Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveInnovator at 16: Aarav Garg’s app teaches youngsters about tech

Innovator at 16: Aarav Garg’s app teaches youngsters about tech

Written by: Charu Thakur

(May 26, 2022) Making an impact has always been on teen innovator and entrepreneur Aarav Garg’s mind. How, though? He dabbled with the question for a while and found the answer lay in his passion – technology. A self-taught innovator, Aarav understood the power of knowledge and was keen to spread it to thousands of youngsters – first, through his YouTube channel, and then through his startup, TechNuttiez.

“Most teenagers wait until college to either do coding or innovating because it’s the norm. We are breaking that stereotype by telling youngsters that they can learn early if they want to do so,” Aarav tells Global Indian. Founded in 2021, the startup has already spread its wings among teenagers who are keen to learn. “I learnt everything online, without spending a single penny. And now I’m making that possible for others by providing them a platform to learn and engage with,” says the Class 11 student whose innovation has been written about in Austrian and British technology magazines.

Aarav Garg

The early love for technology

His first tryst with robotics began at 10 when he was introduced to programming in school. “It opened up a new world for me and I immediately gravitated towards it. However, it was just a basic introduction,” says Aarav. Every day after school, he would get on the internet looking for information. “Since my parents come from a non-tech background, YouTube became my learning tool. From dabbling in different programming languages to reading articles online, I learnt a lot,” says the teen innovator, who built his first robot – the line follower – in the same year. It took him about a month to build.

“It follows a line on the ground as it’s mostly used in the manufacturing and storage industry. Companies like Amazon and Alibaba use them in their warehouses,” says the TedX speaker.

Teen innovator | Arav Garg | Global Indian

Aarav Garg working on one of his innovations

A propagator of self-learning, he believes “there is nothing one cannot learn online.” With innumerable videos and articles available online, there is no dearth of information but accessing the right information is equally critical. The thought led him to start his YouTube channel in 2018. “In the last few years, I learnt a lot about robotics and wanted to give back to the community of self-learning through my channel. My first video garnered over 130k views and that pushed me to generate more content,” says the teen innovator, whose mission is to educate youth on technology.

Innovator to entrepreneur

Understanding its impact, Aarav wanted to scale it up, and in 2021, he launched his startup TechNuttiez – to bring together young self-learners under one roof. “We launched a mobile app on iOS and Android this February which has videos, articles, projects, interviews with budding entrepreneurs, and a monthly digital magazine that tells you everything you need to know about technology,” adds the 16-year-old. His recent addition includes quizzes that help you earn “T-buck points” which can be redeemed at brands like Boat, Akudo and The Souled Store among others. “Our target audience is teenagers who are willing to self-learn. A lot of information isn’t available on the internet, and that’s where we come in – to bridge the gap.”

Technuttiez app built by Aarav Garg

Calling this shift from a content creator to an entrepreneur “gradual”, Aarav was keen to make a greater impact. “I wanted to convert my knowledge into a product that could be available to a larger audience,” says the teen entrepreneur. The app has seen 2000 downloads from across 90 countries in the first three months of its launch. Currently, TechNuttiez has 20 teenagers working passionately in various departments like social media, content creation, marketing, and design. “Being in the initial stage, we’re experimenting and understanding the response to the app in order to shape up the product better,” explains the teen innovator.

The future

Entrepreneurship is the course he has taken, but he calls himself “an innovator” at heart. This passion led him to design a pocket weather station in 2021, an innovation that earned him recognition from Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao. “It started with an idea to make a video on how to use a temperature sensor. It was later translated into a handheld device that provides accurate weather prediction. The innovation was successful and garnered attention in India and abroad,” says Aarav who also made a giant SD card as a part of a contest for the website Instructables.

Aarav Garg with Telangana IT Minister KT Rama Rao.

Technology is the future, and Aarav wants more students to get a hang of it early in their life. That’s why his startup has partnered with schools in Hyderabad to create awareness on technology. “We want to show them the potential in the field,” says the teenager, who plans to either crack JEE or get admission into a US university. But his heart lies in building more startups when he grows up. “I think starting early has its advantage. It gives you an edge over others. There are infinite resources available, make the most of them,” he advises. The teen innovator, who loves playing snooker and football in his free time, is excited to grow his product and help it reach its potential.

