Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveMeet the five Indians selected for Rhodes Scholarship 2025

Meet the five Indians selected for Rhodes Scholarship 2025

Compiled by: Amrita Priya

Each year, thousands of the world’s brightest minds vie for the coveted Rhodes Scholarship, a life-changing opportunity to study at the University of Oxford. Established in 1902, through the will of British businessman and colonialist Cecil John Rhodes, the scholarship is one of the oldest and most prestigious international academic awards. Designed to cultivate public-spirited leaders, it aims to foster mutual understanding and peace through education, bringing together exceptional students from around the globe. As the Rhodes Trust states, “When different people come together in a shared spirit, exciting new things begin.”

Cecil John Rhodes’ statue at the Oxford University

In 2025, five Indian students have been selected to join this elite community, marking the continuation of a legacy that has evolved far beyond its colonial origins. Originally intended to foster unity among English-speaking nations, this esteemed and long-standing international scholarship programme underwent revisions over time. By the 21st century, eligibility expanded to encompass citizens from all countries. Indians gained access to this scholarship opportunity in 1947.

Rhodes Scholars receive full financial support, covering tuition fees, visas, health surcharges, and even travel and living expenses during their time at Oxford. Starting in 2026, the number of scholarships available to Indian students will increase to six, thanks to a perpetual endowment by entrepreneur couple Mukund and Soumya Rajan. Global Indian takes a look at the five Indian youngsters who have bagged the 2025 Rhodes scholarship:

Pal Aggarwal

Pal is a fourth-year undergraduate student from Ghaziabad, U.P., studying Engineering Physics (Hons.) at IIT Bombay. With dual minors in Computer Science and Machine Intelligence, her academic journey is deeply rooted in her passion for astrophysics, mathematics, and data science. Pal dreams of becoming an astronaut and is equally committed to advocating for women in science, inspiring others to pursue their ambitions in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Pal Aggarwal

Beyond her academic pursuits, Pal is an accomplished Bharatnatyam and contemporary dancer. As a student researcher at IIT Bombay’s Space Technology and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Lab, she works on “Daksha,” a proposed space mission to detect electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave sources. Her previous work includes contributing to the uGMRT’s Fast Radio Burst (FRB) detection pipeline at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics, Pune, and participating in the Student Satellite Program at IIT Bombay. Her internships span a Quantum Computing research stint at the National University of Singapore and a strategic consulting role at Bain & Company, where she earned a coveted Pre-Placement Offer.

Rayan Chakrabarti

Ryan, a postgraduate student of Arts and Aesthetics at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), is driven by a deep interest in memory studies, anthropology, and the narratives of nationalism. A graduate of English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, Ryan envisions creating a dedicated archive and museum to document the COVID-19 pandemic and its far-reaching impact on South Asia. This passion for exploring collective memory led him to co-found the Pandemic Oral History Archives, capturing firsthand accounts of the crisis and its aftermath.

Ryan Chakrabarti

Ryan’s academic pursuits are complemented by his commitment to social impact. During his time at St. Stephen’s, he worked on a poverty alleviation project, conducting surveys to facilitate bank account access for slum residents and teaching remedial classes to underserved students. An accomplished pianist, he also channels his creative energy into writing and translating poetry that interrogates politics and nationhood, blending art and activism in meaningful ways.

Shubham Narwal

“I can’t believe I am India’s first vet Rhodes scholar elect. Happy to be part of the Rhodes community,” shared Shubham in his heartfelt reaction on social media after being named a Rhodes Scholar for 2025. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Shubham is driven by a mission to safeguard biodiversity. His academic focus lies in clinical embryology, where he aims to pioneer new conservation strategies for critically endangered species, particularly the Great Indian Bustard.

Shubham Narwal

Apart from internships at reputed institutions, Shubham’s journey has been enriched by a fully funded short online course on modern methods in Infection Biology conducted by the Julius Maximilians University of Würzburg, Germany. In the course where students from other countries were his fellow participants, he delved into bioinformatics, microscopic imaging, and the One Health approach to tackle neglected tropical diseases, earning valuable global insights into animal health and ecosystem management. Beyond his academic pursuits, Shubham’s love for basketball and Harry Potter highlights his vibrant personality, balancing scientific rigour with creative passions.

