Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveNeil Deshmukh: Using AI for a better world

Neil Deshmukh: Using AI for a better world

Compiled by: Team GI

(February 9, 2023) When he was 14-years-old, Neil Deshmukh wanted very much to keep his little brother out of his room and away from his Nintendo DS. He decided to build a face-recognition device that could recognise the difference between him and his brother and unlock the door accordingly. His ‘tinkering’ led to an app to help blind users identify objects, read texts and navigate their environment through AI. There has been no looking back since. Neil is the winner of the BioGENEius Challenge Award for his contributions to AI-driven healthcare and the Gloria Barron Prize 2019 for PlantumAI, an app to help farmers in developing countries identify and treat crop disease. He was also featured by TIME Magazine.

“I was just tinkering,” he said, in a Tedx talk in 2020. “I had no idea that trying to get my brother to stop stealing my stuff would launch an entrepreneurial programme in the technology capital of the world.” The true power of the AI algorithms, he worked with, only hit him when he was testing his app to aid blind people. When it was time to test the AI, one of Deshmukh’s teammates asked a volunteer from the audience to throw an object from across the room. A soft toy came flying at the stage, Neil recalls. The app took a picture instantly, saying, “soft toy on a tiled force.” At that moment, the young Global Indian understood the power of the technology he held in his hands.

Neil Deshmukh

BayMax to structure healthcare

In 2019, Neil bagged the BioGENEius Challenge Award for the BayMax, a device to help “augment doctors around the world.” Having seen relatives in India struggle with access to healthcare, Neil wanted to be part of the solution. Although the World Health Organisation recommends a doctor-patient ratio of 1:1000, many underdeveloped countries come nowhere near the ideal number. This includes parts of India, which Neil has seen firsthand.

It inspired him to build BayMax, an AI healthcare system that automates medical analyses to make it more efficient for doctors to conduct their treatment. “They can go to an area with a complete list of analyses for every patient,” he says.

The device, which costs around $150, conducts a diagnostic baseline assessment. It takes five minutes to complete a myocardio, EKG, cognitive and symptomatic analysis and identify anomalies for easy treatment by doctors. The information is then stored in a file that ranks them based on level of risk. “It’s an AI-powered triage system,” Neil explains.

“One problem right now is that there is no way a single doctor can cover so many people. It’s a flip of the coin approach that decides who gets diagnosis and treatment.” This way, doctors can access complete patient lists upon arrival and treat those who are high-risk right away. The device works with a touch-screen that requires minimal interaction with the patient. “They put the clamps on for the EKG, tap the ‘heart’ button and it does the work. It uses the neural network on the device to conduct the analysis and runs it on the Raspberry Pi processor.”

PlantumAI

Built in app-form, Plantum AI helps farmers in developing countries identify and treat crop disease. It is aimed at allowing farmers to maximise yields, reduce the need for toxic pesticides and ensure a safe supply of food and water. The app uses AI tech and crowdsourced data that lets farmers process crop information. And all it requires is a photograph taken on their phone camera. It also runs offline, so it can be used with ease in remote areas.

Again, Neil was inspired by a trip to India, taken back in 2016. When he visited his grandfather’s farm, he learned how farmers are at the mercy of weather conditions and that they spray their crops with a pesticide cocktail to prevent disease. This was leading to the pollution of water bodies and groundwater as well. The app took Neil one year to develop and was field tested by plant pathologists at Akola Agriculture University in India.

“My interest also came through my robotics team in middle school,” Neil said in an interview. “A lot of my projects since have been about developing solutions for underserved populations detecting earthquakes with smartphones and healthcare that is driven by AI.”

The future of AI

Neil’s work has also made him sought after by companies around the world that are seeing to implement AI systems. “When I started out, AI sounded insane to 14-year-old me,” he said. “And it was only when I was testing my app to help the visually-impaired that I truly began to realise the true power this technology held.” He works with media companies and agricultural societies, giving them expertise on how to implement these systems and utilise AI efficiently.

Neil’s extensive work landed him seats at the top universities, including Caltech and MIT. He chose the latter, where he is currently a sophomore. In his free time, he enjoys being part of various clubs, cycling and unwinding through sport.