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Published on 26, May 2022

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Indian American scholar Sadhana Lolla aims to make AI accessible to all

(March 07, 2024) As a young kid, Sadhana Lolla was fascinated with machines and various equipment. But, growing up whenever she would visit India with her parents, she would observe her grandmother's toil without the availability of any assistive technology. "The experience greatly inspired me to delve into artificial intelligence solutions aimed at delivering robotic assistive technology to marginalised communities," the young scholar shared during an interview. Fueled by a desire to make a global impact through her innovative work, Sadhana secured the Gates Cambridge Scholarship. This scholarship allows students to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field at Cambridge University in the UK. "I'll be delving deep into the intricate connections between technology, public policy, laws, and governance," shared an elated Sadhana, adding, "This intersection is pivotal in an era where every process is digitising, and the significance of AI is continually growing. I hope that my studies could significantly contribute to the global discourse on technology and its profound impact on society." ALSO READ: Meet Vaibhav Mohanty – an accomplished scholar and musician Of hard work and grit A curious kid from the beginning, Sadhana took part in various academic and cultural competitions. "In high school, I was

gy and its profound impact on society."

ALSO READ: Meet Vaibhav Mohanty – an accomplished scholar and musician

Of hard work and grit

A curious kid from the beginning, Sadhana took part in various academic and cultural competitions. "In high school, I was the captain of my Scioly team and competed in biology and Earth and Space Science events. I was also on the competitor logistics committee and also helped out with events," the scholar shared. Soon after finishing school, the youngster joined the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is a fourth-year undergraduate, majoring in computer science and minoring in mathematics, "And literature. I have quite a busy schedule, but yet outside of school and planning committees that I am a part of, I still find time to bake, cook, and read," the Global Indian shared.

A part of MIT's Distributed Robotics Laboratory, Sadhana has been working day and night on her research under the guidance of Professor Daniela Rus, focusing on safe and trustworthy robotics and deep learning. Her investigations encompass debiasing strategies for autonomous vehicles and streamlining the design processes of robots. Said the scholar, "My research focusses broadly on the application of deep learning to robotics and on designing and deploying uncertainty-aware artificial intelligence with Dr. Ava Amini."

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Also, at Microsoft Research and Themis AI, I have contributed to the development of uncertainty-aware frameworks for deep learning, with applications spanning computational biology, language modeling, and robotics," shared the scholar, who has showcased her research findings at prestigious conferences such as the Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) and the International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML). "Through this SuperUROP project, I want to become more involved in applying deep learning algorithms to robotics. I hope to apply knowledge from previous machine learning classes and research to an exciting new area of study," she added.

Scaling heights

While she might sound like a nerd, the young scholar is involved in tonnes of activities outside academics as well. Despite a very tight schedule, the young scholar is leading initiatives at MIT to make computer science education more accessible globally. "I instruct class 6.s191, MIT's Introduction to Deep Learning, a course that reaches millions of students globally. As the curriculum lead for Momentum AI, I contribute to the only U.S. program offering free AI education to underserved students. Additionally, I've had the privilege of teaching hundreds of students in Northern Scotland through the MIT Global Teaching Labs programme," she said.

Sadhana also serves as the director for xFair, MIT's largest student-run career fair. Furthermore, she holds an executive board position for Next Sing, where efforts are made to increase accessibility to a cappella for students from various musical backgrounds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvUo1E38ZvY

When asked about her future plans, the young scholar said, "I aspire to spearhead discussions on deploying and developing technology for marginalised communities, including the rural Indian village my family calls home. Simultaneously, I am engaged in research focused on embodied intelligence."

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

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

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

A musical prodigy

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

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

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

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

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Climbing the ladder

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

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

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

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

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

Follow Ambika Nayak on Instagram and LinkedIn

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Laya Mathikshara: Meet the teen digital artist who made $1 million through NFTs

(February 13, 2024) Who would have imagined that art could be sold as NFTs (non-fungible tokens), creating new opportunities for artists, particularly digital ones, to earn money and transforming the art world like never before? One example is Laya Mathikshara, a teenager from Chennai, who ventured into this realm, using NFTs to showcase her passion for art. In just three years, the 16-year-old has achieved a remarkable feat, earning $1 million through the sale of over 100 NFTs, a significant milestone in the digital art scene. "It opened up a range of new possibilities that people were unaware of. It began as a hobby but soon I saw my art getting collected rapidly, and realised the power of NFTs and blockchain," Laya tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_35771" align="aligncenter" width="656"] Laya Mathikshara[/caption] Fascination for digital art Growing up in Chennai, Laya loved engaging in artistic activities from a young age - mixing colours, experimenting with chalk, and doodling in her notebooks. However, it wasn't until the pandemic offered her ample time that she decided to delve deeper into digital art, especially being fascinated by the animation film The Lion King. "That's when I began learning 3D art and blending creative concepts,

ours, experimenting with chalk, and doodling in her notebooks. However, it wasn't until the pandemic offered her ample time that she decided to delve deeper into digital art, especially being fascinated by the animation film The Lion King. "That's when I began learning 3D art and blending creative concepts, recalls Laya, who devoted a significant time to online resources like YouTube and Blender Guru.