Vibha Swaminathan

Vibha, the Rhodes Scholar-elect for 2025 from Delhi, is deeply committed to exploring the political and legal fragilities of citizenship regimes in India. A final-year student at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and an alumna of Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), Vibha envisions combining her academic pursuits with a dynamic human rights litigation practice in India’s trial courts. Her journey reflects a seamless integration of intellectual rigor and practical advocacy.

Vibha Swaminathan

At LSR, Vibha’s brilliance earned her several accolades, including the Faculty Prize, the Randhir Singh Award for Excellence in Political Analysis, and the Rena Sewak Award for Excellence in English Public Speaking. At NLSIU, she has continued to excel, taking on leadership roles as an elected member of the LLB Recruitment Coordination Committee and a member of the Academic Support Programme. She has also contributed significantly to legal practice, engaging in appellate citizenship litigation before the Guwahati High Court and assisting with constitutional cases in the Supreme Court. Vibha’s dedication to academia is equally impressive. She served as a teaching assistant for Criminal Law II (Criminal Procedure) and a research assistant for the Women Leadership in Law project.

Avanish Vats

Avanish, a bachelor’s student at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, is driven by a passion for epistemology and a vision to make philosophy accessible to disabled people. A former student of DPS Ranchi, Avanish combines his intellectual pursuits with a strong commitment to social work, aiming to bridge the gap between abstract ideas and real-world inclusivity.

Avanish Vats

An accomplished tabla player, Avanish has been a central figure in enriching the cultural fabric of his academic institutions. From serving as the primary tabla performer for school assemblies to being a key member of his college band, his musical journey has instilled in him discipline, teamwork, and a deep appreciation for community and culture.

Together, these Rhodes scholars represent the multifaceted talents and ambitions of a generation determined to shape a more equitable and innovative world, using the opportunities at Oxford as a stepping stone to drive meaningful change.

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Published on 26, Nov 2024

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Maanasa Mendu: Indian-American teen making clean affordable technology accessible

(December 20, 2022) "Imagine a place where life ends after dark, where there are no electric lights for school work or refrigeration for perishables. This is not part of some dystopian society - it’s a part of our world today. Over 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity," is how Indian-American girl Maanasa Mendu begins her TedX talk. Born and raised in Ohio, her first brush with the global energy crisis began when she visited her grandmother in rural India for her summer break, and witnessed persistent blackouts. Seeing children huddled over a single kerosene lamp, something shifted in the then teenager who was keen to make a difference. That's when she designed Harvest - an energy harvesting device that combines piezoelectric effect that harvests energy from sun, wind and precipitation. It not only won her the grand prize in the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and $25,000, but also made her the youngest person to make it to the 2017 Forbes 30 Under 30 list at just 14 years of age. [caption id="attachment_25605" align="aligncenter" width="620"] Maanasa Mendu designed Harvest 2.0 to make clean energy accessible[/caption] That visit to India left her searching for answers. Upon her return, she

an | Maanasa Mendu | Global Indian " width="620" height="413" /> Maanasa Mendu designed Harvest 2.0 to make clean energy accessible[/caption]

That visit to India left her searching for answers. Upon her return, she began digging deep into information and found that 88 percent of the energy supply comes from non-renewable sources, which are not only harmful to the environment but also depleting. A renewable source was the answer but not many opted for it owing to its high cost. That's when Maanasa took it upon herself to design an "inexpensive and potentially globally application energy solution."

At age 11, she discovered piezoelectric effect (the ability of certain materials to produce an electrical charge when applied with mechanical stress) while reading about JRE's railway station in Japan that has piezo electric floors that produce electricity from people's footsteps. She knew she had found the perfect renewable energy solution. After a year of research and reading, the inspiration for piezoelectric "leaf" device struck here while watching tree branches sway in the wind during a storm. To her, the branches looked like piezoelectric materials - tiny devices that generate power through vibration. She soon began to imagine a renewable energy technology that could harness the energy in the wind and rain. This motivated her to work on her first design. While the initial idea was to focus only on wind power, she ultimately built a prototype that can harness solar and wind energy and the vibrations of rain drops. The device consists of three solar "leaves" that act as solar panels but also move and bend with the wind and rain. The design won her the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, which the Global Indian built using recycled materials for only $5.

