Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveShattering boundaries: Illinois student Sirihaasa Nallamothu is an inspiration for young girls

Shattering boundaries: Illinois student Sirihaasa Nallamothu is an inspiration for young girls

Written by: Team GI Youth

(May 23, 2023) While people her age were busy making trending reels on TikTok, a young teenager from Illinois was busy getting inspired for her next project on the platform. A student of University High School in Normal, Sirihaasa Nallamothu‘s spirit was ignited by a serendipitous encounter with a TikTok video. She then embarked on a profound journey to research about Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) – which is a condition that causes a number of symptoms when you transition from lying down to standing up, such as a fast heart rate, dizziness and fatigue – and its elusive association with syncope prediction, including when the patients might faint or blackout.

Student | Sirihaasa Nallamothu | Global Indian

After several weeks of research and study, the Global Indian was able to make a breakthrough, winning the prestigious Cutler-Bell Prize in High School Computing, which empowers students to pursue computing challenges beyond the traditional classroom environment. Sirihaasa, who has also received a cash prize of $10,000 for her project, is the first person to undertake such a groundbreaking initiative, which in her words, “propelled her into uncharted territory by amassing invaluable human subject field data from individuals afflicted by POTS.”

But, that’s not all that the young student has achieved. Sirihaasa also founded Girls Who Code and Dream Coders clubs at her Middle school, for the other young girls who wanted to have a career in the software industry. Fueled by an unwavering passion for coding, she embarked on a transformative journey, not only as a dedicated instructor but as a visionary architect of a comprehensive coding curriculum that propelled her peers into the realm of technological prowess.

A science prodigy

Born to Telugu immigrants from Andhra Pradesh, Sirihaasa has always been the top student in her class. While she was always inspired by her software engineer parents, it was a school friend, who first introduced the young student to computer science and she was immediately enthralled by the subject. However, a disheartening reality came into focus for a young visionary, making her aware of the major lack of support for girls who wanted to learn to code.

Thank you @NCWITAIC and @BankofAmerica for an amazing award weekend. I’m so honored to have received the national award and represent the @IllinoisCS NCWIT chapter. I’m grateful to have met so many inspiring people! A truly awesome community of women in #tech! pic.twitter.com/4A06Scthbe

— Sirihaasa Nallamothu (@sirihaasa) March 21, 2023

Not the one to give up, Sirihaasa embarked on a remarkable journey, delving deep into the intricacies of coding languages and processes. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python became her companions as she honed her skills, unveiling the boundless potential that lay within her. The young student realised the urgent need to create a programme that would empower young girls in their middle school years, inviting them to explore all facets of computer science. Teaming up with her local library, the student started a groundbreaking computer science programme.

Through the sheer force of her passion, the student undertook the role of a mentor extraordinaire, guiding her eager students along the winding path of coding. Drawing inspiration from the world around her, she orchestrated captivating coding classes, serving as a beacon of knowledge, and illuminating the minds of these young girls. But her impact extended far beyond the confines of the classroom. Interestingly, her programme didn’t just impact the other girls, but also their parents, who joined her classes eventually.

The Dream Code Project

In 2021, Sirihaasa started another programming course – the Dream Code Project – teaching girls in grades 5-11 across the country Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Java. Aiming to simplify complicated programming languages into easy-to-understand simple lessons, the young student met with the participants once a week for around one-and-a-half to two hours. “I encouraged the girls to reach out to me even after the programme session ended,” shares the student, adding, “They asked me various computer science questions and code bugs/errors.”

Eventually, the student managed to expand the community and impart the invaluable knowledge of coding to more than 250 young girls, fostering an enriching environment that sparks their intellectual growth. The community also organised bonding sessions, where the participants shared their stories, hobbies, interests, and more. Sirihaasa also exposes girls to role models in STEAM through the Sisterhood Spotlight, so they can see trailblazers in STEM. The youngster received the prestigious Get Involved Award for her initiatives in 2021.

