Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveSonit Sisolekar: The young volcanologist has his eyes set on the Moon

Sonit Sisolekar: The young volcanologist has his eyes set on the Moon

Written by: Charu Thakur

(October 7, 2022) Around 66 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous period, volcanic eruptions occurred at the Western Ghats, giving way to the formation of the Deccan Traps. For years, geologists have been intrigued by this formation, and some 12 years ago, a Pune boy, too, got hooked onto them. This interest led him to become India’s youngest volcanologist. This interest in volcanoes has given Sonit Sisolekar a chance to study the lunar surface, thanks to Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone 2023, a NASA-led competition. “Not many youngsters are into geology, but I love it. My tryst with volcanoes started at an early age, and I have been hooked since then. And now I am getting a chance to work on a LunaSat (lunar satellite) that can be sent to the Moon,” the 2021 Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar winner told Global Indian.

Growing up in Pune, Sonit and his father often visited one of the largest volcanic features on Earth, the Deccan Traps, which was only 50 km from the city, to see the lava flows. “I was three-four years when I first visited them, and it generated a sense of curiosity and got me hooked,” says the Aurangabad born. More such visits led to the collection of various rocks, high on basalt which is aphanitic and unique to the area. This tryst with geology kept Sonit fascinated, so much so that he attended an exhibition of rocks and fossils. “I learned a great deal about rocks, and knew that it was something that I was attracted to.” His interest was further cemented after taking part in a workshop on Earth Science by a local organisation in Pune. At age 11, he began reading geological research papers and found out about lava tubes. “They are natural tunnels within a solidified lava flow, which were earlier occupied by flowing molten lava. And I discovered two of them. This was the beginning of my research in geology,” adds the 15-year-old.

Volcanologist | Sonit Sisolekar | Global Indian

Sonit Sisolekar is one of the youngest volcanologists in India.

The discovery got him introduced to his mentor Dr Raymond Duraiswami, Assistant Professor at the Department of Geology at Savitribai Phule Pune University. “He is the first person I contacted after discovering lava tubes as he is one of the few geologists in India who have done a research paper on lava tubes in Deccan Traps. He found my discovery to be significant and recommended me research papers and journals on them,” says the young volcanologist who credits Dr Raymond for inspiring him and guiding him.

It was his mentor who nudged him to look beyond the Deccan Traps and do some research on lava tubes on the moon, called lunar rilles. “In simple terms, they are lava tubes with their roofs collapsed.” He began with the mathematical comparison between lava tubes and lunar rilles by juxtaposing the length, dimension, the slope of the two, and later presented the paper at the Lunar and Planetary Sciences Conferences at NASA in March 2021.

Volcanologist | Sonit Sisiolekar | Global Indian

Sonit Sisolekar has been working closely on the Deccan Traps

His love for studying volcanoes has helped him bag an opportunity to do the same on the moon, thanks to GLEE (Great Lunar Expedition for Everyone) 2023, a NASA-led competition. With 200 teams chosen from across the globe, the mission aims to send small satellites called LunaSats, weighing 5 grams, to the lunar surface to conduct research. While Sonit is heading one of the teams from Pune, the training for the same will begin in October, after which each team will decide the motive behind sending their LunaSat. Ask him if he were to make a decision now, what would he choose the motive to be, pat comes the reply, “research on lunar rilles (the channels formed due to lava flow). I am interested in studying the composition of the kind of volcanism that occurs on the moon and comparing it to the earth.”

This isn’t his first brush with the subject, as this August he successfully led one of the groups participating in the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) in Italy to bag a gold for a project on ‘Carbon sequestration in weathered rocks and its application in reducing global warming’. He even bagged two individual bronze medals, helping India show its best talent at IESO. In 2019, the teenager won big at the Cubes in Space competition by NASA for research on the possible role of ionising radiation in the reddening of Mars soil. “I had sent two samples – volcanic ash and powdered volcanic glass – to understand the effect of UV radiation on the sample, which was sent to space through a scientific balloon. It was proven in the mesosphere, it’s exposed to UV radiation which leads to reddening of the soil on Mars,” beams the proud volcanologist.