[caption id="attachment_25606" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Maanasa Mendu with the design of Harvest 2.0[/caption]

"The issue with the energy crisis lies not in the fact that we lack ideas or solutions to solve it, but rather in the fact that we are unable to get these solutions to the people who need it the most," said Maanasa.

When she began working on the design, her focus was only on wind energy as she wanted to solve the problem of how to capture wind in urban areas where wind turbines don't make sense. But while working on it, she realised "there are a lot more untapped energy sources in our environment, like solar power and precipitation." "If my device just relies on one specific environmental condition, the power output can vary throughout the day. Whereas if it relies on multiple environmental conditions–like sunlight intensity, wind speed, precipitation–all of these factors could create a more stable power source with a higher power output,” she told Fast Company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuqCsU_ap-c

Maanasa, who is studying at Harvard University, reveals that Harvest can power a 15watt LED bulb after three hours of charging. It took her three years to come up with Harvest, that has the potential to be the answer to the global energy crisis, and she says that it was curiosity that led her to the solution. She believes that "student inventors try to seek inspiration from everyday things. I feel like they connect the dots better."

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From Mirzapur to Tinseltown: Abhilasha FNU on a Hollywood sojourn

(Aug 18, 2023) In the year 2020, as the pandemic was about to disrupt the world, a 23-year-old youngster, Abhilasha FNU embarked on her maiden international flight - to Los Angeles, carrying dreams packed within her suitcase. She had secured admission at the prestigious New York Film Academy for a filmmaking course. In just three years, Abhilasha has been able to stand on her own in the film and television world of America. As a script supervisor, her contributions to television projects like ‘At Home with Tori,’ and films like ‘Miracle Before Christmas,’ and ‘I Rise’ have been standouts in her short yet successful career in Hollywood. ‘I Rise’ (2022), has even clinched eight awards at the Christian Online Film Festival, adding a boost to her career. "My most successful script supervisor work is in Big Boys 2023, a LGBTQ based feature narrative which is doing wonders and winning at prestigious festivals worldwide," Abhilasha tells Global Indian. The script supervisor has played a pivotal role in the Spotify-produced series ‘Gold Diggers Hotel,’ collaborating with the American songwriter, singer and record producer, Leon Bridges. She has also been associated with ‘Man in The Long Black Coat,’ a production featuring renowned

d feature narrative which is doing wonders and winning at prestigious festivals worldwide," Abhilasha tells Global Indian.

The script supervisor has played a pivotal role in the Spotify-produced series ‘Gold Diggers Hotel,’ collaborating with the American songwriter, singer and record producer, Leon Bridges. She has also been associated with ‘Man in The Long Black Coat,’ a production featuring renowned American actors like Mark Feuerstein, Neal McDonough, Dermot Mulroney, and Christopher Lloyd.

"I volunteered for various film projects during my initial days as a student of filmmaking, before I started earning in the United States. Being on set, learning the craft, and wrapping up productions have always brought a sense of fulfilment," Abhilasha shared in an interview.

From Mirzapur to the US

Hailing from a traditional North Indian family, her relocation from India to the United States marked a big moment, making her the first woman in her family to undertake both an American journey and an unconventional career path of filmmaking. Her inherent knack for creation, expression, and storytelling had been evident from a tender age, and her family supported her daring choice to tread a unique trajectory.

Challenges in the US

However, her journey was marked by challenges. Mere weeks into her film school programme, the Covid-19 outbreak swept across the globe, forcing classes into the online mode. Like countless international students, Abhilasha grappled with dejection and uncertainty in a foreign land away from home. "We found ourselves in rented apartments, far from home, staring at laptop screens while trying to master a hands-on profession like filmmaking. Initially feeling like an unwelcome break, I soon realised that this setback couldn't deter me," she remarked.

She turned the adversity into a situation of opportunity. The enforced slowdown enabled her to immerse herself in comprehensive reading and research on diverse facets of filmmaking—spanning screenwriting, continuity, filming, editing, and timing.

