collect the crowdsourced data on the issue. The 16-year-old not only won the second prize at ISEF 2017 but also bagged additional three special prizes there. The talented innovator was pleasantly surprised when the Massachusetts Institute of Technology partnered with ISEF and decided to name a planet in the Milky Way after her as a reward, making entire India proud. Sahiti is now a master’s student of management science and engineering, at Stanford University and has worked in several environment-related initiatives since then.

Follow Sahithi Pingali on Twitter and LinkedIn

Finding solutions for a better tomorrow

As a young kid, Arunima Sen was often in awe of her parents who spent hours working on various projects for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). That’s how she developed an interest in the subject and started working on innovative solutions for global problems. When she was in grade 10, she was selected for The Junior Academy programme conducted by The New York Academy of Sciences, and that set her on the course of finding many solutions.

From measuring micro-nutrients in a person’s body using strands of hair, to developing a method to save energy in high-rise buildings, the 20-year-old innovator has found a solution to every problem in most developing countries. A climate activist, Arunima is the recipient of several international and national awards — including the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, MPower Financing Women in STEM Grand Award, and the Distinguished Student Award from the New York Academy of Sciences — and has been named a 2020 Global Teen Leader of the We Are Family Foundation and one of the Mars Generation’s 24 under 24 Innovators in STEM and Space.

During an interaction with the press, Arunima said, “I am currently being mentored by professionals from Sidewalk Labs — an urban innovation company working to make cities more sustainable and affordable for all. Since the pandemic had brought many discussions and assignments to a halt, my friend and I are working to resume it soon.”

Follow Arunima Sen on Twitter

A superhero for women

Shocked by the most gruesome ‘Nirbhaya’ incident of the country, Siddhartha Mandala, who was a 12-year-old kid then, had accompanied his mother for public demonstrations that followed. Deeply moved by the sordid event, the youngster spent the next four years creating a device to prevent molestation and rape. The gadget that he named ‘Electroshoe’ passes electricity to electrocute molesters.

The young innovator had not lost his patience in creating the device even when his prototype had failed 17 times and he had got electrocuted twice during the experiments. The footwear created by him can also send signals to the police, friends, and family using GPS. Influenced by his mother’s activism, Siddharth also started an NGO, Cognizance Welfare Initiative (CWI) to spread awareness about rape and its prevention. He is now a student fellow at the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Claremont, California. The youngster often visits dating sites, not to find a dating partner but to sell his device.

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Published on 14, Aug 2022

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Rishabh Seen – The pioneer of sitar-metal

(January 22, 2023) In 2007, the year Rishabh Seen first heard the Foo Fighters and t their frontman, Dave Grohl, he knew his life had changed forever. "It was one of those moments where you just know that you're experiencing something that will change you," he said in an interview later. Until that point, Rishabh Seen, who belonged to an illustrious family of Hindustani musicians, had devoted himself to the classical tradition on the sitar. Steeped in tradition [caption id="attachment_26814" align="aligncenter" width="941"] Rishabh Seen[/caption] Rishabh's childhood in Jalandhar was spent immersed in music. His grandfather, Ustad Lachhman Singh Seen, is an acclaimed tabla maestro and music scholar, with his works preserved in the national archives. Rishabh's father, Manu Kumar Seen, is an accomplished sitarist. Growing up in this environment, Rishabh began vocal training at the age of six and his sitar practice started four years later. Despite the family's deep devotion to classical traditions, his father helped him understand the world of possibilities the sitar afforded him. Still, his knowledge of what lay outside classical music remained limited and Dave Grohl came as an inspiration. "It changed my entire vision about life and music in general," Rishabh said. "I discovered

im.

Still, his knowledge of what lay outside classical music remained limited and Dave Grohl came as an inspiration. "It changed my entire vision about life and music in general," Rishabh said. "I discovered that progressive metal was based on instrument-driven songs and that is the point where Indian classical and metal meet." His enthusiasm compounded when he realised there wasn't anybody out there who seemed to have had the idea of sitar-metal, or even a band led by any instrument other than a guitar, keyboard or drums.

