Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusivePoorna Malavath: Indian mountaineer conquering the summits of seven continents

Poorna Malavath: Indian mountaineer conquering the summits of seven continents

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(June 30, 2023) “I climbed Everest because I wanted to prove girls could do anything.” This is what Poorana Malavath said after scaling Mt Everest at the age of 13. She scripted history by becoming the youngest Indian and youngest girl in the world to scale the world’s highest peak. But that was just the beginning for this 23-year-old tribal girl who went onto complete the Seven Summit Challenge in 2022, by summiting all seven peaks in all seven continents.

Poorna Malavath

How the tribal girl fell in love with mountaineering

It was in Palaka, a village in Nizamabad district of Telangana, that Poorna was born to parents who were farmhands. Being a tribal girl, Poorna did not have access to resources needed for mountaineering nor did she have the inclination to become a mountaineer, because it was something she couldn’t even fathom in her wildest dreams. In her community, educating girls was a rare phenomenon, and even if some did attend school, they were pulled out as soon as they hit puberty as it was time to get them married. But her father Devidas Malavath wanted to educate his daughter and give her wings to fly, so he encouraged her to join Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) when she was ten. “Stepping out of my village gave me opportunities I didn’t even dream of. In my new school, I felt like a newborn butterfly emerging from her cocoon,” she said in an interview.

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It was at TSWREIS that she was selected for a mountain climbing workshop, something that was set to change her life forever. Seeing her athletic prowess, thanks to her years of playing kabbadi and volleyball, her teachers and mentor Dr RS Praveen Kumar, the retired IPS officer who was keen to give TSWREIS schools a makeover, saw her potential. He encouraged her to climb the Bhongir rock in Telangana. Fear took over her for the very first time as she saw herself making the climb uphill, but once she made it to the top, she had also conquered her fear. It was exhilarating, and that very moment she knew she had found her calling, and started training with Shekhar Babu, a professional mountaineer.

Youngest girl in the world to scale Mt Everest

Three years into her training, she scaled the Mount Everest at the age of 13, thus becoming the youngest Indian and youngest girl in the world to scale the summit. “The snow-clad Himalayan ranges were breathtaking. I could see all the camps as well!,” she told The Hindu. Though achieving the feat was thrilling for the then teenager, she had to face many difficulties. “The winds were pretty harsh and it was also bitingly cold. Moreover, during the expedition, we had to eat packaged food which was not easy to digest. I was as frequently throwing up whenever I was given food in those sealed bags as the smell was unbearable for me,” she told a daily. But what disturbed her the most was seeing dead bodies of the climbers on her way to the summit. It was the second time in her life that she felt fear, understanding the fragility of life. But everything was worth it as she raised Indian flag on the world’s highest peak. “The satisfaction of all the hard work I had done along with quietness and peace filled me.”

However, scripting history wasn’t easy as she underwent eight months of training, wherein she was sent to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. It was here that she climbed Mount Renock which is 17,000 feet. She then trained in Ladakh where she was accustomed to sub-zero temperature of -35 degree Celsius. Seeing her endurance levels, she was sent on the Everest expedition.

Seven summit challenge

After climbing Mt Everest, she was keen to complete the Seven Summit Challenge. This led her to climbing Mt Elbrus in Russia which stands at an elevation of 5,642 m and later Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania which is 5,895 m in height. In 2019, she climbed Mt Vinson in Antarctica. And by June 2022, she had scaled all seven peaks in all the seven continents with Mt Denali (the highest mountain in North America) being the last peak that she summited. “It was a very different experience for me because every mountain has its own difficulties. The journey to Mt. Denali was more difficult than Mt. Everest. I have to train for two-three months. I had to work very hard. I had to work on my diet and exercise regularly. Climbing Mt Denali was very tough but my passion took me on the top,” she said.

Poorna’s incredible achievement of .conquering all seven peaks across seven continents stands as a testament to her unwavering determination and indomitable willpower. Her journey exemplifies the belief that nothing is impossible when you set your mind to it. Her story serves as a reminder that with perseverance and a strong will, we can overcome any obstacle and reach the summit of our aspirations. “Taking the first step is the best way to overcome your fear and march towards your goal.”