Sirihaasa started researching the POTS in 2022, and after doing substantial research was able to write a Python script to extract the 15-minute window signal data of heart rate, blood volumetric pressure, EDA, temperature, and accelerometer data. According to the Cutler-Bell Prize statement, the young student’s research, “is providing a starting point for future research into real-time prediction and integration into a smartwatch, which will help millions who experience vasovagal syncope research a safe and comfortable position before fainting.” After finishing her project, Sirihaasa plans to work toward creating a consumer product and pairing her algorithm with a smartwatch.

Follow Sirihaasa Nallamothu on LinkedIn and GitHub

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Published on 23, May 2023

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Manvi Tiwari: Turning lived experiences of OCD and anxiety into survival strategies for people with mental health issues

(January 24, 2023) “One in seven people worldwide deal with a mental health issue. I am one of them,” remarks Manvi Tiwari. Turning her adversity into advantage, the nineteen-year-old youngster has built her identity as a well-known mental health activist. She was one of the youngest speakers at 2022’s World Health Summit held in Berlin, Germany in October. She began writing - describing her own experiences with mental health, which she sent out to online media platforms. That grew, leading to full-fledged activism and global collaborations for the teenager. [caption id="attachment_26828" align="aligncenter" width="604"] Manvi Tiwari[/caption] One significant association includes the Global Mental Health Peer Network (GMHPN). Based out of Johannesburg, South Africa GMHPN reaches out to people in 30 countries with the agenda to create a network of experts with lived experiences to be on board of initiatives to combat the global challenge. Manvi has been the country executive of India for GMHPN. “I am associated with a lot of projects on mental health and coincidentally most are based in Europe,” says the Kanpur girl, who has been pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Mumbai over the last two years. Global associations Manvi is associated with Women in Global Health (WGH),

ca GMHPN reaches out to people in 30 countries with the agenda to create a network of experts with lived experiences to be on board of initiatives to combat the global challenge. Manvi has been the country executive of India for GMHPN.

“I am associated with a lot of projects on mental health and coincidentally most are based in Europe,” says the Kanpur girl, who has been pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Mumbai over the last two years.

Global associations

Manvi is associated with Women in Global Health (WGH), a women-led movement challenging power and privilege for gender equity in global health. Another association has been working as a lived experience expert for MQ Mental Health Research, an organisation working to identify world-wide longitudinal datasets that can be best used to advance the understanding of how brain, body and environment interact in the trajectory of anxiety, depression and psychosis.

The teen is also part of a collaborative initiative of London-based The McPin Foundation and British magazine, Economist Impact for a project titled the ‘Common Metrics in Mental Health (CMMH) Programme’. “I’m on the advisory board for this much needed project,” she tells Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_26829" align="aligncenter" width="973"] Manvi Tiwari with delegates at World Health Summit in Berlin[/caption]

World Health Summit in Berlin

As representative of Global Mental Health Peer Network, Manvi got the opportunity to represent the organisation and be a speaker at World Health Summit, co-organised by WHO and GMHPN. High profile participants from across the globe, including presidents and prime ministers of several countries were part of the summit. “I remember seeing the presidents of France and Germany at the breakfast table,” recalls Manvi. There were other dignitaries like Dr Mansukh Mandavia, minister of health and family welfare, Dr Amar Patnaik, member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, and UNICEF representatives from several countries.

It was a ‘surreal experience’ for the teen, being a member of the panel that included representatives from the health ministry of Egypt and director of non-communicable diseases and mental health, WHO. This was also her first foreign exposure, as well as her maiden attempt at speaking on such a large platform.

She was nervous at the start but soon found her feet. “To my surprise, many people whom I met at the World Health Summit knew me already.” One such person was Dr Shubha Nagesh, heading the South Asia region of Women in Global Health. “She just walked up to me and said, ‘you are Manvi Tiwari, right, I have been looking for your number for quite some time’,” recalls Manvi. Having admired Dr Shubha Nagesh, Manvi was pleasantly surprised to learn that Dr Nagesh was following her work too. Today, Manvi is part of Dr Shubha’s project – Women in Global Health.