Dave Grohl and a journey of discovery

Rishabh's own journey of discovery continued, and he went from the Foo Fighters to Slipknot and Nirvana. "It was around 2011, when I just played a metal song on the speakers. My dad, wondering what on earth was happening, came by to check on me. What was surprising was that he really enjoyed what he was listening to," he said in an interview. Technically speaking, too, the two forms of music are very different. Hindustani classical music involves playing one scale or raaga in a 45-minute concert. With metal, a single song can contain several scales.

At first, the young Global Indian's efforts were not well received. Metal was seen as dark and hairy, while the sitar receives reverence. His fortunes turned in 2015 when he released his first cover of Animals As Leaders' 'Tempting Time'. In no time, the song garnered lakhs of views. That was also the year he founded his band, Mute The Saint. They produced covers of artists like Animals as Leaders, Steven Wilson and Meshuggah and were a success. While the two genres might stand as polar opposites, to the trained and untrained year alike, Rishabh saw only common ground, a similarity "in terms of evoking an inner revolution and spreading peace."

In 2016, Mute the Saint released a self-titled album and two years later, the second, which contained a bunch of covers of Coldplay and Foo Fighters. Rishabh has performed with singer Arijit Singh and solo headlines sitar metal shows.

Reading Time: 5 mins

The learning code: How Stanford alum Aashna Shroff focuses on incisive education for all

(March 9, 2022) As a female Stem student, entering the hallowed corridors of Stanford University, Aashna Shroff was surprised to find that she was outnumbered by her high-achieving male peers. Understandably daunted, Aashna found that her peers and faculty at Stanford were awake to the problem. Professors and colleagues actively advocated for women in technology, unlike in India. This ability to acknowledge a problem, find a solution, impressed Aashna enough to want to give a little back. She and a few classmates from Stanford founded Girls Code Camp, an initiative to teach lower-income students how to code a few years ago. Aashna, worked with 12 schools, 30 classrooms, to enhance education in Hyderabad, making it a more practical and problem-solving methodology for over 1,200 students. Today, Shroff, now 26, continues to work with 30 children in bastis around her city, transforming education to create innovative minds. She is also working with 900 students in 10 schools. The girl who learnt to code Growing up in Hyderabad, she schooled at Chirec International School. The perfect all-rounder, she had a learning temperament. “I was basketball team captain, choreographed school performances, built rockets, and was just excited to learn,” says Aashna Shroff, in

owing up in Hyderabad, she schooled at Chirec International School. The perfect all-rounder, she had a learning temperament. “I was basketball team captain, choreographed school performances, built rockets, and was just excited to learn,” says Aashna Shroff, in an interview with Global Indian Youth. In high school, her sister, studying at MIT, would send her lectures and material being taught, which Aashna devoured almost ferociously. “I think those videos are what spurred my interest in education,” Aashna says.

Hugely grateful to her parents (in the fashion industry), who moved from Guwahati to Assam before she was born, she says, “They’ve worked immensely hard to give my sister and I a life of privilege and comfort. I’ve had front-row seats to see how hard they worked to send us to better schools so we could pursue our passions.”

Innovation at Stanford

When Aashna studied computer science economics at Stanford University, it brought her face to face with innovation. There, a younger Aashna explored all the computer science courses Stanford had to offer till 2017. “It was at Stanford my identity as a woman in stem became apparent,” she explains. Being a minority in a class with highly accomplished young men was overwhelming. “However, I was fortunate enough to be a part of several classes and clubs where professors and peers advocated for women in technology,” she explains. This enforced her belief about what good learning looks like – “the best learning experiences are those when students are equipped with agency, a sense of purpose and peer communities,” she adds.

During her time there, she worked at the robotics lab when she became curious about a haptic device students were working on. “I got to help in a haptic device research project which was used to help medical students perform ear surgery,” she recalls.