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Published on 30, Jun 2023

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An Ayush Bharat makes changemaker Gharat aid frontline workers & code solutions

(April 28, 2022) Watching his pulmonologist uncle at the forefront during Covid work tirelessly, 18-year-old Ayush Gharat was deeply affected by what he saw – his uncle’s never say die attitude, the plight of frontline workers who put their health and that of their families at risk to treat the Covid inflicted and the stress they experienced. “When the pandemic had kicked in, equipment and facilities were scarce and information was inadequate. The demands on frontline workers were enormous, especially at a time when they needed empathy the most. Many like my uncle moved their families to distant locations out of fear of infecting them due to nature of their jobs. I could feel that all this was affecting frontline workers’ emotional well-being. I was worried, and this was why I started Aashwas to bring a smile to the faces of these unsung heroes,” says the changemaker in a interview with Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_15645" align="aligncenter" width="506"] Ayush Gharat, changemaker and innovator[/caption] The young changemaker and teen innovator, who has developed two apps, positively impacted 5,200 frontline workers, and raised ₹7 lakh Covid relief funds. He has presented his work at the international youth conference, where he represented India as

"759" /> Ayush Gharat, changemaker and innovator[/caption]

The young changemaker and teen innovator, who has developed two apps, positively impacted 5,200 frontline workers, and raised ₹7 lakh Covid relief funds. He has presented his work at the international youth conference, where he represented India as the 1M1B youth ambassador to showcase the work the youth has been involved in, during the pandemic. He also received Young Achievers Award by Indian Achievers Forum 20-21.

Assuring happiness and empathy

Ayush and his team (a mix of his friends and volunteers) virtually conducted fun and entertaining events like antakshari, scavenger hunt, quizzes and comedy events, across Covid hospitals in 80 cities of India, in a bid to relieve stress. The project was aptly named Muskaan as the purpose was to bring in smiles. The funds raised were used to donate 3,500 PPE kits, snacks and soft drinks for 4,000 healthcare workers at St John’s Hospital, Bengaluru.

“Talking to my uncle, I understood what healthcare workers were going through. They were risking their lives to protect others against the virus,” he adds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1bIBUvpO40

Ayush has also been showing gratitude and empathy to frontline heroes through his advocacy on Aashwas’s social media platforms so that people are able to go beyond their problems to the plight of healthcare workers. “I even collaborated with a healthcare magazine (Inflame), and conducted interviews of how professionals have been coping with the pressure during the pandemic, and their advice on staying safe,” says the changemaker.

Strategies to serve

His pulmonologist uncle has been a mentor and guide helping him with feedback from professionals on initiatives laid out. Later, Ayush started reaching out to medical associations through social media, and managed to gain the attention of the Indian Medical Association too. He collaborated with its Maharashtra and Punjab chapters and impacted 20 hospitals staff with project Muskaan - encouraging frontline workers to bring their families to these virtual extravaganzas so they can spend some fun times together.

Even as frontline workers grappled with long hours and busy schedules, he persuaded the management to believe in Aashwas team’s intent and capabilities of putting up a good show, albeit an uphill task.

Leveraging technology for larger benefits

The class 12 graduate of Head Start Educational Academy, Bengaluru is a passionate coder, and has developed two android apps prior to his Aashwas initiative. “I have always been a techie and that’s why I plan to pursue computer science,” says he adding that the process of studying abroad is underway.

[embed]https://twitter.com/_AyushGharat/status/1124728734211137537?s=20&t=g_cPw9_1MqXhrqjP1gITaQ[/embed]

“I have been learning coding through YouTube, Coursera etc since I was seven,” says the changemaker who designed his first app mNutrition while studying in grade nine. It can diagnose malnutrition in children, and it earned him international acclaim as a regional finalist from the Asia-Pacific region at the Google Science Fair 2018-19. Ayush has been named by Indiatimes as one of the ‘14 Young Innovators whose ideas can save the world, and make it a better place’. His second app Medrive, enables patients with chronic illnesses to store medical records online.

Inspirations and more….

The young changemaker’s parents, Leena Gharat (dentist), and Aniruddha Gharat (businessman) are his inspirations. “I have always looked up to my dad. He is very cordial and amiable. Looking at the relationship and bond he creates with people, I would like to emulate his persona,” says Ayush.