Sonit Sisolekar is keen to raise awareness on geology

For someone whose biggest challenge has been the lack of awareness on geology, he is keen on sharing his knowledge with other students through the Astronomy and Geology Awareness Tourism Education (AGATE) program. “I want to popularise astronomy and geology in rural areas, and I have started it this year only.” While the work on AGATE is in process, he is using Astro-Geo Club on WhatsApp to create awareness on the subject.

The Paradise English Medium School student is keen to pursue his passion for geology in the future and has plans of attaining a degree in the subject with a specialisation in volcanology. The Class 10 student has his hands full with research and studies, but he finds time to pursue his hobbies. “I am a tabla player who started learning at the age of five. Apart from this, I write stories and love to paint and draw.” The teenager who calls his parents the wind beneath his wings wants to create an impact by creating awareness of geology. For someone who is trodding a path less taken, he says, “you should have a sense of curiosity as it helps you achieve anything. Start wherever you are, rather than waiting for the right time,” he signs off.

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Published on 07, Oct 2022

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Voices from Ukraine: Young citizens Viktoria and Yevheniia share their thoughts on Modi’s historic visit to their country

(August 24, 2024)In the midst of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, PM Modi made a historic visit to Ukraine, meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This marked the first time an Indian prime minister has visited Ukraine since the two countries established diplomatic relations over 30 years ago. The visit has garnered significant global attention, with many expecting the Indian prime minister to play a mediating role. Global Indian reached out to two young Ukrainian nationals to get their perspectives on Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Ukraine during these trying times of war. It's rare for Viktoria Burenkova to be in the audience. Typically, during big events or special occasions, she’s the one captivating crowd with her Bharatanatyam performances. As a regular performer at events organised by the Embassy of India in Ukraine, she was invited to attend Prime Minister Modi’s reception ceremony in the country. The Ukrainian Bharatanatyam dancer, who performs under the stage name Vijaya Bai, is passionate about the art form and teaches it in Kyiv, despite never having visited India. Meanwhile, Yevheniia Fedotova, a product manager by profession, spent a year in India as an ICCR scholar in 2017-18 and visited the country again last year. With a

eaches it in Kyiv, despite never having visited India.

Meanwhile, Yevheniia Fedotova, a product manager by profession, spent a year in India as an ICCR scholar in 2017-18 and visited the country again last year. With a deep passion for volunteerism, she is associated with an NGO as its vice-president, and has been voluntarily coordinating the Ukrainian parliament’s deputy group on inter-parliamentary affairs with the Republic of India. Based in Kyiv, she works for Convosight, an Indian multinational firm with headquarters in Gurugram.

[caption id="attachment_38941" align="aligncenter" width="621"] Viktoria (right) and Yevheniia (centre) during India's Republic Day celebration in Ukraine in 2022[/caption]

The young women who have deep love and respect for India shared their opinions and expectations about the Indian PM’s visit to their country during these tough times:

Viktoria Burenkova

Bharatnatyam exponent and teacher

“We face challenges every day because of Russia, but life goes on. We have to keep working and supporting our army because, honestly, what else can we do? Everyone here is affected, even if you are living in a relatively safe area. Your relatives and neighbours might be in the army, so you are constantly stressed. Shelling happens often, and one hears the air raid alarms five-ten times a day, depending upon the situation. Even when you are sleeping, you hear it, and you never know if the next bomb will hit your house. We don’t expect things to be fine anytime soon. The war impacts every aspect of life, including mental health.

When we watch the news, we see our soldiers. Those of us who have stayed back feel a deep sense of support for our army men. We are hopeful about the Indian PM visit because India possesses one of the world's richest and most profound philosophies. Every war is essentially a battle between good and evil, and the most important thing is to be on the side of good.