When young girls code

The “stark difference between two learning styles” made Aashna “determined to take action, to give young women in India the chance to be the next technological change-makers.” Thus, as an undergrad, she and a group of Stanford students came back to her high school in Hyderabad and taught a few eighth grade girls how to code. It soon transformed into a huge project. Getting an impetus when Aashna and her team won a $100,000 grant - from external organisations, CSRs and the Haas Center for Public Service. The Girls Code Camp was started in 12 more schools, and hundreds of middle school students were imparted knowledge.

The tinker revolution

In her “hands-on tinkering” camps, Shroff witnessed some low-income students tinker with technology to solve problems. During her masters, Shroff also travelled to Brazil and India on behalf of Stanford to research and build affordable tools that foster technological curiosity while combining it with students’ intellectual passions, culture, and local knowledge about how to build and make things.

“My work during my masters, with my advisor Paulo Blikstein, reiterated how one can design learning experiences and tools to enable students to problem solve, take risks, and influence and inspire others,” she says, adding, that she kept in touch with a student through email, who today, has a master's degree in computer science, and wants to start a Girls Code Camp in her community. “This is exactly what I’d hoped for – for students to be impacted in such a meaningful way, and then pass it on,” Aashna remarks.

Return to India

Armed with new technologies and learning approaches, when she came back to Hyderabad, the pandemic upended life. Not for Aashna though, who during lockdown taught students from a neighbourhood basti who were out of school during the pandemic. She worked with about 30 children from various grades. This was also when she confronted her biggest challenges. “I’m currently working with about 30 classrooms (900 students) in 10 schools that are a mix of government and affordable private schools. Students who are behind never get a meaningful education because of the obsessive focus on passing exams, so teachers have limited time, and motivation,” laments the coding pro who loves walking her dog, and doing CrossFit.

Now focused on fixing the foundational literacy problem in India, school by school, Aashna is spreading hope. “I have created different levels of learning within a single textbook, so students can access the same content but at their own pace,” she explains.

Currently testing her content programme in schools, she plans to build a reading app to help students have fun while reading. “Think of it as your buddy who listens to young readers and offers them help as they read,” says Shroff.

Tech to solve real-world problems

Her ultimate goal is to design educational technology to nurture real-world problem solving and innovation for students of low-income backgrounds -- for the inventors who never stepped into a classroom, creators whose inventiveness is unexploited, and curiosity-seekers who are eager to re-discover and re-invent the world. And she’s already doing an incredible job.

Follow Aashna on LinkedIn and Twitter

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Empowering voices: Author Malavika Kannan aims to put the spotlight on brown women

(April 19, 2024) From the age of ten, while her Indian American peers discussed aspirations of becoming doctors or engineers, Malavika Kannan held a clear dream of becoming an author. And in 2020 at the age of 18, her dream finally came true with the release of her debut novel, The Bookweaver's Daughter. The award-winning book is inspired by Indian mythology and a younger Malavika's view on female friendship. It follows a 14-year-old girl with magical abilities who confronts the tyrannical ruler of the fictional realm of Kashmiri. Inspired by writers and thinkers such as Arundhati Roy, Zora Neale Hurston, and Amiya Srinivasan, the writer has penned another novel All the Yellow Suns, which was released in 2023. Currently an undergraduate at Stanford University, Malavika recently added another feather to her already colourful hat by winning the prestigious Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. "I really do think stories have a lot of power to impact the way we discuss issues, power, and the way we centre people in conversations. I want to use storytelling to address a lot of issues that are faced by brown women, young women, and queer women," shared the author during a recent

nk stories have a lot of power to impact the way we discuss issues, power, and the way we centre people in conversations. I want to use storytelling to address a lot of issues that are faced by brown women, young women, and queer women," shared the author during a recent interview.

Connected to her roots

Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the author grew up in Central Florida in a tightly-knit community of Indian immigrant families. Her parents both emigrated from South India in the 1990s, and Malavika’s earliest memories include regular visits to the public library with her parents, putting on ridiculous plays with her sister, and listening to stories of Indian mythology from her grandparents.