Lucky breaks amidst the pandemic

During the pandemic she got a chance to direct and write for productions of her college peers. She also took on the role of a Covid compliance officer for some college projects, a novel position within the film realm that required mastering intricate paperwork. As she excelled in this role, she caught the attention of her professors, which eventually led to her first feature film assignment.

This breakthrough served as a gateway to a plethora of subsequent opportunities. Since then, Abhilasha has been part of productions like ‘At home with Tori,’ ‘Leon Bridges – Life from Gold-Diggers Hotel,’ ‘A Miracle before Christmas,’ and numerous other film and television projects, all within a brief three-year timeline of her cinematic journey.

Embracing the role of a script supervisor

Abhilasha loves her job as a script supervisor in Hollywood. She explains, "I gravitated towards the role of a script supervisor due to its inherent blend of pure creativity, observatory skills, and supervision." Her affinity for reading screenplays, coupled with her unique ability to vividly comprehend their essence, helped her perform well. "Drawing on my high emotional intelligence, I can grasp the story's emotions and characters, capturing the nuances of each scene, even when I have read the script once" she added.

As a script supervisor, her responsibilities include script analysis and on-set organization. She shoulders the crucial responsibility of ensuring the seamless alignment of unfolding events with the director's creative vision. This multi-dimensional role demands a perceptive awareness of the overall on-set atmosphere, functioning as an astute observer while offering insights and guidance to both the director and other departments involved.

Her prior experiences as production manager, assistant director, and production designer, for college productions have given her invaluable insights on delivering her best as a script supervisor.

Life before venturing to the US

From an early age, Abhilasha's life was steeped in creativity and the arts. She is a trained dancer and singer and used to love writing and reciting poems during her childhood. As she grew older, her interests gradually gravitated towards the realm of filmmaking. She completed her bachelor's in arts, majoring in clinical psychology, and went on to achieve a master's in journalism and mass communication from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda.

In a visual communication semester, she filmed her first short film on her android phone and simply loved the process and received appreciation from her professors and classmates for her storytelling vision and directorial skills. This motivated her to take up film studies and headed to Los Angeles, California.

In her leisure time, Abhilasha loves painting and takes pride in being an NFT artist.

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The cool girl: Musician Kayan is taking the indie world by storm

(March 3, 2024) Growing up in Mumbai in a family deeply rooted in the arts, musician Ambika Nayak aka Kayan, frequented theaters for plays and concerts, immersing herself in the world of creativity. Her mother, a Hindustani classical vocalist, her grandmother, a classical dancer, and her aunt, a writer, all contributed to the artistic milieu. Trained in Carnatic music, kathak dance, and piano, she often accompanied her mother to concerts and art shows. It seemed almost fated that she would eventually embrace one of these art forms as her professional calling. The Mumbai-based 25-year-old musician is a multi-talented singer, producer-DJ, model, actor, and voiceover artist. From making YouTube covers in her bedroom to collaborating with producers around the world, Kayan has come a long way, commanding over 70,000 listeners on Spotify monthly. In fact, Kayan was one of two Indian artists among the 30 picked from various genres across the world in 2022. "It was a great feeling, because so many artists that I listen to, like Dua Lipa, have been a part of this programme,” shared the musician in an interview. A musical prodigy Influenced by her mother and grandmother, Kayan started training in classical dance and Carnatic music

because so many artists that I listen to, like Dua Lipa, have been a part of this programme,” shared the musician in an interview.

A musical prodigy

Influenced by her mother and grandmother, Kayan started training in classical dance and Carnatic music quite early. So intense were these training, that Kayan still remembers each day of her classes. "First, I started learning Bharatanatyam, and my mom suggested I take up Carnatic classical music as well. Initially, I didn’t like my singing classes, but in retrospect, I’m glad that kind of classical training happened. It has left an impact on all the other forms of music I’ve learnt," recalled the musician, adding, "My classical training really helps with my voice. I will never forget what my teachers taught me when I was learning classical. The training is super rigorous. I wouldn’t say there is a direct influence in terms of sound, but in the sense of discipline, it has had a big impact."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3MNGONaFfA

While she loved classical music, it wasn't the only type of music Kayan was interested in. The musician grew up listening to a lot of punk and pop music. "As I grew up, I got introduced to a lot, a whole new world of electronic music," she shared, adding, "Now, I listen to ranges from like really wild electronic music, like a lot of hard-based music, electro ghetto tech, house music too. All of these somehow have had their own impact on the way I write my music," she adds.