[caption id="attachment_38942" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Viktoria Burenkova[/caption]

As India is a spiritual country, we believe that by coming here, seeing what’s happening, meeting our people, talking to our President, and listening to his perspective, Mr Modi can play a significant role as a mediator in this situation by understanding Ukraine’s perspective. We truly hope for a positive outcome from this visit. We trust in India's Vedic system, knowing that India has the capability to discern what is right and wrong, and to align with what is just and moral."

In many ways, we are similar to India - our emotions, our traditions - and we have warm feelings for India. The Indians living here, despite the war, are so helpful, always trying to explain Ukraine’s perspective to others.

Viktoria attended the event with a few members of her dance school, Nakshatra. “All of us were truly honoured to be invited to such a high-profile occasion. Some of us wore saris while others chose the traditional Ukrainian dress, the Vyshyvanka,” she shared.

Yevheniia Fedotova

Social activist and project manager in a multinational firm

“I feel happy because this is the first time India’s Prime Minister has visited an independent Ukraine. There was a visit in 1982 by late Indira Gandhi, but that was long ago when Ukraine was still part of the USSR.

However, I am unsure whether Modi’s approach to peace in Ukraine aligns with the vision of the Ukrainian people. I worry that if there is a discrepancy between Modi’s peace efforts and Ukraine’s expectations, it might lead to significant disappointment on both sides. As I understand it, India is making mediation efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to the war. We want peace too, but our enemy, Russia, is not a country that respects diplomacy or international order - it only understands power, particularly nuclear power.

India has strong defence capabilities and can speak to Russia, and Russia depends on India. However, Russia also has some influence in India, and unfortunately, that influence is not beneficial for Ukraine. Russia is a vast country with a large population and more resources than we have. India may give some preference to Russia, not because of any goodwill on Russia’s part, but because India cares for the safety for its own people.

[caption id="attachment_38943" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Yevheniia Fedotova[/caption]

To be honest, if there were no war and India remained friends with Russia, it wouldn’t bother me. But in these times, when Ukrainians - and especially the Indian students here - are under so much stress, it’s hard to accept that Russia seems more significant to India.

We have hope from Modi’s visit, but we are concerned that he might push for freezing the conflict. For Ukraine, freezing the conflict would mean we wouldn’t regain our territories, and our prisoners wouldn’t return home.

We want peace, but that peace must include regaining our land and bringing our people back from captivity. We are grateful for the humanitarian aid India has sent us. I believe that if Ukraine wins, it will set a strong precedent—that if a small country like Ukraine can reclaim its territories, it will set an example for India that its borders, as marked by the United Nations, will remain secure from any encroachment by China. India should be more invested in a Ukrainian victory.”

Love and expectations from India

Both Viktoria and Yevheniia are in their late 20s. As a dance exponent with an Indian stage name, Viktoria’s life is structured around Bharatanatyam. She started learning Hindi at the age of 18 and can speak a little in Telugu and Punjabi as well.

While Yevheniia pursued her bachelor’s and master’s in Hindi at the Taras Shevchenko University in Ukraine, and studied for a year at the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan in New Delhi. Like Viktoria she holds a deep affection for India, having experienced the beauty of the country and its people. “I even defend India when friends criticise it, saying, ‘Look at how much oil India is purchasing from Russia,’” she laughs. “But that doesn't mean India is bad; India is a good nation, I tell them."

Like other young Ukrainians, both Viktoria and Yevheniia hope that world leaders, including the Indian PM, will understand their country's perspective and support their nation in overcoming the crisis without having to bow down.