Learn more about Neil Deshmukh’s work on his website

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Published on 09, Feb 2023

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Indian-origin Laiba Basit sets Guinness record as the youngest female author to publish book series

(November 28, 2022) Laiba Abdul Basit remembers the very first book she ever read. "It was 101 Stories for Girls," she tells me. A prolific reader by the time she began school, the now eleven-year-old Laiba Abdul Basit entered the Guinness World Records in 2022, as the youngest female author to publish a book series in English, having brought out her second book at the age of 10 years and 164 days. The author of the Order of the Galaxy trilogy, Laiba broke the record held by Saudi Arabian author Ritaj Hussain Alhazmi, who was 12 years old when she published her series. Laiba is a girl of few words, pausing to write in her book from time to time as she speaks with Global Indian. She appears stoic even about her Guinness achievement, admitting later, "I don't know if I like being famous, really. I'm scared of cameras." The family was away on a trip in Calicut when they received the news. - "We went back home, to my father's ancestral home in Kerala and everyone was so happy. It was a very joyous night." Media attention was plentiful, thanks in part to Laiba's grandfather, who worked as a journalist

when they received the news. - "We went back home, to my father's ancestral home in Kerala and everyone was so happy. It was a very joyous night." Media attention was plentiful, thanks in part to Laiba's grandfather, who worked as a journalist in Qatar and talked about his granddaughter online.

[caption id="attachment_24767" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Laiba Abdul Basit, Guinness World Record holder[/caption]

A born wordsmith

Born in Kerala, Laiba grew up in Doha, Qatar, where her father, Abdul Basit, works in the oil sector and her mother, Thasneem Mohammed, runs a business. "I started writing through reading," she says. "My mother taught me the alphabet and how to read before I joined school." She's still a prolific reader, listing Enid Blyton, JK Rowling and Roald Dahl as her favourite authors. Her grandfathers, KM Abdur Raheem and Mohammed Parakkadavu were cultural and social activists in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

By the time she was in the first grade, she began writing herself, scribbling short stories, ideas and phrases in a notebook, and even on pieces of paper that she stuck to the walls of her house. "I was in first or second grade when I decided to write my own stories," Laiba says. "I showed my teacher some of the short stories and she told my parents about it. After that, my parents started taking an interest."

Penning her success

When the first lockdown was imposed in 2020, Laiba switched to typing instead and finished her first book, 'The War for the Stolen Boy'. It took her about a year and a half to write. The series tells the story of four siblings who go out on intergalactic adventures. "I was inspired by writers like Morgan Rice and JK Rowling to do my own thing," Laiba remarks. "I had also developed an interest in astronomy at that time. Since I didn't know much about space, I thought I would go with fantasy.

When The War for the Stolen Boy was complete, Laiba and her father approached a university press in Doha. Unfortunately, the publishing process had slowed down due to the pandemic. "I found out about Kindle direct publishing and three hours later, the book was ready." The second book was taken up by Dr Sabrina Lei, Director of the Rome-based Tawasul Europe Centre for Research and Dialogue. "It took me about six months to write. I remember finishing it at 4 am and rushing to wake my father to tell him. He thought he was having a dream," she laughs. The third book in the series, The Book of Legends, was published by Lipi Publications.

Looking ahead

[caption id="attachment_24769" align="aligncenter" width="744"] Laiba was recognized by the Indian Embassy in Doha[/caption]

The Guinness World Record holder is already working on her fourth book, an epistolic novel about two friends who live sixteen hours from each other. The story is told entirely through their letters and she is looking for international publishers. All this is made possible by her parents, who have been extremely supportive of their daughter. "They deal with all the documentation and everything required for publishing. They help me edit my novel as well," Laiba says.

In her free time, she enjoys roller skating, these days inside the apartment as FIFA fever grips Doha. What does she want to be when she grows up? "Math is my favourite subject," she says, thoughtfully in response. "I want to keep writing but I would also like to try something new." Breaking into a grin and finally giving me a glimpse of the child within, she adds, "I want to be a leader when I grow up. I want to be President."