As a youngster fascinated by coding and robotics, she discovered digital art at the crossroads of technology and art - a concept that sparked her curiosity. "The idea of blending the two seemed interesting and somewhat unconventional." Unlike the traditional forms of art, she found the realm of digital media particularly exciting. "Physical mediums didn't interest me as much as the digital ones did."

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NFTs - a new world

While honing her craft as a digital artist, she parallelly began following digital artists on social media and observed a trend where they were showcasing their work as NFTs. A term that she had earlier stumbled upon in Clubhouse - a social audio app - opened up new possibilities for monetising her artwork. "I expanded my understanding of blockchain by actively listening to different individuals and gaining insights from various viewpoints, not only from an artistic perspective but also from the perspective of a day trader, a techie, or a business person. That's how I got to learn things a little quicker than usual as otherwise I would have only one dimension of knowledge," says Laya.

What began as a fun activity to turn her artwork into NFTs soon evolved into a scalable venture, with her artworks getting collected rapidly. "Scaling up wasn't intentional, but as my previous works gained traction and were collected by others, I found myself regularly creating new pieces. It became almost like a domino effect — each creation leading to the next. I always had something lined up for the following week, and before I knew it, it had turned into a long and fulfilling journey," smiles the teenager, whose work has been exhibited across the globe.

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Three months after listing her first artwork as an NFT, she woke up to an Instagram story announcing that it had been collected. "I remember darting around my home, exclaiming, "Oh my god, it's real!" It didn't fully sink in until I logged into my MetaMask account and saw funds deposited there," says Laya, adding, "That moment made me realise that this wasn't just some magic internet money, it's serious. Initially, I brushed off my first sale as a mere coincidence. But as I continued to upload more of my artwork, witnessing them being collected back-to-back, I realised it's not just luck," says Laya.

In the last three years, she has created a portfolio that boasts of over 100 collected artworks for a whopping $1 million. Ask her about her strategy, and she quips, "Creating art consistently. Moreover, I was active on every social media platform, including Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Clubhouse, where I engaged with others," says the teenager who also hosted an art exhibition in the Metaverse to foster connections with other digital artists. "I curated the exhibition, featuring works from around 50 artists, hence providing exposure to their art as well. This initiative allowed me to engage with visitors, understand their artistic journeys, styles, and perspectives on NFTs." In addition, she welcomed constructive feedback, which played a crucial role in refining her artwork.

Championing causes through her art

However, for Laya, being a digital artist is more than just monetising her work through NFTs. She is using her art for causes close to her as she recognises it as a powerful tool to connect with a broader audience. In 2021, she made a short film Gratitude, appreciating the efforts of frontline workers during the pandemic, which earned her a nomination at the Busan International Kids and Youth Film Festival and All American High School Film Festival. Moreover, it was screened at AMC Theatre in Times Square. The same year, she collaborated with Space X for Falcon 9 launch as one of the 50 NFT artists whose art was auctioned. The proceeds went to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital for cancer research. "Collaborating with a renowned brand while supporting a noble cause was truly rewarding," says the digital artist whose AR artwork was showcased at COP28.

Laya was only 13 when she began experimenting with digital art and kept trying new styles as she loved creating art. "I realised as a young person I could

create so much impact, something I had never thought about in my weirdest dreams. This gave me a lot of self-confidence. She says her biggest learning in the process has been to never hesitate to try something new. "You never know where it will take you."

Web3 community - the easy access

In the last few years, the NFT marketplace has expanded, and digital artists like Laya have found a platform to showcase their art, irrespective of their age, gender, nationality, or identity. "Unlike traditional avenues, which require formal education or credentials to showcase their art, the digital art operates on inclusivity and openness, allowing anyone to participate without rigid rules," says the artist who is happy that digital art has now evolved as a viable career option. "It has given hope to many people that they can create impact and be a part of something this big." Moreover, the emergence of the Web3 community has expanded opportunities through encouragement and experimentation. "The space focuses more on collective growth than individual success."

She has exhibited her artworks across the globe but feels a lot of people look for utility even in art, and this mindset needs to change. "What's the purpose of it is a question that they are trying to constantly find an answer to. It is more of a philosophical problem than mediums of art."