Reading Time: 5 mins

Pitch perfect: Once dyslexic and epileptic, Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor is a musical wonder

(December 19, 2022) As an infant, Puja would often cry endlessly despite being fed on time by her mother, Neelam Kapoor. Her paediatricians were baffled and couldn’t diagnose the problem. Worried, Neelam discussed the issue with a friend, who came with a unique suggestion — playing a transistor near her cradle to see if it made any difference. It did. What doctors could not do, music did for the child. Each time she started crying, music would be played and the baby would calm down. She had a sharp sense of rhythm, naturally. [caption id="attachment_25569" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor[/caption] How music healed her Puja was eventually diagnosed with dyslexia and battled epileptic fits through her childhood. Stunning everyone around her, she began playing a keyboard using only her index finger, without even looking at the keys, sans any training or practice. Since then, the music composer and singer has taken the world of music by storm. “I am aiming for the Oscars,” declares music prodigy Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor, who has been certified with 17 world records, in an exclusive chat with Global Indian. Her flair for the keyboard, which she can even play blindfolded, earned her an honorary PhD

“I am aiming for the Oscars,” declares music prodigy Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor, who has been certified with 17 world records, in an exclusive chat with Global Indian. Her flair for the keyboard, which she can even play blindfolded, earned her an honorary PhD Degree in Music by Duke University, North Carolina.

The incredibly talented musician can also sing, play the tabla and writes poetry. What has stunned the world is her natural ability to compose “on the spot” and create music instantly. “I like to take the audience along on a mesmerising musical trip,” smiles the music prodigy, who was eventually cured of epileptic fits and is no more a dyslexic.

Finding recognition

Her talents were spotted by Indian television producer Ekta Kapoor, who gave Puja her first big break in the television industry.

Born in February, 1996 in Hyderabad, Puja stunned the doctors and her family members when she started to speak coherently when she was barely six months old. By the time she turned 10, she was playing full songs without any professional training.

[caption id="attachment_25570" align="aligncenter" width="551"] Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor with filmmaker Remo D'Souza[/caption]

Growing up, her dyslexia posed a major challenge. “There were regular complaints from the school regarding my reading and writing problems,” recalls Puja, who has composed music and background scores for Hindi TV serials like Kavyanjali and Kya Hoga Nimmo Ka.

The accidental prodigy

Since dyslexia requires children to be taught using out-of-the-box and playful methods, Puja’s mother brought home a keyboard to improve her writing with finger exercises. She wouldn’t play it, really, until one evening, she sat before it and out of the blue, played a Hindi song, without even having to glance at the keys.

“I played the song once and then my mother wanted me to repeat it again and again,” recalls Puja, who did not look at the keyboard even once that day, as if it was coming naturally to her.

Another pleasant surprise came later, around midnight, when she began playing a series of nursery rhymes on the keys. “I was playing the keyboard in darkness as I did not want to disturb my grandparents,” says Puja, who has been honoured by the Indian Tele Academy as the youngest achiever.

Puja recalls an instance from her school’s annual day. “When my name was announced to play the national anthem on stage, my mother stood there anxious. I comforted her and played the national anthem in precisely 52 seconds (the actual duration) inviting huge applause,” says the prodigy.

Achievements

Her name finds a mention in Global World Records, Asia Book Records, India Book of Records, Telugu Book of Records and Limca Book of Records for her unbelievable talent of playing the keyboards blindfolded and composing music on-the-spot without any training or practice.

[caption id="attachment_25568" align="aligncenter" width="687"] Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor performing at one of the events[/caption]

“I love the sound of white keys (on the keyboard) and compose music only on them,” says the music prodigy, on whose life a short film was made by National Award winning director G L Bharadwaj. Renowned Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur once remarked that “Stephen Hawking (also dyslexic) knew the science of the Universe, and Puja knows the science of music.”

She was invited to “India’s Got Talent” a leading Indian reality show, where she showcased her talent blindfolded and composed a beautiful tune, instantly. Puja was also featured in the first episode of another leading Indian show, called “Lakhon Me Ek,” (one in a million) and the “Kapil Sharma Show,” one of the highly celebrated shows in India.

She also performed before the then Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Surjit Singh Barnala, who honoured her as a permanent invitee of the Governor for every function. The then AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu bestowed her with the title “The Pride of Andhra Pradesh.”

“I have composed music before Bollywood stars Hrithik Roshan and Kangana Ranaut as well,” says the music composer, who was the URF Top Talent of the Year, 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Teo06Plx1fk&t=334s

Looking ahead

These days, Puja is planning live shows to showcase her talent worldwide and spends hours singing and recording every day. Fluent in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Telugu, Bengali, Urdu, Marathi and even Arabic, Puja can sing in all these languages.