[caption id="attachment_26833" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Manvi Tiwari with panel members of her session on mental health at World Health Summit, Berlin[/caption]

Manvi’s lived experiences

“I am a lived experience expert. It means an expert who has experienced mental health issues,” tells Manvi. She wasn’t even a teenager yet when she first began dealing with mental illnesses like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression. “I was 11 or 12 when my mother was diagnosed with OCD and depression. Right now, there is lots of awareness about mental health but that time it was close to zero. I remember how I used to search for keywords on the internet to find a solution to my mother’s problems, but was led to concepts like superstition to describe her situation.” It took time for Manvi and her family in Kanpur to realise that the condition that her mother has been suffering from was a mental health issue and that there are specialised doctors to treat her condition.

“Even today there is a very niche audience comprising youngsters, well-to do people, or those staying in metro cities who are aware of what mental health means. Outside of these segments, most people remain unaware, like we were eight years ago in Kanpur,” she remarks.

With psychiatric interventions, Manvi’s mother’s condition gradually started to improve and has shown drastic progress since. Her mother, Manvi says, showed great determination, handling her job as the principal in a government school, taking care of a family of four and working with psychiatrists at the same time to lift herself out of her mental health situation.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Manvi_Tiwari_/status/1585967392202821633?s=20&t=mswgfaY1oPePLO6R0ejeaw[/embed]

Manvi had a great role to play in her mother’s successful journey. She often found herself talking and behaving like a therapist around her parent. However, as her mother began showing signs of improvement, Manvi began to develop OCD and anxiety herself. “I did not share it for long with others except my family,” she says. Her teachers noticed a change in her behaviour and asked her what had happened. She was reluctant to talk but as they persisted, she began to open up.

“I still have OCD moments; I still get anxiety. I still seek help from professionals but I am more or less cured,” says the activist, who has been using her personal experiences to help others transform their lives. “My source of strength is certainly my mother,” she smiles.

“Even now just because I speak regularly about it, it’s still hard to speak about my experiences, but a person gradually adapts to the condition. And there are forces that compel me to speak for benefit of others,” she tells.

Speaking out is important

Manvi had written the first-person account of her entire journey of helping her mom deal with her OCD and depression, experiencing it herself and rising above it. The purpose was to help de-stigmatise mental health ailments and make people understand that they should not be ashamed of it.

“If first person accounts of mental health struggles had been available to me when I was 12-years-old, I would have had more clarity and been less scared,” she says. “The lack of voices of lived experiences compelled me to write down my thoughts,” she adds.

[caption id="attachment_26839" align="aligncenter" width="577"] Manvi Tiwari speaking at World Health Summit, Berlin[/caption]

Manvi wanted people with mental health issues to know that many others are going through the same condition and it is absolutely possible to come out of the situation with help from experts.

When the teenager started writing, she had approached several digital media platforms to publish her work and is grateful to organisations like Livewire and iViva who published her thoughts. “When positive feedback started pouring in with people thanking me for sharing my story, my fear of how people would react slowly vanished. Sharing became quite empowering,” tells Manvi.

The course of life

While Manvi was sending her first-person account to different media platforms, she sent it to the Global Mental Health Peer Network as well, mistaking it for a media house. However, this error proved to be a boon, changing the course of her life. “The non-profit organisation, which works with people with lived experiences, approached her and made her the country executive of India. Thus began her journey of global collaborations.

The multimedia and mass communication student wishes to pursue a career which is at the intersection of her degree in media studies and passion for mental health. Writing a book on her lived experiences is also one of her future goals.

Follow Manvi Tiwari on Twitter and LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

Kiara Nirghin: Indian-origin South African fighting drought through innovation

(July 5, 2023) At the age of 13, Indian-origin South African Kiara Nirghin found herself confined to a hospital bed for over a year due to droughts as she was diagnosed with Bilharzia, a parasite-induced disease and a few months later with bacterial meningitis, inflammation of the membranes surrounding brain and spinal cord. It was also the onset of one of the worst droughts in South Africa, and unable to attend school, Kiara spent hours writhing in pain. "I remember lying in the hospital bed and thinking to myself if this is the immense pain that my mind can endure, just imagine the possibilities if this powerful machine is used for something more productive," she said on her TEDxPretoria talk. Those months in the hospital were spent not only on self-reflection but also understanding the power of knowledge and putting it to use to find solution for bigger world problems. This powerful through process and months of experimentation led to the solution to the problem of drought by developing a cost-effective "super-absorbent polymer" that helps soil retain water. The invention won the Stanford graduate the 2016 Google Science Fair, and also got her a place on Times 30 Most Influential

Most Influential Teens list.