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A self-taught artist, Laya has plans to pursue a degree in art after she completes her schooling. Currently, a student of The International School Bangalore, she calls AR art and microscopic art the future. "We will probably move towards art forms that we can't see through naked eyes and feel a different dimension altogether. Recently microscopic art is gaining momentum. Artists are using microorganisms and arranging them to create visually appealing pieces. They grow these microorganisms in interesting patterns to make them look artistic," Laya signs off.

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A ‘doodh’ entrepreneur: How Shraddha Dhawan grew her farm revenue 24 times

(March 20, 2022) Trailblazing into the male domain, milking buffaloes, and riding a bike to deliver milk, Shraddha Dhawan, a native of Nighoj village, near Pune, has established herself as a unique entrepreneur. The 23-year-old village entrepreneur had entered the family dairy business seven years ago as a teenager studying in class 11 when she saw her polio-afflicted father struggle to deliver milk. From a couple of buffaloes, the village entrepreneur’s relentless efforts burgeoned the small family business into a farm with over 80 buffaloes and a turnover that grew 24 times. All set for future The soon-to-be-married entrepreneur is now venturing into the bio-fertiliser business, CS Agro Organics, with plans to reach international markets. Juggling responsibilities with elan is her forte. When children of her age were busy with studies and play, she was working to make the family business grow. “I am confident that my new venture will reach the pinnacle,” she tells Global Indian. Inspiring others, garnering support When she initially started delivering milk door-to-door, Shraddha felt a bit awkward. But she soon began enjoying her work. Seeing her efforts, her parents, Satyavan and Janaki, and younger brother supported her and began helping her. Now, with the

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Inspiring others, garnering support

When she initially started delivering milk door-to-door, Shraddha felt a bit awkward. But she soon began enjoying her work. Seeing her efforts, her parents, Satyavan and Janaki, and younger brother supported her and began helping her. Now, with the business having grown by leaps and bounds, Shraddha has employed a team of people. “With the increasing number of buffaloes, it was difficult to manage on our own and we started employing people to take care of day-to-day activities,” says the village entrepreneur, whose turnover has gone from Rs 25,000 to Rs 6 lakh per month in a span of seven years.

[caption id="attachment_12930" align="aligncenter" width="442"] Village entrepreneur Shraddha Dhawan[/caption]

Inspired by Shraddha, other girls in her village started driving a bike, but her entrepreneurial choice remains unique. “I was blessed. Instead of people looking down upon me for doing something that was outside a ladies’ purview, fellow villagers appreciated me for my work, calling me my father’s son. I am grateful to my father for believing in me and allowing me to do things which were not stereotypical and my mother for her constant support,” says the eldest of three siblings. While her brother, who is now in his teens, is ready to step into her shoes, her sister had not been very inclined towards dairy farming since the beginning.

The physics student is pursuing her M.Sc from a college which is 20 km away from her village. She loves trekking and finds solace in going to nearby places to recoup. The village entrepreneur is proud of her origins and says that her village has some fine trekking routes nearby. Her fiancé, Chaitanya, who is pursuing a Ph.D and researching the world of bacteria, is all set to join her new venture as a business partner. While Chaitanya will bring his in-depth knowledge to the table, Shraddha will put her entrepreneurial skills to the best use with their new venture.

Epitomising the Indian woman

With plans to create an impact with her bio-fertiliser venture, Shraddha is happy to start something afresh. “As far as my dairy business goes, I did not think about myself, the aim was to put my family of five in a comfortable position financially. I always looked at it as ours, not mine alone. The new venture is something that I would call my own. I am hoping to get good investors who would help me realise my dream of making rural farmers prosper in their lives,” says the village entrepreneur.

After her wedding, she would be relocating to Jategaon where her fiancé lives. With the experience of rising from almost nothing, she is all set to make Jategaon as popular as Nighoj through her work.

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Building CITTA: How Akanksha and Tanay Sharma are shaping baby care in India

(February 21, 2024) The baby care industry in India has seen significant growth over the last few years, driven by increased consumer awareness rising disposable incomes, and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 14.02 percent from 2022 to 2027. Parents want safe, natural and cruelty-free products for their babies, as overall trends move towards healthier, more sustainable lifestyles. Indian brands have risen to the challenge, bringing modern innovation together with a deep understanding of local and cultural nuances, and India's age-old traditional remedies. CITTA, co-founded by 24-year-old Akanksha Sharma, her mom, Monisha Sharma and brother, Tanay Sharma, is a Pune-based baby care brand that reached a turnover of Rs 1.2 crore within two years. [caption id="attachment_36018" align="aligncenter" width="613"] Akanksha and Tanay Sharma with their mother, Monisha[/caption] ‘Nushke’ to building a brand When Akanksha was studying in the US, her mom and grandma would call her all the time, lovingly giving her advice or ‘nushke’ like 'drink turmeric milk,' and 'use rosewater when you're out in the sun'. Around this time, a well-known baby care brand received a lot of bad press for using unsafe ingredients in their baby powder. Akanksha, who was always entrepreneurial, teamed up with her