[caption id="attachment_15654" align="aligncenter" width="493"] Ayush with his family[/caption]

In awe of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, he gushes, “The entrepreneur and radical visionary is doing inspirational work to change the world for the better.” Aspiring to be an entrepreneur himself, away from his social initiatives, and coding, strumming the guitar is a stress buster, and he plays tabla as well. “I used to be shy and introverted. Aashwas helped me to come out of my comfort zone, gain confidence and grow as a person,” smiles the effervescent Ayush.

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Reading Time: 5 mins

Joy Agrawal: Diana awardee making STEM education and entrepreneurship accessible to the underprivileged

(July 14, 2023) "I was over the moon," says Joy Agrawal, the teenager who found himself on the Diana Award 2023 winners list. The 17-year-old from Nagpur is making a difference with Project Gyan, an initiative that was birthed in 2020 to help impart practical STEM education to underprivileged kids. Three years in, the changemaker is keen to revolutionise the world through space technology, global education, and global studies. "More than validation, Diana Award is a motivation for me. What we do is different and amazing, and I strive to find solutions through space technology, engineering, and policy," Joy tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_31874" align="aligncenter" width="562"] Joy Agrawal is the founder of Project Gyan[/caption] Project Gyan - that changed it all Project Gyan seeks to mentor students in STEM and help them develop curiosity and long-lasting interest in asking the big questions. Joy was all of 13 when he had an epiphany while sitting for the Homi Bhaba exam in 2019 - the underprivileged students have no access to practical labs. A thought that kept him awake for weeks. He understood his privilege of having access to all the resources, while the disadvantaged had no money to even order science

f 13 when he had an epiphany while sitting for the Homi Bhaba exam in 2019 - the underprivileged students have no access to practical labs. A thought that kept him awake for weeks. He understood his privilege of having access to all the resources, while the disadvantaged had no money to even order science kits. This problem found a solution in Project Gyan. "It's an effort to help quality STEM education reach the young minds through practical and application-based education, focusing on the underprivileged children," adds the changemaker.

But in the last year, Project Gyan underwent restructuring, making it the world's first decentralised STEM and entrepreneurship exploratory. "It's like a lab where you can go explore anything and everything," reveals Joy, for whom explorative education is the focus. He partnered with Padma Shri Dr Prakash Amte's Lok Biradri Prakalp and Bridge The Gap Foundation to help educate rural and tribal kids through workshops and unconventional experiments. "We have a different perspective on experimentation. We mostly use things that are available in the kitchen, making it easier for kids to understand things. We don't just focus on Chemistry but the Physics behind the experiment."

Along with STEM education, Project Gyan has expanded its mission to entrepreneurship by exposing the elderly in rural and tribal areas of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to practical entrepreneurial education and converting them into nano-entrepreneurs. Project Gyan is currently working with the Bharia tribe from Madhya Pradesh which still uses a barter system to make ends meet. "Since they are poor and don't use any currency, they log wood from the valley of Patalkot, thus negatively impacting the environment. So we intervened and now teach them sellable skills like painting, pottery, clay art, and candle making, thus helping them make products and sell them," adds the changemaker.

In partnership with Patalkot Tribal Community Welfare Organisation and Serendipity Lakes and Resorts in Tamia, Madhya Pradesh, Project Gyan is helping the women of Dhundi Shekhar, a village in Tamia, to make Kulhad Battis (candles in small pots), aiming to equip them with skills necessary to create and sell these candles. "The final products are sent to the Serendipity Lakes and Resorts where they are put on display for the visitors, who eventually end up buying the products, thus helping these women earn a livelihood," reveals Joy, adding that according to the 2011 National Innovation Report over one lakh, unique inventions were made by tribals across India, something that's still not known to the public. "I understood that rural and tribal people are jugaadu (make shifter) in India, and I wanted to empower such people through Project Gyan so that they learn to market and sell their innovations." He credits his core team - Gurleen Batra, Mehak Chokhani, Tanmay Agrawal, Prisha Prasad, Pranjal Prasad and Sonit Sisolekar - for their hardwork and determination in making Project Gyan a success.