Puja has a special connect with the elderly. “I have performed at homes for the elderly and also orphanages,” smiles the prodigy, who dreams of building a beautiful home for the aged someday.

Follow Dr Puja Neelam Kapoor on Facebook

Reading Time: 5 min

Full of tech sense, the 15-year-old innovator is making great impact

(October 19, 2022) At just 15, Ansh already has many achievements to his credit. The UP-born teen is the author of a book on computer science as well as the founder of two startups and an NGO. Always hamstrung by limited resources, the class 11 student studied in his native village, Tiwaripur, in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district until class five. Thereafter, he joined the Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Rajokari in Delhi, NCR. The enterprising teen is an inspiration back home in UP and now in NCR, too. Recently, Ansh’s project, Dhanwantri, an Android app that can be used to enhance the service delivery of healthcare, was selected by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India's largest research body. That apart, Ansh has also come up with several ways to leverage technology to create solutions for the problems around him. Bagging the fifth position in the CSIR Innovations Award for School Children is no mean feat, considering that more than 10,000 applicants submitted their innovative projects to CSIR. [caption id="attachment_23196" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Ansh Tiwari[/caption] "All my initiatives have been about making use of technology to find solutions. They have also been a result of the various challenges people

ted their innovative projects to CSIR.

[caption id="attachment_23196" align="aligncenter" width="615"] Ansh Tiwari[/caption]

"All my initiatives have been about making use of technology to find solutions. They have also been a result of the various challenges people around me face, and the deep urge to do something to make life easier," tells Ansh to Global Indian.

During the lockdown when I was in my village Tiwaripur, we had to travel 20 kms to get basic healthcare facilities. The solution that I submitted to CSIR triggered from the bad experiences that I had during that time - Ansh Tiwari

He is always grateful to his parents, who ensure his good education despite not being much educated themselves. They support his dreams of being a social entrepreneur who leverages technology to solve pressing problems,

Making farmers’ lives easier

Growing up, Ansh saw his grandfather, who is a farmer in Tiwaripur, as well as many others lose out to middlemen. The greedy middlemen earned huge amounts of money by purchasing farmers’ produce at cheap rates and selling them in urban markets at inflated rates.

Ansh was determined to do something about it. As part of NXplorers programme of coming up with a solution-based startup idea, the youngster conducted a thorough survey of village farmers by interviewing them and created Kanad, an app that directly connects them to urban markets, ending exploitation by middlemen.

Sixty percent of India’s rural population can now access the internet. Through my app, farmers can directly contact urban purchasers and enhance their earnings - Ansh Tiwari

At the moment, the app’s efficiency is being tested amongst farmers of suburban areas and based on their feedback, it will be rolled out to those in the rural areas.

With the help of the same app the marginal farmers can utilise the resources of more established ones by taking their machinery on rent on an hourly basis, escaping the financial burden of purchasing expensive equipment. Ansh has also tried to integrate healthcare facilities for farmers and their families in the same app so that it’s a one-stop solution for them.

Speeding up through AI

Just before the pandemic struck, Ansh got selected for LaunchX Entrepreneurship programme scheduled to be held at Duke University, Durham, USA. Youngsters from 19 countries were selected to attend it. Unfortunately, as Covid protocols were put in place around that time, the programme took place online.

In the five-week long programme, Ansh was part of a five-member team comprising two Indians, two South Koreans and one Chinese to identify a problem and create a start-up as a solution. The members co-founded Speed Up AI.

[caption id="attachment_23197" align="aligncenter" width="1112"] Ansh with his multinational team[/caption]

“Machine Learning needs data that is labelled so that AI can process such data accurately. Since most of the data is unfiltered, labelling the data is a very tiring and time-consuming process. We proposed to create an AI solution for it.”