However, it wasn't until 2016 that she decided to step into the professional music scene. Her foray began with a performance at a party in Mumbai in 2017, which proved to be a turning point for her. And it was around this time that the musician chose to pick a stage name for her. Sharing how she chose the name 'Kayan', she said, "When I joined Instagram, which is now a really long time ago, my name Ambika Nayak was taken on the platform. So, I created an account with my last name backward. Eventually, I cut it to kayan.a And then I released my first song as kayan.a, and then we dropped the '.a' and now it’s Kayan, which makes a lot of sense."

ALSO READ | Vibha Janakiraman: The violinist who enchanted the White House

Climbing the ladder

A big moment in Kayan's career was when she played at the famous Nariyal Paani festival in Alibaug. With her band, she showcased her musical skills and really impressed the audience. This performance not only made her well-known in India but also helped her become known worldwide - motivating the youngster to join the True School of Music. "I ended up meeting like-minded people there," shared the musician, adding, "For the first time, I was in a space where I enjoyed studying and learning, was introduced to new music, and was going out for shows and meeting new people." Eventually, the Global Indian was deejaying and playing live in a band called Kimochi Youkai, with five other band members. By the end of 2021, the musician had gained recognition as one of the top-streamed independent female artists on Spotify.

[caption id="attachment_36322" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Kayan with singer-songwriter Jay Sean[/caption]

Kayan has released five singles as yet - Cool Kids, Please, Be Alright, DFWM, and the singer recently collaborated with Singapore-based rapper Yung Raja for another single No Shade. She is working on more international collaborations. "Yung Raja is a gem of a person, and No Shade was the perfect song to have him on," shared the musician, while talking about their collab, adding, "It was so much fun working with him; I’m proud of what we made together."

ALSO READ | Indian American musician SANJ blends classical Carnatic with R&B

The musician creates catchy performances and brings a stylish and attractive look to her work as a model and visual artist. She has collaborated with some of India's top talents, like the former Elle superstylist Divya Gursahani, who designed one of the most unique looks for Kayan's live set at the Weekender. "I do love fashion a lot, it’s ultimately a way in which I express myself, and it makes me feel really good,” Kayan expressed, adding, "Divya came along, and she has absolutely been a gem. We worked so much together — one cool thing about working in music is being able to do music videos and photoshoots, which allowed me to experiment so much with fashion, it’s such a big part of it. Divya has really helped me understand, see, and experience that. Even for my live performances, at the NH7 Weekender, for example, there was a lot of thought and effort that went into the outfit. There was a whole narrative there, it was custom-made for me. Even now, for the upcoming live tour, we’re looking at custom outfits and designs. To me, all of this helps tell a story.”

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Talking about her future projects, the musician shared, "I have a couple of unreleased songs, collaborations with some of my favourite artists, and another one with my friend OAFF. Right now, I enjoy being independent, it’s far easier to release music; I have a solid team with great marketing resources, and in the future, I am open to working with a label I can align myself with."

Follow Ambika Nayak on Instagram and LinkedIn

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US-desi teen inventor Neha Shukla explores the metaverse in tech

US-desi teen inventor Neha Shukla invented sixfeetapart to inculcate social distancing when the pandemic started. The girl whose face graced the Nasdaq screen in Times Square shares her specially curated and written first bi-montly column on innovation as she explores STEM with INNOVATION UNCOVERED (February 5, 2022) Welcome to the first edition of Innovation Uncovered! I’m Neha Shukla, a teen scientist and inventor passionate about using technology for social change in my community. I invented SixFeetApart, a wearable social-distancing device to slow the spread of COVID-19 among many other innovations. An advocate for youth and girls in innovation, I hope to take you through the latest trends in innovation and technology twice a month, sharing advice for how Indians of all ages can get started with innovation and problem-solving, and exploring my thoughts on the future of education for young people. Let’s get started! Tech Trends: Exploring the Metaverse We all have been hearing the buzzword metaverse prominently ever since Facebook rebranded itself to Meta back in October 2021. But what is metaverse? The metaverse is essentially a virtual world where people can interact, work, shop, and so much more. And you could categorise the metaverse into three main categories:

ssentially a virtual world where people can interact, work, shop, and so much more. And you could categorise the metaverse into three main categories: virtual reality, augmented reality, and virtual environments. Virtual reality or VR is where you put on a headset and experience an immersive world where you can interact with virtual objects and move around in the virtual world. And with new haptic technologies, you can physically feel virtual objects through sensations and motions from haptic devices.

You might have heard of Meta's Oculus headset or the affordable Google Cardboard that interfaces with a smartphone. These devices help you step into the virtual world and feel an immersive experience. Augmented reality or AR is where computer-generated objects and 3D graphics are overlaid on top of the physical world. Using a phone camera, you can overlay images of Pokemon GO on the environment around you, or use Snapchat AR lens filters to see 3D graphics overlaid on your face. Virtual worlds are more loosely defined. Many traditional games are considered metaverses, where users can communicate with each other, buy “skins” or clothing for their digital avatars, and so much more. These platforms are entirely digital, where there are entire social networks and economies for virtual products, like clothing or accessories for 3D avatars. Platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, Sandbox, and others are prime examples of these virtual worlds.

**Opportunities in the Metaverse from the US-desi teen inventor**

So what are the opportunities within the metaverse? The metaverse has been used by artists such as Lil Nas X and Ariana Grande for virtual performances watched by millions of young users, as well as by companies like Nike to showcase new products. The benefit of using the metaverse is that large audiences of users can experience a company's products, without the company worrying about logistics, giving an international audience the ability to experience branding like never before.

The fashion industry is beginning to join the metaverse movement as major companies are starting to display their products and clothing on virtual models. And companies are taking this a step further by offering virtual “skins” or clothing for users' 3D avatars, and profiting from limited-edition and rare skins. Companies like Vans, Nike, Ralph Lauren, Balenciaga, Gucci, and others are partnering with metaverse platforms and embracing this new wave of virtual worlds and virtual customers.

My thoughts on the future of innovation and education

As a US-desi teen inventor, I see a massive opportunity for education using the metaverse and tools like VR and AR. Companies can use the metaverse to help students communicate with each other during the pandemic and online education, especially to develop social and emotional communication skills. Virtual reality headsets could be a great tool for children with developmental disabilities like ADHD or learning disabilities where they might need some support in learning communication or social-emotional skills. Having a platform where students can interact with 3D avatars, learn social cues, and have positive interactions with peers could be a revolutionary concept to support these students.

Another big opportunity for the metaverse in education is in helping students learn through immersive experiences in subjects like biology or history. Companies can create 3D models of the cell and its membranes or a historical battlefield, where students can use tools like an Oculus Headset or a Google Cardboard to see the inside of the cell in 3D or step into a scene from the Civil War. By using VR and bringing the metaverse into the classroom, we can give students immersive experiences to be able to understand complex concepts.

Advice for Indians starting their innovation journey

Are you a young person excited to begin innovating and working with technologies like VR and AR to create a positive impact on your community? Or are you an adult looking to support your budding young innovator?

As a US-desi teen inventor, my advice to any young person who wants to get involved with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) is to find a real-world problem that you’re passionate about solving. This could be anything, from a small problem in your local community to a large global issue. Find a real-world problem you care about, and connect it with your passions and interests to get started today! Maybe you’re passionate about sports like soccer, so you combine your passion with the real-world problem of concussions in sports to create a new helmet to prevent injuries.

Like this, you can start looking for intersections of your interests and real-world problems to begin creating an impact. And I encourage any adults, teachers, or parents out there to say “yes” to any young person who asks for help. Whether it’s providing mentorship for a student every month or simply believing in a student, you have the power to be an inspiration, a mentor, and a guiding force for young people today. So use your experience and wisdom to help nurture a young innovator, because who knows - they might end up creating life-saving innovations one day! And if you’re an organisation looking to engage students in innovation and problem-solving, I run free global innovation and STEM workshops for students K-12 and have impacted over 52,000 students to date. So feel free to sign up for a workshop from your school or organisation, where I’ll share my simple three-step innovation framework for students and go through live interactive innovation activities.