Check out Laiba's series, Order of the Galaxy here

Naren Manikandan: Indian-American teen solving neighbourhood parking problems with Parkware

(July 12, 2024) "Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you, and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use." This quote by Steve Jobs resonates the most with Indian-American teen Naren Manikandan who at the age of 16 took it upon himself to find a solution for the growing issue of a lack of parking due to smaller driveways, narrow roads, and insufficient supply to maintain the demand in his neighbourhood. "Parking is a huge problem in Birkshires in Morrisville, North Carolina and I often heard my parents discuss it at home. That's when I realised that there are so many unused parking spaces that can be used efficiently to overcome the problem," Naren tells Global Indian. This led him to build Parkware, a parking solution for neighbourhoods nationwide that don't have access to extra parking lots and face severe restrictions based on city/town regulations and home construction. "The app connects homeowners with unused parking spaces with residents needing parking spaces for local events like parties, and birthdays," the 17-year-old reveals. [caption id="attachment_38601" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Naren Manikandan[/caption] Love

reveals.

[caption id="attachment_38601" align="aligncenter" width="457"] Naren Manikandan[/caption]

Love for building things

Hailing from Tamil Nadu in India, his parents, who are nurse practitioners, moved to the UK where Naren Manikandan was born. At the age of six, he and his family relocated to Tennessee in the US which he called home for several years before moving to North Carolina. "Obsessed with Lego while growing up, I always found myself building things. But once an uncle of mine introduced me to Quantum Mechanics which sparked my interest in astrophysics initially and eventually transformed into a love for computer science. I was intrigued that I could do so much with a computer," he says, adding, "I once tried to automate my blinds through my Arduino set. It was a fun project."

Growing up, he loved creating ideas, refining them, and eventually building them. It was online resources that came to his rescue and he learnt a great deal from them. "I also joined a Robotics team in school that helped me pitch ideas to businesses and developed speaking skills as well as creative thinking. Eventually, everything led up to Parkware - an idea I was holding onto for a long time," adds the rising 12th grader at Research Triangle High.

The journey of Parkware

He explains that in Morrisville the land is expensive, thus leading to smaller size homes with a limited parking space. "At times, we borrow parking spaces from friends but I wondered why we should restrict it to just friends. Before Covid, our community and neighbourhood hosted many events, and people would easily give their unused parking spaces to others. But Covid changed it all. We saw less sharing and fewer community events," says Naren, who values a strong sense of community. "It greatly helps the person organising an event. For me, it's a sort of public duty. It's not just about providing a solution but also helping neighbourhoods support each other."

[caption id="attachment_38602" align="aligncenter" width="698"] Multiple cars parked on the sidewalk in his neighbourhood[/caption]

Having seen the problem from close quarters, he knew that the neighbourhood was in dire need of a solution. It was in the summer of 2023 that Naren started working on Parkware, leveraging his programming knowledge to build the application. He began by asking neighbours on WhatsApp group chats about their parking woes and conducting surveys on parking needs. "This helped me understand the issue better and identify potential solutions. It was Airbnb's model that rang in my head while looking at this problem - this could be an Airbnb for parking. During vacations or office hours, many parking spaces are unused, so why not divert them to people who need them during those times?" he explains. By August 2023, he had the app ready to be tested in his neighbourhood and gather some feedback. "This year we got the opportunity to present it to the local government," shares the proud teenager.

Currently operational in his neighbourhood in Birkshires, the app is available on Android and iOS. "If you have an event coming up, you can raise a parking space request by providing details about the date, time, and number of spots required. People near the location will get a notification about the request, an can offer their free parking spaces," explains Naren, emphasising that it's an on-demand service. People don't need to list their parking spaces on the app; instead, they receive notifications through an event link shared by the event organiser. "You don't necessarily need to install the app. You can visit our website to create a link, and share it with your neighbourhood through WhatsApp or Facebook, which is later updated on the provider's end."

During this over-a-year-long journey, Naren had his moments of self-doubt and was constantly distracted by new ideas. "Being persistent was one of the biggest challenges. You can explore new things but it's equally important to stay focussed on something you are truly passionate about until you see some results." It was a sense of duty that kept Naren pushing forward because he knew the problem still existed. "There was a purpose driving me. I knew I could make an impact since it's an issue in my neighbourhood."

[caption id="attachment_38603" align="aligncenter" width="789"] Naren Manikandan pitching Parkware to the Morrisville Smart City committee[/caption]

Future plans

Ask him about the revenue model, and the teen is in two minds. "We could either adopt a commission-based business model where the organiser pays the provide for the parking spot, and we take a commission. Or we could position this as a community service project to help neighbourhoods, with the potential of local government involvement later on."