Ansh and his team were part of the top six percent of the 800 participants to successfully complete the programme and earn a completion certificate. “It was not a small achievement for us because in order to claim the certificate, participants were required to generate $250 from the startup by the end of the five weeks. We were one of the few teams to achieve this,” he says.

Ansh and his team were later able to get funding from Delhi Government’s startup reality show, Business Blasters that helps school children to pitch their ideas to investors.

Connecting girls with mentors in STEM

I have seen many girls around me, including my sister, who do not attempt to study computer science due to lack of resources or other challenges. So, I started my NGO, ‘Girls in Stem’ to increase participation of under-represented minorities - Ansh Tiwari

In this initiative Ansh has created an online research programme in computer science where girls pitch their research ideas and are matched with university professors who guide them to take their ideas forward. In its two cohorts, Ansh’s NGO has successfully matched 210 research ideas with relevant professors.

Setting the path for students

The tech enthusiast has released his book Technology: What lies ahead? for students who want to get a head-start in computer science but don’t know where to begin.

“When I was choosing my field of study in the vast ocean of new technologies being discovered, it took me almost a year to find out that Artificial Intelligence /Machine Learning with the intersection of agriculture is what interests me,” says Ansh. “I realised that others must be facing the same challenges, especially as the school system in India focusses more on academics rather than career counselling.”

[caption id="attachment_23198" align="aligncenter" width="571"] Book written by Ansh Tiwari[/caption]

Ansh believes that his book, published by Notion Press, and available for purchase at Amazon and Flipkart makes students’ lives easier by familiarising them with emerging technologies. “I have provided brief information about the plethora of choices available to them.”

The multi-talented multitasker

The multi-tasker's activities are not just confined to technology and entrepreneurship. He is an NCC cadet, and has been practicing yoga for seven years now. “I have won state level yoga competitions as part of a team, and zonal level competitions as a solo performer.”

His list of achievements doesn’t end here. He has been the head of his school’s robotics club and has organized several events and competitions. He is the first student of his school to get selected in the Young Technology Scholars programme conducted by Reimagining Higher Education Foundation. “I have participated in and won several hackathons.”

Teachers of life and love for teaching

Ansh loves to teach and offers free classes at home and helps out his schoolmates whenever he can, teaching them physics and chemistry concepts through experiments. He has also conducted research into social media’s impact on self-esteem in teenagers.

I have a soft corner for my village Tiwaripur and want to do a lot for the people there. Since I am still a student, I do things that can be done at this stage but would love to do more - Ansh Tiwari

The multi-faceted youngster has been the co-founder of his school’s math club, president of entrepreneurship club, head of science and technology club and class representative. The teenager receives constant support from his school Principal, Parmod Kumar Sharma and his teachers, especially his mentor, SK Pandey, under whose guidance he works as the science lab assistant in his school.

“My father is my inspiration,” Ansh says. “He took us out of our small village in UP and brought us to Delhi NCR, giving me the opportunity to explore new horizons.” signs off the youngster who is motivated by the Prime Minister of India’s hard work and down-to-earth demeanour.

Follow Ansh Tiwari on LinkedIn

Reading Time: 5 mins

How a small-town boy became the GATE 2022 topper without any formal coaching

(March 31, 2022) The last few days have seen GATE 2022 topper T Mani Sandeep Reddy receive a flurry of phone calls and congratulatory messages. Among them, he was pleasantly surprised to discover, was Telangana minister E Dayakara Rao. Meanwhile, the soft-spoken engineering student from NIT-Warangal is perplexed by the adulation. His achievement - topping the chemical engineering section, is tremendous. The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is one of the country's most competitive exams, deciding admissions to various IITs and to the prestigious Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru. "I am satisfied with my performance. Is it a great achievement? I don’t know. But I did not expect this kind of response. I feel people are blowing it out of proportion," smiles the 22-year-old, whose gentle demeanour and simplicity are hard to miss. [caption id="attachment_22309" align="aligncenter" width="536"] The GATE 2022 topper outside his alma mater, NIT-Warangal[/caption] Mission: Stay focussed In an exclusive chat with Global Indian from his hostel at NIT, Sandeep says that it was general preparation that helped him secure the first rank. Unlike scores of students across the country, he didn't head to the array of coaching centres. Instead, the GATE 2022 topper decided to