you're out in the sun'. Around this time, a well-known baby care brand received a lot of bad press for using unsafe ingredients in their baby powder. Akanksha, who was always entrepreneurial, teamed up with her mom and brother to create a safer alternative, and CITTA came to be. Both siblings were abroad - Akanksha was studying Apparel Industry Management at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA, while Tanay was doing a Bachelor's at the University of Toronto. Eventually, they returned home to build their business.

Business in their blood

"I was born and raised in a business family," Akanksha tells Global Indian. "I have witnessed their struggles, growth and expansion. Entrepreneurship is in my blood. My parents are my biggest inspiration since I saw them during their struggling years and I see them now and all that they have accomplished. It pushes me to do better everyday." A quiet and shy child, Akanksha grew into a confident young adult, going on to become head girl at Lexicon School in Pune, where she also participated in co-curricular activities, played basketball, volleyball, took part in debates, elocutions and lots more.

Akanksha and Tanay, who are currently 24 and 22 respectively, grew up in a joint family of 10 members where struggles were common in the early years. "I would see all the adults in my family work very hard till late. They made a decision to start a school together in which there were only 16 students in the first year, out of which three were me and my two sisters," she says. Today, the school has 10,000 students, and holds a valuable lesson for Akanksha and Tanay. "Anything is possible with consistent hard work and dedication," says Tanay. "It pushed me to do better. I got into the University of Toronto and did my undergrad there along with running my own small business."

CITTA began with a mission to create safe and nurturing baby care products. As they researched the industry, they found it needed gentle but effective skincare solutions for both infants and their parents. They expanded into the skincare segment too, along with baby care products. "We are proud to be free from toxins, harsh chemicals, parabens, sulphates, silicones, talc, mineral oils, allergens, petroleum jelly and other potential irritants," the duo say. "This ensures that are products are gentle on sensitive baby skin." The CITTA product range includes a Moisturizing Baby Balm which uses eight natural oils, including Shea butter and vitamin E. Their talc-free baby oil is made with corn, oats and kaolin, which prevents rashes. Their foaming baby wash and baby shampoo are soap-free and tear-free.

Made for the Indian consumer

As homegrown baby care brands now flood the market, CITTA caters to the specific demands of the Indian consumer. "Whether it's developing eco-friendly packaging, incorporating advanced technologies into our products or introducing unique formulations, we strive to set ourselves apart in a crowded market," Akanksha and Tanay explain. They invest heavily in sustainability, ensuring that every part of the supply chain is rooted in integrity, from the ethical sourcing of raw materials to minimizing their carbon footprint every step of the way.

Building CITTA came with its share of challenges and successes. "Each contributed valuable lessons that will significantly shape our plans and strategies moving forward," they say. There have also been numerous shifts in consumer preferences and lifestyles, which has taught them to invest more in R&D practices as they navigate the complexities of the global supply chain. "Disruptions brought about by external factors have emphasised the need for resilience and adaptability," say the siblings. "We have learned to proactively diversify our sourcing strategies, build strategic partnerships and implement agile inventory management systems." They are also working on enhancing their online presence, creating user-friendly interfaces and building robust e-commerce infrastructure.

The sibling journey

Akanksha and Tanay remain at the forefront of CITTA and use their sibling rapport to their advantage. "It's fun and nice," Akanksha smiles. "Tanay, as a brother and working partner, is always supportive. Whether in a meeting, during decision -making or facing any difficulties, you always know that there's support from someone who is equally invested. Despite my emotional nature, Tanay is calm, so we complement each other." Arguments are par for the course, but those are always sorted out in the end.

"Tanay agrees."I had always pictured working with my sister when I was younger and I really like doing so because she gives me immense support and strength," he smiles. "I get to be my goofy self around her and we get to laugh a lot together," he laughs. They strike a balance by talking shop only at the office and just being siblings at home.

It's a unique dynamic that has made for an exciting and fulfilling journey, bolstered by a deep understanding of each other and complementing one another's strengths and shortcomings. "There is a natural synergy that goes beyond business - it's a family affair infused with shared passion and dedication," say the siblings. "We celebrate victories together, learn from setbacks and constantly push each other to innovate. It's not just a partnership, it's a shared adventure that makes every success even sweeter."

Follow Akanksha Sharma and CITTA on Instagram

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