Naren plans to expand Parkware to cities and towns across the US facing parking problems. "As a community-based project, we can propose Parkware as a solution to local governments in cities with parking issues and potentially integrate it with any existing apps. Moreover, we can target committees and city planners looking for solutions," says Naren, who envisions the app being used beyond neighbourhood parking for events like sports games. "Often sports stadiums have expensive parking fees but nearby neighbourhoods have open spaces that could be used for overflow parking." Expanding to India is on his agenda, with modifications tailored to local needs. "I have a lot of connections in India, plus I visit it a lot."

[caption id="attachment_38604" align="aligncenter" width="605"] Naren presenting at the Emerge Conference after receiving 1st place in the Thinkubators competition[/caption]

With his eyes set on a major in computer science, Naren wants to continue building projects. Taking inspiration from the biographies he reads, he has realised "whether its apps or inventions or innovations, they are done by people who are exactly like you. Everyone starts from basics and nothing is unreachable. You can make a difference."

The teen, who practices Kalaripayattu, an Indian martial art, and also plays basketball, advices youngsters to stay focussed. "It's not a straight path, and don't expect it to be. But if you stay consistent you will get somewhere. Don't just keep looking at the results but also look at your progress. If you have a good purpose, keep going," he signs off.

Follow Naren Manikandan on LinkedIn

Youngest author to land a book deal, Schwarzman Scholar Manthan Shah is a fountain of ideas

(April 10, 2022) He's among a small handful of non-Ivy League students to bag the prestigious Schwarzman Scholarship for 2022-23. A quick Google search throws up headlines like, “Three Princeton graduates” and “Four Stanford grads.” Still, Manthan Shah arrives at our video call surprised. “I don’t understand why you want to write about me,” he quips. “There are many better people...” His modesty is misplaced. At 22, Manthan boasts a long list of achievements – he’s a national-level table tennis champion, the youngest Indian to win the Spartan Trifecta, a global endurance challenge and the youngest writer to sign with Penguin Random House for his book, Unstoppable, a collection of stories on young Indians who have defied the odds on their journey to success. In August, Manthan will begin his year-long master’s in global affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing’s Forbidden City. Manthan has also had his own podcast from the age of 19. On Planet Impact, he interviews social entrepreneurs across the world. [caption id="attachment_14637" align="aligncenter" width="650"] Manthan Shah[/caption] Entry to The Forbidden City At 22, Shah speaks with a wisdom that far belies his age, brought on, maybe by years of disciplined, athletic training as a table-tennis player.

han Shah[/caption]

Entry to The Forbidden City

At 22, Shah speaks with a wisdom that far belies his age, brought on, maybe by years of disciplined, athletic training as a table-tennis player. and of having to rethink his dreams when his peers were just beginning to form theirs. The Schwarzman Scholarship, Manthan tells Global Indian, came almost out of the blue. A student at SP Jain School of Global Management (Mumbai), it was the unerring faith his dean, Professor Golo Weber, instilled in him that pushed Manthan to apply - he put together his application, statement of purpose and video essay in under a week.

His application was among 400 selected out of 3,000 for an interview round held in Beijing, London, New York or Singapore. The interview, Manthan admits, was quite formidable, with a panel of CEOs, former prime ministers, heads of global companies like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Stanley, and parliamentarians. Asked how he would bring nations together in a polarised world, he said with aplomb, describing what he calls the “Pearl Harbour moment,” which redefined the course of the Second World War. “In terms of the climate, we have Pearl Harbour moments every day and still, we refuse to act.” Unsurprisingly, his master’s programme will focus on achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

[caption id="attachment_14633" align="aligncenter" width="516"] Manthan with Professor Golo Weber[/caption]

“People have prepared for years for this,” Manthan remarks. “I just happened to get an email from my Professor Golo, with a list of scholarships he thought would suit me." With the deadline so imminent, Manthan didn't think he stood a chance, although his professor disagreed. “I had two weeks, I procrastinated for one,” he laughs. “But my professor helped me with everything - the essay prompts, my CV and best of all, a glowing letter of recommendation.” That two-page letter is now framed on his bedroom wall. His editor at Penguin Random House and his boss, Shuva Raha, Head of New Initiatives at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water also chipped in at once. "They are the three busiest people on earth but they did it immediately,” he grins.