Love for space tech

The Bareilly-born is a space tech enthusiast who has always been fascinated by the outer world. However, it was a telescope gifted by his parents that piques his interest. "For a year, I'd sit every day gazing at the stars or looking at the asteroids. But with time, it became less frequent. However, lockdown changed it as the sky was clear again," says the Centre Point School student who discovered two asteroids in 2021 as a part of Spaceport India Asteroid Search Campaign in association with Hardin-Simmons University Texas.

Making an impact through STEM

While the telescope turned out to be a game-changer for him in the world of space, it was a robotics course that made him fall in love with technology. Over the years, this led him to be selected by Peace First, the world's largest incubator for youth-led social change initiatives, for a project grant. "It's a mini-grant for projects along the lines of social change. I won $250 with which I started Project Gyan in 2020." Started during the pandemic, he initially needed no funds as live workshops for the underprivileged kids were happening virtually.

Being the vice president of the Interact Club at his school, Joy came in touch with the Rotary Club and zeroed in on an institution that has many underprivileged kids. "I began with a 1–2-hour class every Saturday wherein I performed experiments and explained concepts. Later, I expanded Project Gyan to four more schools in Nagpur and two tribal schools in Maharashtra," adds the changemaker who provides kits to schools for students to get hands-on experience in science practical. "I love science, and I understand its potential. I want these kids to explore their potential through Project Gyan," says Joy, who is now working with a team that looks into distribution and planning, maintaining the website, social media, and creating videos.

What was earlier a two-month program has now turned into a year-long curriculum, thanks to the overhaul of Project Gyan - which now includes STEM education and entrepreneurship. "We wanted a holistic approach." Having seen his mom always helping people, this feeling of giving back was inculcated in Joy at a very young age. For him, Project Gyan is very personal since it's named after his grandmother. "Another reason I ventured into it was guilt. Seeing others who don't have enough resources eats me up, while we have so many opportunities. I want to bridge that gap."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q6JhvjVoc4&t=528s

Future plans

Joy, who is currently in Class 12, has plans of pursuing a double major in computer science and international relations or public policy from the Ivy Leagues. "Working with the UN is my dream. But at some stage, I would want to launch my start-up in space tech," says the teenager, who calls himself a "changemaker who wants to create an impact through STEM".

At 17, Joy is busy creating social impact, and the teenager advises youngsters to "not follow the herd. Instead, explore your niche. Don't replicate another person's journey. Do your thing and only then you will be able to make a difference."

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Reading Time: 5 min

Manya Harsha: The eco-warrior turns vegetable waste into paper, saving millions of trees

(September 17, 2023) When most of the people were busy making Dalgona coffee in the lockdown, the then 10-year-old Bengaluru-resident Manya Harsha had turned her home into a mini laboratory where she spent hours looking for ways to turn vegetable waste in eco-friendly handmade paper. Passionate about environment, her green initiatives have been appreciated by the United Nations-Water. "I celebrate every day as Earth Day. I believe it's our responsibility to look after our surroundings and nature," she said in an interview. [caption id="attachment_33099" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Manya Harsha[/caption] Just when the world had come to a standstill, Manya, who has been a champion of environment, dived deeper to find a solution to saving trees. Around 15 billion trees are cut each year to make paper, and Manya was determined to find a way out. Despite several initial hiccups, she was able to devise a novel method through which she could produce 2-3 A4 size sheets by using 10 onion peels. The process was tiresome as her first attempt turned out to be a complete failure, but she persisted and kept improving the technique until she could make sheets in varied colours and patterns. "Recycled paper reduces energy and helps stop

turned out to be a complete failure, but she persisted and kept improving the technique until she could make sheets in varied colours and patterns. "Recycled paper reduces energy and helps stop deforestation. With around 1.3 billion population, India generates an average of 1000 gms of kitchen waste per day, if everyone starts recycling vegetable peels into paper, each one can contribute to the lessening of Ecological crisis," reads one of her Instagram posts.

Growing up amid the lush greenery of her grandmother's home in Bengaluru, Manya felt closer to nature. But seeing waste pollution as a constant menace, she started raising awareness on environment preservation. "Born in Bengaluru, I see the beautiful Garden city slowly transformed by heaps of garbage dumped on the roadside and how the quantity of waste is increasing every passing day has been a matter of huge concern. This scenario always had made me think for a permanent solution as to how the flower and plant waste can be utilized in an eco-friendly manner," she said.