"I clearly remember that being an author was the only dream I had, ever since I could even dream," laughed the author, adding, "We would visit my grandmother during summers in India, and she would tell me a lot of stories—Indian mythology and other folklores. And I was so fascinated by it. Before I learnt how to write, I remember telling my mom stories, and she would write them down for me."

Interestingly, the idea of her first book - The Bookweaver's Daughter - came to Malavika when she was still in school. "I had the idea for it when I was 12 years old. I also wrote a version of the book in high school, when I was in the middle of my Young Adult fantasy reading phase. It’s ultimately a story about a girl who’s trying to unlock her powers - about how language and storytelling can be used as a force for change. And I’ve placed her in this world of ancient Indian mythology, which had the characters I grew up reading and loving as a kid," shared the Global Indian.

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An activist

Growing up in Florida, Malavika, like many others her age, witnessed the effects of gun violence, police brutality, and racism in her community. At the age of 16, she had her first distinctively American experience when she and her high school peers coordinated a school-wide walkout to protest gun violence. Throughout her teenage years, Malavika actively worked with organisations such as March For Our Lives, the Women’s March, and Giffords to advocate for safer and more equitable communities.

The author's early involvement as an organiser deeply shapes her approach to writing, which she sees as both politically charged and community-driven. Through her work, she explores themes of identity, culture, and politics, contributing to publications such as The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, and The San Francisco Chronicle. With an online following nearing 50,000, her writing resonates widely.

"I want to amplify people who are doing the frontline work of eliminating these issues, and also support them," shared the author. "I want to talk about unspoken power dynamics in our society. I want to talk about how systemic issues can affect one person in the course of their own narrative journey. We as a community can directly take care of each other without having to wait for the government, an election, or a march. We can just do it ourselves."

ALSO READ | Shreya Gupta, the young author making a global impact

A long road ahead

A senior at Stanford University (batch 2024), Malavika has delved into creative writing, South Asian studies, and women’s literature during her academic journey. Graduating with a BA in comparative studies in race and ethnicity, the author has submitted two honours theses: one exploring Dalit women’s environmental writing and the other a literary novel depicting college student during the pandemic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63sZzu0gz3w

"I'm looking to further refine my literary skills by pursuing an MFA in fiction. My goal is to become both a novelist and a literature professor," shared the author, who is grateful for the opportunities she has received, aims to continue representing queer brown girls in narratives and hopes to make her family proud.

Follow Malavika Kannan on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

Powering up: Gamer Akarsh Chaudhary is taking over the world of e-gaming

(March 21, 2024) Over the past few years, India's online gaming scene has boomed like never before, propelling it among the world's top three gaming markets. Although not yet a traditional career choice, numerous young people now spend their afternoons competing in professional tournaments. Among them is gamer Akarsh Chaudhary, also known as Vivone, a nine-year-old from Mumbai. Despite his tender age, he has not only taken part in but also emerged victorious in numerous tournaments. The young child embarked on his gaming adventure at the age of four, inspired by watching his father play popular games like PUBG on his mobile device. "I asked my father if I could try the game, and he handed me his mobile. Instantly, I became hooked and began playing by myself. After practicing regularly for a couple of days, I even managed to defeat my father," shared the young gamer. [caption id="attachment_22260" align="aligncenter" width="555"] Gamer Akarsh Chaudhary aka Vivone[/caption] With a substantial following of 108K followers on Instagram and over four lakh subscribers on his YouTube channel, Vivone has created more than 6000 live streams and videos. "Recently, I participated in the SkyEsports Streamers Showdown, competing against numerous top gamers from around the

scribers on his YouTube channel, Vivone has created more than 6000 live streams and videos. "Recently, I participated in the SkyEsports Streamers Showdown, competing against numerous top gamers from around the country. I clinched the first prize of ₹15 lakh, impressing even my opponents with my performance throughout the tournament," said the gamer, whose average earning through live streaming games is around $6000-7000 per month.