The early years

Born and raised in Ahmednagar (120 km from Pune), Manthan was six when he played his first game of table tennis. Very soon, he found he was beating people twice his age. “At 10, I begged dad to move us to Pune. Luckily, he listened to me,” Manthan says. He moved to Pune with his mother (his father remained in Ahmednagar to run the family business). Thus, began of a life of athletic rigour and discipline. Home-schooled to enable training - it involved seven hours a day, six days a week –fitness for an hour, training for two, meditation, journaling, more training, and yoga.

His efforts paid off. He represented India as Under 18 team captain at the Pacific School Games in Australia. In India, he led the Maharashtra team to two golds, the individual and the team medals, at the School Games Federation of India National Championships 2014-15. Although he was enrolled at Symbiosis School (Pune), but had “a deal with the principal,” as was playing most of the time.

[caption id="attachment_14631" align="aligncenter" width="553"] At the Pacific School Games in Adelaide, Australia[/caption]

At first glance, it seems like a journey filled with triumphs. Manthan disagrees. “It was the tail end of a bell curve,” he says. “There were sparks of achievement in between many, many failures.” His relationship with his coach was an unhappy one and there were infrastructure constraints. “I would have had to go to China or Germany. I couldn’t have stayed in Pune,” Manthan says, adding, “It didn’t seem worth the trouble, it seemed like an endless struggle for mediocrity. You work so hard with no assurance of success.”

The road less travelled

Thus, taking a step back, at 17, from his dream of being an Olympian, he recalls, “I felt like I wanted to make things easier for young Indians and hit the pause button on table tennis.” Instead, Manthan took a gap year, worked for some non-profits (Teach for India, the Akanksha Foundation, and local orphanages). He started his own organisation too, reaching out to children with potential, creating a network to connect volunteers with various NGOs.

It takes some prodding before Manthan opens up about the toll that a gap year took. He recounts a dreamy, Kerouac-like experience of hitching rides and sleeping anywhere (including a temple) as he travelled across India. “I was angry and resentful and travelling without a plan,” he admits as he evaluated career avenues, and how to find success. “I was looking for books to motivate me but there was quite a dearth,” Manthan remarks, adding. “A lot was written by older people who said vague things like ‘dream big’ and ‘think positive.’ In America, they wrote about Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, whose stories can never be compared with ours.”

[caption id="attachment_14632" align="aligncenter" width="759"] Manthan Shah in 2019, became the youngest Indian to win the Spartan Trifecta[/caption]

So, “as a young, overconfident Indian, I decided to write my own book.” A two-year diploma (remote) in creative writing later, he learned to tell a story. “It was all very textbook. Then I did a six-month course at Georgetown University, under Dr Eric Koester, who helped me write the first few chapters.”

The Council on Energy, Environment and Water

Failures are just stepping stones for Shah, so when his intern application at CEEW didn't amount to anything - he invited the CEO, Dr Ghosh to be on his podcast, with a passing mention of his application. Far from sitting neck deep in research, Manthan found himself consulting ministers, reaching out to parliaments and working with the United Nations. “My personal project was to interact with the heads of all the smart city projects,” he says, adding, “I was talking to heads of major conglomerates, including JK Cements and ITC on how they were reducing carbon footprints.”

The book, Unstoppable, was also unfolding. An author on his podcast connected him to an editor. Comparing offers from Westland and Penguin Random House, two proteges (both older), who were learning about podcasts, helped him create a “mind-map” of people to feature.

[caption id="attachment_14636" align="aligncenter" width="682"] Hosting his podcast, Planet Impact, in Ahmednagar in 2021[/caption]

Thrilled at a book coming out, he confesses he is not in a hurry to write a second. “The research took months to complete, the writing took two years. Also, there is nervous anticipation. I worry about how many people will buy my book,” he mulls.

Still unconvinced about his worthiness, Shah speaks with gratitude and fondness about those who stood by him. “I am where I am because of all the strangers who championed and honed me,” Manthan smiles. “I’m a vessel for the support and encouragement they had - strangers, my parents, brother, teachers and Dr Ghosh. I’m merely a sum of their contributions.”