As young as eight, she started raising awareness through blog and poetry. She understood the power of words, and ended up authoring five books on environment and nature. While she kept relentlessly championing for environment preservation, she took it a notch higher when she made handmade paper from vegetable peels. "Making one paper a day keeps deforestation at bay, in my opinion. It’s an easy sustainable option to wet waste management," she said in an interview.

In 2020. she was awarded for her project SUNSHINE, an eco-friendly initiative, where she created DIY vegetable paper to promote environment awareness among kids. So far, she has produced over 300 sheets of colourful paper made from vegetable waste. "Instead of chopping trees for paper, let's recycle the kitchen waste to eco-friendly vegetable paper. Let's all together join hands to restore our earth," Manya said, adding, "8 trees are sacrificed for 1000 pounds of paper! Now with around 8-10 onion peels, I can make 2-3 A4 size papers. A 1/2 kg of Peas husk can make 3 A4 size sheets! 2 -3 baby corn husk makes around 2 A4 size sheets! These colourful vegetable papers are just like any other handmade paper. You can write, draw, paint, fold and create art out of it."

The Water Heroes awardee in 2020 by the ministry of JAL Shakthi, Manya is also the editor of her kid's journal Sunshine Fortnightly. Moreover, she received the India Book of Records for being the youngest to write a book on nature. "I believe nothing in this world is a waste until you consider it one."

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Reading Time: 4 min

Word Wizards: Indian-American kids dominate the Spelling Bee hall of fame

(June 13, 2023) Balu Natarajan made history in 1985 as the first Indian-American child to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Since then, the Indian-American community has displayed remarkable dominance in the competition. Despite constituting only around one percent of the United States population, Indian Americans have claimed 27 Spelling Bee championships, including the most recent victor, Dev Shah, since 1999. [caption id="attachment_31021" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Indian American Dev Shah became the latest winner of Scripps National Spelling Bee[/caption] What's intriguing is that Pawan Dhingra, a sociology and American Studies professor at Amherst College, attributes the success of Indian Americans at the Scripps National Spelling Bee to their families' unwavering dedication to investing the necessary time and resources in preparing their children. Dhingra, in The Conversation, noted that these children not only excel in spelling but also demonstrate outstanding abilities in subjects like geography, mathematics, and other academic competitions. Global Indian proudly showcases the achievements of a few Scripps National Spelling Bee champions who have brought honor to our community. Dev Shah Join us in giving a big round of applause to Dev Shah, the newest spelling sensation who's already taking the world by storm at just 14 years old. Nailing

/em> proudly showcases the achievements of a few Scripps National Spelling Bee champions who have brought honor to our community.

Dev Shah

Join us in giving a big round of applause to Dev Shah, the newest spelling sensation who's already taking the world by storm at just 14 years old. Nailing the word “psammophile", which means an organism that thrives in sandy soils, the youngster walked away with a cool $50,000 cash prize from E.W. Scripps Co, the bee's sponsor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT8sBEylnZg

Hailing from Largo, Florida, Dev faced some tough competition, especially from fellow eighth-grader Charlotte Walsh, who came in second place. It all came down to the wire in the 14th round when Charlotte stumbled on "daviely," a Scottish-rooted word for feeling listless. That's when Dev saw his chance and seized it. A student at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle School aced the word "bathypitotmeter" in that same round. But according to the spelling bee rules, he needed to spell one more word correctly to be officially crowned the winner. And boy, did he deliver. Cue the confetti as Dev was crowned the ultimate champion. Way to go!

The champion also scored additional monetary prizes and some top-notch reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster.

Harini Logan

Picture this, the competition dragged on for almost 20 grueling rounds until it finally reached a lightning round, where the top two contenders faced off in an epic spelling battle. They had a mere 90 seconds to correctly spell as many words as humanly possible. And guess what? Harini Logan totally rocked it, nailing a whopping 21 words.

Her competitor, Vikram Raju, another student of Indian descent in Grade 7 from Denver, could only manage to spell 15 words correctly, which sealed Harini's epic victory. After clinching the title, Harini, during a chat with the media, spilled the beans on her dedication to the bee. "I’ve been working towards the bee for almost six to seven years. Since I was in first or second grade. Spelling is something that sticks with you for life. Once you get into this journey, there’s a dedication you develop along with a work ethic. There’s also an added skill of networking for the bee."