Game on

Amid the challenges of the lockdown, numerous individuals sought refuge in online gaming, including Akarsh's father, Vivek Singh. Unbeknownst to the IT professional, this pastime would eventually serve as the inspiration for his son's career. "Initially, when I started playing, it was purely for enjoyment. However, my father soon noticed my potential and began coaching me accordingly. He taught me a variety of moves and tricks that significantly improved my game," said the Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_22261" align="aligncenter" width="549"] Akarsh with his parents, Shikha and Vivek[/caption]

Recognising his potential, his father commenced live streaming his games under his gamer alias Vivone, which phonetically sounds like "we won". Shortly after, Rooter, Vivone's streaming platform partner, received a surge of offers from gadget companies, fantasy apps, and even some FMCG brands, willing to pay up to ₹1 lakh for video collaborations. Vivone is proficient in playing games across multiple platforms, be it mobile, PC, or console. Talking about his favourite games, he said, "I really enjoy playing BGMI the most, but right now, Valorant is my top favourite. I like messing around with its characters and maps. I also like playing CODM, Fall Guys, Tekken 7, Rocket League, New State Mobile, Pokemon, and other little mobile games."

ALSO READ | How Navvye Anand is helping save endangered Kangri language through AI

A balancing act

Although it's fascinating, Akarsh's parents take caution to ensure their son doesn't spend all his time glued to his laptop. "If you really love something and want to do it well, you should start learning and practising early with someone to guide you," the gamer's father, Vivek, shared in an interview, adding, "We noticed our child's talent and helped them get better at what they love. But we also make sure they do well in their studies and play physical games. Luckily, Akarsh enjoys playing football outside just as much as he enjoys playing it on the computer."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfC_YY6SLyA

Giving an insight into the young gamer's day, Vivek shared, "Because Vivone streams games nearly every day, we decided not to give him too much schoolwork, so we chose to homeschool him. After he finishes his studies in the afternoon, Vivone streams for about two hours. Then, like any other kid, he plays with his friends, especially cricket or basketball. Sometimes in the evenings, I take him swimming too."

ALSO READ | Anmol Tukrel is using AI for a better world

The road ahead

After winning against some of the best gamers in the country in various tournaments, Vivone is now preparing to represent India in international competitions. "When I first began playing, I never imagined having such a large following and subscriber base. Now, my main aim is to excel in international tournaments. I'm currently searching for tournaments for players under 13 years old, primarily organized in the US, Europe, Korea, and China," the young gamer shared.

Follow Akarsh Chaudhary on Instagram and YouTube

Reading Time: 5 mins

Tarush Ramdas, the youngest Aikido black belt in India

(December 24, 2021) His calm mind is a weapon, his patience a strength. At 16, Tarush Ramdas has learnt the art of defeating inner battles while remaining centered with Aikido, a Japanese martial art. What began at age eight, made Tarush the youngest Aikido black belt in India, a feat he achieved recently at an internationally supervised grading event held in Chennai. "Aikido is all about avoiding conflict, and I have practiced all the forms and techniques till they were engraved in my mind. Becoming the youngest black belt in India is the culmination of eight years of hard work and dedication," smiles Tarush, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. Aikido helps Tarush counter any attack and neutralise his attacker without brute force. Attacking is not his style, defending himself from an attack is what he is trained to do. For the teenager, Aikido -- inspired by harmony and intelligent exploitation of human body movements -- is a way of life. Born in Chicago in the US in January 2005, his parents -- Gautam Ramdas and Sharon Suares -- moved back to India when Tarush was just three. Ever since, the family has lived in Chennai. "As a child, I was

India when Tarush was just three. Ever since, the family has lived in Chennai. "As a child, I was energetic and my parents thought I could channelise that into a martial art. It also helped that my dad was a student of Aikido," informs Tarush, an 11th grade student of KC High International School. While his father is the vice-president of the US-based NTIC, his mother is presently the treasurer for the Tamil Nadu Gymnastics Association.