th Global Indian from his hostel at NIT, Sandeep says that it was general preparation that helped him secure the first rank. Unlike scores of students across the country, he didn't head to the array of coaching centres. Instead, the GATE 2022 topper decided to keep it simple, preparing on his own at home. “I started preparing for GATE about six months ago. The plan was simple – dedicate three to four hours every day to all the subjects with complete concentration," says the chemical engineering student. Staying focussed in his classes helped him cope with the syllabus.

Incidentally, most students opt for formal coaching ahead of the exams, but Sandeep chose to arm himself with his professors’ lessons, a few guides, and determination. This year’s GATE results were declared by the Indian Institute of Technology - Kharagpur on March 17. The exams decide admissions into the Masters programmes at various IITs and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, as well as for recruitment by some public sector companies.

"I was expecting a rank below 50 and the paper was tough this year," he says when asked whether he’d had any inkling that he would secure the first rank. This year, over nine lakh students had applied for GATE 2022, of which a little over seven lakh appeared for the exams in early February. Sandeep emerged as the GATE topper 2022, securing the AIR Rank 1 in the chemical engineering stream.

Mr. T Mani Sandeep Reddy, final year BTech Chemical student secured AIR 1 in GATE 2022. pic.twitter.com/uGZBMab3VJ

— NIT WARANGAL (@warangal_nit) March 17, 2022

Ladder to success

This is Sandeep’s second attempt at GATE. He’d taken the exam in 2021 too when he ranked 229. "That (rank) was good enough and I wrote the exams just to gain some experience," he says. In hope of pushing his limits even more, he decided to retake the exam.

"I had a solid conceptual understanding of my subjects," says Sandeep, adding, "Paying attention in class helped me a great deal." His professors, who guided him throughout, were very happy with his performance. When the GATE 2022 results were declared, he was congratulated by NIT director NV Ramana Rao, chemical engineering HOD Dr Srinath and professor Shireesh Sonewane.

Humble beginnings

Born in a tiny hamlet in Vedurupaka village in Andhra Pradhesh’s East Godavari district, Sandeep attended a local school for four years before his family moved to Hyderabad. There, he studied at Johnson Grammar School, Nacharam. "I was always interested in physics and chemistry applications. Luckily, I got a good score in JEE (mains) and got into NIT Warangal," says Sandeep, whose father, T Rama Gopala Reddy is an electrical engineer. His mother Iswarya Bhagya Laxmi is a homemaker while Sandeep's younger brother Varun Kumar Reddy is in class 12.

[caption id="attachment_22306" align="aligncenter" width="762"] Sandeep with his family[/caption]

The youngster considers his father as his idol. "He comes from a family of farmers and has faced innumerable challenges. My father used to work in the fields and still make the time to study. He completed his degree and then engineering through his efforts and determination. He knows the value of education," smiles Sandeep, who says that coming from a humble background is what has helped him as well. Needless to say, his parents were thrilled with the news.

Sandeep wants to work in a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) to gain experience. Then, he will decide whether he wants to continue with it or switch to a private company. The final-year engineering student has already received an offer from GAIL through campus placements. With his recent achievement, more offers are likely to come his way.

From badminton to numismatics

[caption id="attachment_22305" align="aligncenter" width="726"] Sandeep is passionate about numismatics and has over 700 old coins[/caption]

Believing in striking a balance, Sandeep is not just about academics all the way. "I like to unwind over a game of badminton and also play online games. But my major hobby is numismatics," he informs. Collecting old coins from India and abroad has been a hobby since he was in school. "I like the old Indian coins, especially the commemorative ones. I have about 700 coins in my collection," says the young lad, who is also part of his college’s chemical engineering association.

Follow on T Mani Sandeep Reddy on Linkedin

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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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