Karthik Nemmani

The super chill eighth-grader from McKinney, his laid-back 17-year-old came into the Bee through this new program called RSVBee, where spellers who didn't snag a regional bee win or didn't have a sponsor still get a chance to compete with the best of them. Now, here's where things get intense. Karthik found himself in a nerve-wracking showdown against another Indian-American whiz, Naysa Modi. It was a real nail-biter. But then, plot twist—Naysa tripped up on "Bewusstseinslage," and that opened the door wide open for Karthik's victory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_yW6j2gN1w

For his epic spelling skills, Karthik snagged a cool 40,000 USD prize and a snazzy trophy from the Scripps Bee, sponsored by the EW Scripps media group. But wait, there's more! He also pocketed 2,500 bucks from Merriam-Webster, the dictionary publisher, and some other fabulous prizes.

Karthik had to nail two words correctly to secure the title, and he aced them with ease. As the confetti rained down on him, the teenager stepped back and flashed a big ol' grin. His winning word was "koinonia," which means Christian fellowship or communion. Talk about a sweet victory! When asked about it, Karthik coolly remarked, "It was just an adrenaline rush. I had confidence, but I didn’t think it would really happen."

Nihar Saireddy Janga

Get ready to be blown away by the incredible story of Nihar Saireddy Janga, the spelling prodigy who snatched the Scripps National Spelling Bee title at the tender age of 11 back in 2016. This little dude from Austin, Texas made history!

Nihar almost clinched the victory not just once, but twice during the championship rounds. How? Well, let us tell you. Another speller named Jairam Jagadeesh Hathwar also rocked the stage and ended up being declared the co-winner of the title. Talk about intense competition. But, here's what makes Nihar super cool. Instead of just asking for definitions like a regular speller, he had a unique way of doing things.

No doubt, Nihar became an absolute favorite of the audience. Everyone was rooting for him, and it's no surprise why. This young spelling sensation knew how to make his mark in the Bee in the most laid-back and memorable way possible. "I am just speechless. I can't say anything. I am only a fifth grader," Nihar said with the trophy in his hand, as he attributed his success to his mother. "My mom. It's just my mom," the Spelling Bee champion said.

Ananya Vinay

Ananya Vinay totally rocked the competition in 2017 and made history as the 13th Indian-American in a row to win the whole shebang. This 12-year-old superstar from Fresno, California, was on fire. She showed little emotion and wasted no time as she breezed through word after word. It was like she was on a mission, no messing around! But here's the best part. Ananya had her own style when it came to asking questions. Picture this: she would just blurt out questions without much intonation, like "Part of speech?" or "Language of origin?" Straight to the point, no beating around the bush. That's how she rolled, and it clearly worked like a charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwum9Gox1d4

Unflappable to the end, Ananya seized the opportunity when her steely opponent, Rohan Rajeev, flubbed a simple-looking but obscure Scandinavian-derived word, “marram,” which means beach grass. She calmly nailed two words in a row, ending with “marocain,” which means a type of dress fabric of ribbed crepe, to win the 90th Scripps National Spelling Bee. “I knew them all,” Ananya said, after winning the trophy, adding, "It’s like a dream come true. I’m so happy right now.”

Reading Time: 6 mins

Young Global Indians leading social change through innovation

(December 29, 2022) "The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible - and achieve it, generation after generation," remarked the American writer and novelist, Pearl S. Buck. Her words continue to ring true - young people are bringing their innovative spirit to tackle the world's problems. Global Indian looks at young innovators from India and the diaspora whose brilliance, innovation and empathy are creating ripples of positive change in an afflicted society. Global Indian takes you through some of the top young innovators of 2022. Zain Samdani [caption id="attachment_17918" align="aligncenter" width="426"] Zain Samdani[/caption] As a 15-year-old visiting India from Saudi Arabia, Zain Samdani had no idea that this family vacation was set to change the course of his life. A meeting with his partially paralysed distant maternal uncle left him “shocked.” In the era of technology, seeing his uncle dependent on others for every small thing was nothing short of a horror. That encounter nudged this robotics enthusiast and innovator to develop Neuro-ExoHeal, an exoskeletal hand rehabilitation device that utilises neuroplasticity and Azure technology to help patients with neurological damage recover faster at an affordable price. The innovation not only left Google CEO