[caption id="attachment_31612" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Kiara Nirghin[/caption]

Growing up in the town of Alberton with her three other siblings, Kiara was always interested in science, especially chemistry. As young as seven, she would experiment with vinegar and baking soda solutions in plastic cups in her kitchen. "My natural curiosity and questioning nature have sparked my everlasting love of science," she said in an interview.

She was keen to look for potential solution to problems, and one such issue that she couldn't turn a blind eye to was drought. South Africa was experiencing a severe drought, and it was agricultural areas that were massively hit, leading to a decrease in agricultural production and a rise in food prices, affecting both farmers and consumers. Seeing the worrisome situation, Kiara took it upon herself to find a plausible solution. Despite much effort, she did come across many stumbling blocks initially until she saw her older sister change her baby daughter's diapers. "I was surprised how much liquid a low-cost diaper could absorb. These are what called superabsorbent polymers which are essentially powders which can retain large amount of water relative to their weight. And if applied to the soil of a plant, when rain does fall, create a reservoir of water and through a period of droughts would allow the plants to sustain its life," she added.

[caption id="attachment_31613" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Kiara Nirghin[/caption]

Upon research, she found that such solutions were already applied to the agricultural industry, however, they were non-bio degradable, chemical-based and expensive. "We had a possible solution that was not solving the problem. So, I decided to emulate a commercial SAP but make it biodegradable and make it low-cost, ultimately looking at my solution to the problem," said United Nations Young Champions of the Earth who came up with a superabsorbent polymer made from waste products like orange peels and avocado skin. Her invention increases the chance for plants to sustain growth by 84 percent during a drought and can increase food security by 73 percent in disaster-struck areas.

In 2021, she partnered with an international agricultural firm, to bring her product to market that's set to revolutionise water conservation and sustain crops through periods of drought, thus increasing food security across the globe. "I like to think of the issues of the world as problems that have not yet been partnered with a solution," she added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_U7PfFpHSo

A champion of girls in STEM, Kiara believes in crucial representation in fostering a positive environment in STEM. "I always get asked why girls should get involved in science and technology? And I always answer the question by saying, ‘Why should they not?’ Suppose we’re trying to find a solution to curing cancer, and you bar women from science fields. In that case, you’re already decreasing the ability to find that solution by 50 percent because fewer people are thinking about it," she told Mission.

The 23-year-old took up Computer Science in Stanford University "to understand how we can leverage artificial intelligence technology and bio computation to solve large-scale problems." This led her to co-found Chima in 2022 to power scalable generative AI for the world's most important institutions. Over the years, Kiara has moved towards inventions and work that provide solutions. "For me, it started on that hospital bed when I realised I have a machine in my brain just as powerful as my favourite scientist and if they can use it to do amazing things, so can I."

Follow Kiara Nirghin on LinkedIn

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In tune with Indian beats: Singaporean Chinese dancer’s Bharatanatyam journey

(March 26, 2023) Arangetram, the debut stage performance of Bharatanatyam dancers is a common affair but it made headlines in Singapore when Soo Mei Fei gave her first stage performance. With her one-and-half hour eclectic presentation, she not only made her gurus proud but also enthralled audiences who were watching a Singaporean Chinese female dancer perform Bharatanatyam for the first time on stage. In two years of her much-talked Arangetram, the twenty-six-year-old danseuse has carved a niche in the performing arts circuit of Singapore, becoming a familiar face in major events and festivals. "I'm blessed to learn Bharatanatyam," she said in an interview. "It's such a beautiful art. It's not been an easy journey but it has been extremely fulfilling. I want to train more,” she added. [caption id="attachment_28765" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Soo Mei Fei | Photo Credit: Apsara Arts[/caption] It all started when… Soo Mei Fei was seventeen, she and her classmates at National Junior College of Singapore came across a poster that read, 'Indian dance, try-out'. Fascinated by the world of Bollywood, fourteen of them, mostly non-Indians, got interested thinking that the advertisement is about Bollywood dancing. However, much to their dismay, it turned out to be an Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam - something that they had neither heard of nor were able to pronounce correctly. All the youngsters dropped the idea of learning except Soo Mei Fei, who was intrigued by the dance form. She enrolled in the extra-curricular class,