[caption id="attachment_8796" align="aligncenter" width="524"] Tarush Ramdas[/caption]

The art of attack

As a child, one of Tarush's biggest pleasures was reading. "Even now, I love reading books. The more books I get to read, the better," says Tarush, who loves dabbling in robotics and debating too. But it is his training that improves his concentration, self-confidence and makes him calmer. "I go to the dojo (Japanese term for a place where someone practices for purposes of mastery) to train around four to five hours a week. Besides, I exercise thrice a week and do a bit of robotics and art," informs the young Aikido champ. He also has a specific meal plan which includes vegetables and protein which ensures he eats healthy. Junk food is a strict no-no.

The youngster says that the basic principles of the Japanese martial art are not difficult to learn. "It is the mental aspect that is much harder to master. Patience is the key in Aikido, as well as remaining calm in a fight and not getting flustered. This martial art is more non-violent where we do not strike first, and instead use the attacker's energy against them," he explains, adding that whether one is tall, short, young or old, anyone can practice Aikido and take down larger and physically stronger opponents.

Aikido, which translates as "the way of harmonising energy", was used by the ancient Samurai on the battlefield (when they lost their weapons) to take down enemies who were covered in armour. At its deepest level, Aikido is known to be the spiritual path of self-transformation and a non-violent journey. The martial art, which is a comprehensive system of throwing, joint-locking, striking and pinning techniques, is taught to the special armed forces and police across the world.

[caption id="attachment_8797" align="aligncenter" width="677"] Tarush Ramdas with his Aikido teachers[/caption]

"Unlike martial arts like Kungfu and Taekwondo, there are no punches and kicks in Aikido. In this form of martial art, we do not learn how to properly attack people because that goes against its very principles. Instead, we learn only how to defend ourselves," says Tarush, who as an eight-year-old was doing competitive gymnastics, which enabled him to do all the rolls and falls (in Aikido) easily and swiftly. His 15-year-old sister Ameya is also a national level gymnast.

How he mastered the art

An injury while doing gymnastics forced Tarush to explore Aikido. "My parents were incredibly supportive of my choice. Learning to defend oneself is a useful skill. In fact, my sister and cousins also practice Aikido and are on their way to becoming black belts," informs Tarush, who participated in the 2020 Aikido World Summit held in Varanasi.

Tarush also enjoys playing golf and tennis, besides running and exercising. "I started Aikido to learn how to defend myself. It has also taught me mental toughness and helped me get fitter. As you progress in Aikido, you have to perform falls and throws which requires core strength and endurance without which advancing is quite hard," he explains. Importantly, it taught him how to remain calm during a fight.

While there are not many Aikido champs around, Tarush has set goals for himself. "I plan to continue Aikido for a long while and advance in the ranks of black belts from 1st Dan (rank) all the way to the 10th Dan, the highest rank in Aikido which takes decades to achieve," says Tarush, who is currently reading the book Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall.

There are several different styles of Aikido that have branched from the original martial art and Tarush follows Aikikai, the original style that is headed by the grandson of the founder of Aikido in Japan. What makes Tarush stand out against his competitors is the fact that he is good at rolls. "I have good stamina which is necessary to continually keep rolling. The fact that Aikido can help me take down much larger opponents is really cool as I have never been a strong kid," smiles Tarush, who is passionate about the environment and had even started the first environmental group at his school.

[caption id="attachment_8798" align="aligncenter" width="519"] Tarush Ramdas[/caption]

Besides Tarush, there were 100 students learning Aikido in the Chennai dojo but membership dropped due to Covid-19 as practicing a contact martial art was not viable.

Does Aikido have good training centres in India? "There are some good Aikido dojos in India. In Chennai, there is the biggest Aikido dojo of south India. There are also dojos in Mumbai and Delhi as well," adds Tarush, who hopes to take up some work related to the environment and protecting the Earth.

Looking back at his journey, Tarush says sticking to Aikido taught him not just how to defend but also patience, dedication and empathy. "Be patient, put in the hard work and have fun because at the end of the day, you must enjoy what you do if you hope to succeed," signs off the Aikido champ, who is a big admirer of Dr Shashi Tharoor, Congress party MP, who speaks eloquently on national and international issues.

Reading Time: 6 min