eting with his partially paralysed distant maternal uncle left him “shocked.” In the era of technology, seeing his uncle dependent on others for every small thing was nothing short of a horror. That encounter nudged this robotics enthusiast and innovator to develop Neuro-ExoHeal, an exoskeletal hand rehabilitation device that utilises neuroplasticity and Azure technology to help patients with neurological damage recover faster at an affordable price. The innovation not only left Google CEO Sundar Pichai impressed but also made the 21-year-old win Microsoft 2022 Imagine Cup World Championship, considered the ‘Olympics of Technology,’ with more than 10,000 participants from 160 countries.

Siddhartha Mandala

He was 12 when the infamous Nirbhaya rape case shook the nation in 2012. People took to the streets asking for justice, and his mom was one among them. Curious about the protests and confused about the word ‘rape’, Siddharth Mandala joined his mom for one of the protests. After surfing the internet, he understood the gravity of the issue and decided to do everything in his capacity to prevent sexual assault. This awareness led to the birth of Electroshoe, a small badge that can be clipped onto any footwear, or worn as a ring or pendant and can be easily activated during any threatening situation by pressing. “It pulls out two sharp pointers, mimicking stun gun’s mechanism, and pierces through clothing, and even skin to electrocute the attacker,” explains Siddharth who took two years to build a working prototype; and another three years to create a market-friendly product by interviewing over 500 women across India and California.

[caption id="attachment_20860" align="aligncenter" width="467"] Siddhartha Mandala[/caption]

Hari Srinivasan

Hari Srinivasan was first diagnosed with regressive autism at the age of three. From being a very active and social child, Hari suddenly became a crying, fussy baby who did not want to be around other kids. Some two decades later in 2022, Hari made history by becoming the University of California, Berkeley’s first non-speaking graduate with autism. And that is not all. With a 4.0 GPA, a major in psychology and minor in disability studies, Hari was also awarded the prestigious P.D. Soros Fellowship. The young graduate is now headed to Vanderbilt University for his PhD in neuroscience.

“There were several issues that my family and I faced due to my medical condition during the initial years. However, with the support of my family, I was able to break several stereotypes. Later, my faculty and peers at UC Berkeley helped me a lot on my journey," he said. The scholar, who is also a published poet, received the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. “I do have some time to come up with a research topic for my PhD,” Hari told Global Indian, adding, "My work will focus around the human nervous/sensory system. However, I am yet to narrow it down.”

[caption id="attachment_18246" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Hari Srinivasan[/caption]

Maya Burhanpurkar

Growing up as the climate crisis unfolds around them, young innovators around the world know that change lies with them. In 2013, on a trip to the Arctic, Canadian researcher Maya Burhanpurkar learned firsthand about the devastation being caused by climate change. "It struck me that the icebergs we were seeing could be some of the last anyone would ever see. And that it could be alarmingly soon," she told Global Indian. She got as much footage as she could of her surroundings, also interacting with the local community to learn how their lives had been impacted by the climate crisis. That resulted in 400 PPM, a documentary film with appearances by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, astronaut Chris Hadfield and the famed explorer Wade Davis.

As she watched her grandfather's condition deteriorate from Alzheimer's, a distraught young Maya wondered if she could help. She tested two drugs used in the early stages of Alzheimer's treatment on daphnia, a common species of waterfly. "“He was taking a lot of other drugs as well and I wanted to see how the cocktail was affecting his heart,” she explains. “I noticed the drugs regularised heart rate, whether it was high or low. I never followed it up in a more rigorous setting but it certainly was fascinating.” The experiment fetched her the top place at the Canada-Wide Science Fair, at which she is a two-time winner.

[caption id="attachment_16083" align="aligncenter" width="520"] Maya Burhanpurkar[/caption]

Now a Rhodes Scholar, Maya has done cutting edge research at Harvard University, where she graduated summa cum laude with highest honours, collaborated with University of Toronto and the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory. She is the winner of the Gloria Barron Prize 2016.

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