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[caption id="attachment_28765" align="aligncenter" width="593"] Soo Mei Fei | Photo Credit: Apsara Arts[/caption]

It all started when…

Soo Mei Fei was seventeen, she and her classmates at National Junior College of Singapore came across a poster that read, 'Indian dance, try-out'. Fascinated by the world of Bollywood, fourteen of them, mostly non-Indians, got interested thinking that the advertisement is about Bollywood dancing. However, much to their dismay, it turned out to be an Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam - something that they had neither heard of nor were able to pronounce correctly.

All the youngsters dropped the idea of learning except Soo Mei Fei, who was intrigued by the dance form. She enrolled in the extra-curricular class, and within a few days, she was completely captivated.

The urge to know all about the oldest dance form of India got stronger by the day. The youngster found herself spending hours in major libraries in and around Punggol, where she lives, devouring all the information that she could gather on Bharatanatyam. Watching performances extensively on YouTube to ace the craft became a favourite past time.

Learning from Vijaya Nadesan, her teacher at the extra-curricular class who also taught in Apsara Arts, a leading dance academy in Singapore, Soo Mei Fei enrolled at the academy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxAQej97w_o&t=51s

However, she had to deal with her own set of challenges in the process. Often taking more time than her Indian counterparts to grasp what was being taught, Soo Mei Fei also struggled to understand the lyrics of the Carnatic songs on which Bharatanatyam is performed. It was Google Translate that came to her rescue. With teachers also making extra efforts to help her, the youngster slowly started getting a grasp.

The dance academy required her to learn for two hours, but Mei Fei would spend the entire day watching other pupils and teachers dance, getting completely immersed in the world Bharatanatyam, enhancing her skills along the way.

Over the course of time, whether it was hastas (hand gestures), sthankas (leg and foot movement) or abhinaya (expression of emotions), the Singaporean Chinese dancer aced all, attaining perfection with her sheer dedication.

Connecting with the Indian culture

In the last decade, Soo Mei Fei has not just learned Bharatanatyam but also understood about the culture of India.

Today it’s hard to miss the Singaporean Chinese dancer even in a crowd because of her attire – the colourful Indian saris that she often adorns. While learning how to tie and carry herself in a sari was difficult initially, she is now an expert in it.

[caption id="attachment_28764" align="aligncenter" width="832"] Soo Mei Fei | Photo Credit: Kaya, a publication of Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Singapore[/caption]

Due to her facial features, which are different from her Indian counterparts, Soo Mei Fei had to also put additional efforts to teach herself the make-up requirements that is pivotal to Bharatanatyam performances. “Most of my friends had their mums to help them get dressed but I had to learn lots of things on my own getting valuable tips from my friends and teachers along the way.”

The dancer devours Carnatic music. “It’s very rich. The lyrics and melody have a lot of meaning behind it. I understand the songs because I feel it,” she says. Since 2018 she has been also learning Odissi, another ancient Indian dance form.

The course of life

Indebted to her gurus for recognising the spark in her and working very hard to train her, Soo Mei Fei’s world revolves around Bharatanatyam. Other than the performances, her work as instructor at children's enrichment centres and dance academies in Singapore keeps her busy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g8vwRKYJ6Q

“Art should not have boundaries. It’s a great learning experience to know more about another culture that is different from us. In doing so, we discover that we are more similar to each other than what we thought,” she remarks.