(The writer is a Global Teen Leader 2021, has won the Diana Award and the National Presidential Service Award. Her workshops have impacted over 52,000 students, and her debut book, Innovation for Everyone: Solving Real-World Problems with STEM will be released in the summer of 2022. Follow her at: https://www.neha-shukla.com/)

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Healthcare for all: US teen’s app improves life in rural Maharashtra

(February 23, 2023) On a summer trip to India in 2014, Aryaman Khandelwal and his family were going by road to Chikaldara, a village in Maharashtra. The area is famous for growing corn and the family stopped at roadside stalls to try it. On the way, he saw a little boy, no more than ten years of age, carrying a sack of corn twice his size. "It was an impetus for me, something needed to change," he said, in an interview. Then a senior at Parkland High School, Aryaman went on to found Get2Greater over the next couple of years, an AI-driven app to improve access to healthcare services. When he saw the young boy carrying corn, it dawned on Khandelwal that life wasn't so easy for everyone. "They had to work so hard to make do," he said. His efforts earned him the Gloria Barron Prize in 2017, which is given to young people with significant social initiatives. "The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school," he said, adding, "The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea

given to young people with significant social initiatives. "The entire idea was inspired by a human geography course at school," he said, adding, "The class was about demographics and societies changing over time and developing and developed countries working together to create societal progress across the board. The idea interested me and I wanted to implement it." So, in 2015, the young Global Indian began work, reaching out to family members who had worked as doctors in rural Maharashtra.

[caption id="attachment_27788" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Aryaman Khandelwal[/caption]

Collaboration with the MAHAN Trust

Aryaman was put in touch with the MAHAN Trust, which provided healthcare to rural parts of the state. The NGO was founded in 1997 by Dr Ashish, who wanted to improve medical care and health services to tribal communities in the Melghat region. They have set up a hospital, child care programmes, eye testing, run nutrition farms and carry out socio-economic research. Through them, Aryaman learned that "maybe 10 to 15 trained guys serve a population of 200,000," he said.

At the time, the MAHAN Trust was training village health workers to carry out basic processes. They dealt with numerous challenges, aside from the lack of qualified doctors and healthcare workers and had to work around the system. There were many quacks, who would quit studying after a year of med school and return home as ‘healthcare providers’. People were also deeply suspicious of outsiders and western medicine alike and didn’t really want to talk to healthcare workers who arrived from elsewhere.

Locals were, however, comfortable with the trained workers, who were from their own communities, who were otherwise not fully educated. "They were trained to take basic measurements, record them and take the data to a hospital," Aryaman explained. Doctors would review it and send back treatments or diagnoses. While the method was innovative, and showed results, it was time-consuming and could take anywhere between two weeks to two months.

Building Get2Greater

That's where Get2Greater came in - it separates the unhealthy from the healthy, so doctors could focus on the more pressing cases. The app can record basic health metrics, compile it in order of priority and send it to doctors nearby. When he started, however, Aryaman "just had a passion and an idea." Equipped with a basic software prototype, Aryaman sent a tablet to MAHAN in India and established a line of correspondence. "I asked them to critique the app," he said. "I realised that India is very far away from the US! We could only speak for a few hours late at night or early in the morning. There was also very little electricity and connectivity."

He began reaching out for collaborations. Aryaman's proposal won him funding from Lehigh Valley LaunchBox, an entrepreneurial program run by Penn State Lehigh Valley. After numerous trials and bug fixes, Aryaman replaced English with Hindi and created a Wi-Fi component so the devices could connect to the local hospitals. He has also been in talks with the UN to help take the device to other parts of India and the world.

Aryaman, who was named 2018 US Presidential Scholar and a Coca-Colar Scholar in 2018, went on to earn a Bachelor's of Science in Engineering in Computer Science from Princeton University. He went on to found ‘Stealth’ along with Harvard grad Dean Hathout.

Follow Aryaman Khandelwal on LinkedIn

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