Follow Manthan on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 6 min

Anurudh Ganesan, the young innovator revolutionising the healthcare world

(March 30, 2023) Almost every year, over one million kids die as a result of not getting vaccinated on time. The unavailability of vaccination transportation and storage facilities in several developing parts of the world has proven to be fatal for those who cannot afford expensive healthcare institutions. While the world leaders are still discussing the issue, a young innovator - Anurudh Ganesan - has been working tirelessly to resolve the problem in his backyard. At just 15, Anurudh 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), and can also keep the temperature consistent for several hours at a stretch. Living in Clarksburg, USA, the young innovator's VAXXWAGON is inspired by the problems faced by healthcare workers who have to transport vaccines to the remotest corners of the world. After working on the prototype for several years, the youngster came up with a machine that would require only 2.3 watts of energy to cool a well-insulated cold

tPdf/11314" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VAXXWAGON is inspired by the problems faced by healthcare workers who have to transport vaccines to the remotest corners of the world. After working on the prototype for several years, the youngster came up with a machine that would require only 2.3 watts of energy to cool a well-insulated cold chamber. "In this day and age, nobody should die from vaccine-preventable diseases," the innovator believes, "I’m committed to seeing this project through to the next phase. I will have succeeded when the first person’s life is saved because of VAXXWAGON.”

Destiny's child

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. "I was fortunate," he told Global Indian, adding, "For many, that trek to be vaccinated is a matter of life and death." Anurudh was able to receive the vaccine the next day but realised that so many others aren’t as lucky, with 4,000 children dying every day from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Always the one to raise important questions and come up with innovative solutions, he recalls asking his father when he was five years old, about inventing a vehicle that doesn't need gas. Anurudh 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.

What an idea

It was while he was working on a school project that the young innovator got the idea for VAXXWAGON. He read several textbooks to learn everything he could about refrigeration, then he did research online to learn more about vaccines. Next, he began formulating his ideas on paper. Rather than relying on electricity or ice, Anurudh figured out a way to use wheels to power a refrigeration system for about eight hours. The entire rechargeable cooling system can be pulled to areas in need of vaccines by bicycle, car, or animal.

However, there was a loophole in his design that he not only identified but also managed to fix. To be safe and effective, vaccines must maintain a "Goldilocks temperature" between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius — similar to a very cold refrigerator — from the time they leave the manufacturers to the moment they reach the patient. Hospitals will package the vaccine on ice, but this can easily backfire if the ice is too cold and freezes the vials, or if it melts before the vaccine reaches its destination. "I took a refrigerator apart," the innovator recalled, adding, "I saw how it worked and tried to re-engineer it so that it used no electricity and no ice to provide accurate refrigeration of vaccines while in transport." All this, in roughly $100.

Eventually, Anurudh took his design to professors at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland for advice. Not only did they confirm that VAXXWAGON could work, but they also offered Anurudh funding to help build it. To test the prototype he had built, the innovator ran the VAXXWAGON on a treadmill at eight miles per hour for six hours — racking up the energy to power the refrigerator — and let it rest for nearly five hours to collect data while the compressor wasn't being powered. In this simulated last leg of the trip, the fake vaccines maintained a temperature in the Goldilocks ranges for over four hours.

The road ahead

After nearly two years of refining a half-dozen prototypes, Anurudh has a patent pending for his latest design of VAXXWAGON now. He has won several awards for his innovation including Google Science Fair and also got a chance to demonstrate the working of the machine to US President Obama at the annual White House Science Fair. However, his main priority at this time is to start selling the machine to relief organisations by the end of the year so it can be used to help people around the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnDevi9r0hM

“In my mind,” the innovator said, "my design will be a success as soon as it saves even a single life. If it can save one life, it can save many more.” Currently, pursuing a finance degree at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Anurudh's message to the other young innovators is quite simple. "Don’t give up on your ideas. But always try to help others with your projects. That’s the point of innovation - to help people."

Follow Anurudh Ganesan on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 6 mins

MechaCrop: Aryan Rajavanshi uses AI and Machine Learning to improve farmers’ lives

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+

age-35610 aligncenter" src="https://www.globalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2024/02/WhatsApp-Image-2023-10-28-at-22.26.13.jpeg" alt="Aryan Rajavanshi | Global Indian" width="553" height="415" />

“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.

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