Follow Soo Mei Fei on Facebook

Reading Time: 5 mins

Little Miss Sunshine: Teen invents ‘solar cycle’ as a cost-effective irrigation solution

(May 29, 2022) Working on a Miyawaki forest plantation drive near Kommasandra Lake in Bengaluru, 16-year-old Rachanaa Bodugu realised she had been mistaken in thinking farmers have an easy job. There’s usually no electricity during the day, for starters, which means pumping water into the fields is a challenge. “Electricity is mostly available in the night time and farmers struggle to irrigate their crops,” says the teen, who is a class 11 student at Indus International School. A little digging showed that agricultural processes are not water-efficient, leading to sky-high energy bills for farmers. “Irrigation by manual methods is very laborious,” Rachanaa tells Global Indian. “I was compelled to come up with a solution.” [caption id="attachment_17286" align="aligncenter" width="613"] Rachanaa Bodugu[/caption] Eco-friendly solution “It is a step towards sustainability and effectiveness of farmers,” Rachanaa remarks, adding, “during the plantation of 2,000 plants for Miyawaki forest, I realised how much manual labour goes into watering the plants.” She started researching ways to water plants more efficiently. Trawling through the internet, she hit upon an idea, and backed every step of her innovation with reliable research. It is an unusual model that the teen came up with – a three-wheel cycle that runs

">“It is a step towards sustainability and effectiveness of farmers,” Rachanaa remarks, adding, “during the plantation of 2,000 plants for Miyawaki forest, I realised how much manual labour goes into watering the plants.” She started researching ways to water plants more efficiently. Trawling through the internet, she hit upon an idea, and backed every step of her innovation with reliable research. It is an unusual model that the teen came up with – a three-wheel cycle that runs on solar panels. Once the design was ready, she fine-tuned the idea with her mentor, Anand Malligavad, under whose guidance she had been working to rejuvenate Kommasandra Lake and reviving the fauna around its lakebed.

[caption id="attachment_17287" align="aligncenter" width="798"] Rachanaa giving finishing touches to her innovation - the solar cycle[/caption]

Her mentor, Anand, is a mechanical engineer and a lake conservationist – well qualified to give Rachanaa the feedback she needed. Her cycle is fitted with a drum, a pump and has solar panels installed on top. It doesn’t require fossil fuel to run and can pump water from a nearby source. “Madhusudhan, an acquaintance, helped me with the solar panels,” says Rachanaa. Using funds provided by her parents, the teen set to work on a cost-effective prototype.

“The protype has been tested successfully and I am hopeful for CSR funds so that more and more farmers can be helped,” she tells.

Finding the path

Spending about four months in lake rejuvenation and revival of fauna around it sparked Rachanaa’s mind with great insights. “I was intrigued by Anand sir’s initiatives of lake revival, and joined him out of curiosity,” She went expecting a laidback cleaning drive but was impressed to find the team using highly scientific methods. “Those few months spent making a difference around Kommasandra Lake were a great learning opportunity,” she smiles.

[caption id="attachment_17288" align="aligncenter" width="747"] Kommasandra Lake in Bengaluru[/caption]

Triggered by her own hardships, her vision to help farmers in and around Bengaluru is commendable, given her age. "My innovation would make life not only less laborious but more convenient for them as they would not feel compelled to work at night when electricity is available, losing their sleep and making themselves prone to injuries in the dark," she believes.

[caption id="attachment_17290" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Rachanaa with her mentor, water conservationist, Anand Malligavad[/caption]

Rachanaa finds inspiration in Anand, whose work fills her with desire to be of more help to the people at large. “He has been impressively rejuvenating so many lakes in such a short time and that too without spending much money,” says the youngster, who aspires to be an entrepreneur and remain attached to the cause of saving the environment. She also loves spending time with her parents Sudhakar and Geeta and her brother, Krishna, as well as painting, sculpting, watching YouTube and Netflix.

Follow Rachanaa Bodugu on Instagram

Reading Time: 5 mins

Indian teen painter Semmozhi – A creator-preneur who has six million followers

(January 7, 2022) As a five-year-old, N Semmozhi would be immersed in sketching and painting for hours. Random drawings but immensely creative. An image in her head would be put to paper. Some made sense, others did not. Now 16, Semmozhi is one of those creative bees who has a rare quality of dreaming her painting, and then painting that dream. The teen content creator is self-sufficient, not dependent on parents for pocket money as her artwork has already made her an independent artist. She has six million-plus followers of her art page -- Art and Soul -- on Trell today. “Content creation is all about bringing your ideas to life. Sometimes we have something in our heads, but have trouble translating that on paper. My content helps me visualise what I see,” smiles the 16-year-old. For the girl with a penchant for imagery, an artwork is the representation of an artist’s soul. “From colour combinations, loose strokes of brush and little shades in the corners. That's what Art and Soul is about,” informs the youngster, in an interview with Global Indian. When art came a-calling Born and brought up in Chennai, Semmozhi was always curious with an enduring passion

s, loose strokes of brush and little shades in the corners. That's what Art and Soul is about,” informs the youngster, in an interview with Global Indian.

When art came a-calling

Born and brought up in Chennai, Semmozhi was always curious with an enduring passion for art. “My father realised my talent early, enrolled me in art classes. Art grows within you and I am the evidence of it,” smiles this 11^th grader at Union Christian Public school in Chennai. Her mother is a chartered accountant and CFO at a hospital, and her father runs a garment chain.

Her journey of converting art from a hobby to a career has been exhilarating. Early this year, she started uploading artworks on social media with the handle “artandsoulby semmu” and within a couple of weeks, a video went viral. “Seeing social media’s potential, I joined Trell in July to create more videos on arts and crafts to share my passion with the world,” informs Semmozhi, quoting Pablo Picasso, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life...”

[caption id="attachment_9388" align="aligncenter" width="271"] An artwork by N Semmozhi[/caption]

How she reached six million

With tips from masterclasses with content experts, Semmozhi was off to a flying start. Her followers kept increasing by leaps and bounds, and soon crossed 6 million. “I wanted my content viewers to create something similar (to her artwork) that is still uniquely theirs,” quips the creator-preneur, who confesses that initially she was scared whether she could pull it off.

Her art speaks for itself - From landscape painting to skyscapes to a perfect moon light painting to charcoal shading of stones lying on the seashore, she does it effortlessly. She can come up with lightning clouds, a 3-D chair and even a resin comb in a matter of minutes. “The pandemic only had a positive impact on me and helped me bring out my artistic skills. Online classes gave me sufficient time to hone my craft and the support from my family made it even easier to focus on my passion,” says the immensely talented content creator who calls herself a perfectionist.

Paying it forward

The first pay cheque is cherished, especially as a teenager. It was no different for Semmozhi. And no, she didn’t use it on gifts for family or herself. The 16-year-old donated her first earnings to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Covid relief fund. Not satisfied, she handed over her second salary too. The gesture was well-appreciated from all quarters more so as her contribution was personally accepted by minister for school education, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. “People of my generation are quickly becoming agents of change and am elated to actively be a part of this movement,” feels the teenager who says earning makes her responsible.

The eleventh grader aspires to direct innovative box-office reality shows in future. “Equipping the basic qualities of an artist and learning the hardships of making money in the course of my career has taught me that people with real skills need to be treasured and provided with opportunities,” says Semmozhi, a huge fan of reality shows.

[caption id="attachment_9390" align="aligncenter" width="498"] An artwork by N Semmozhi[/caption]

Interestingly, for her CBSE main board exams, Semmozhi opted for painting as her major paper. This despite her peers and other people advising against it. “I found it hard to cope with the drawing syllabus since it involved mural traditions, temple architecture, Warli Art and post-Mauryan trends in Indian art and architecture, caves and sculptures. Later, I realised that not only did it make me better at details, I also found an affinity to learn the most boring subject of all time -- history,” smiles Semmozhi, whose school provided her expert coaching as the only student who opted for the subject.

When not creating content, Semmozhi loves to dance and cook. “Becoming an artist has been my childhood dream but I do like to dance all my worries away,” signs off Semmozhi, whose favourite Global Indian is Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo.

Reading Time: 6 min