Global Indianstory Global IndianFilling the gap: These young Indian girls are breaking stereotypes in the world of STEM

Filling the gap: These young Indian girls are breaking stereotypes in the world of STEM

Written by: Team GI Youth

(May 27, 2022) Many girls and women are held back by biases, social norms and expectations influencing the quality of the education they receive, leading to an under-representation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, and consequently in STEM careers. According to the recent UNESCO report Cracking the Code: Girls’ and women’s education in STEM, only 35 percent of STEM students in higher education globally are women, and differences are observed within STEM disciplines.

Although, slowly but surely, things are changing. Many young girls are at the helm in STEM as deft decision makers and as harbingers of change. Global Indian takes a look at these young marvels, who are working tirelessly to solve several global issues.

Priyanka Srivastava, NASA scientist

Indian-American Priyanka Srivastava is among the nine Indians who successfully made NASA’s Perseverance Rover land on Mars. Although born in the US, Priyanka grew up in the lanes of Lucknow, completing her pre-university education at Mount Carmel School and BTech in electronics and communication from Punjab University. Later, she enrolled at the University of Michigan in the United States for higher education.

Priyanka Srivastava

Taking inspiration from her idol Kalpana Chawla, Priyanka was keen to become an astronaut. Despite financial struggles, her family was the wind beneath her wings who encouraged her to pursue her dreams passionately. It was during this time that she met Sunita Williams at an event and confessed how she (Williams) was nothing short of a Guru to her.

The passion translated into an internship with the Denver branch of NASA, and later she was selected to work in NASA JPL, California. Those four years of NASA gave her the exposure to work on three flight missions. Currently, she is working for the Europa Clipper mission in the capacity of a Project Verification and Validation (V&V) engineer.

“I have been extremely lucky to be part of great teams. All my group supervisors have been women. In the Europa mission, for example, there is a 60-40 ratio between men and women. The lead chief engineer in the project is a woman. NASA is also making an effort to bridge the pay gap between men and women,” The Week quoted Priyanka Srivastava as saying.

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Arunima Sen, innovator and designer

A young Arunima Sen was often in awe of her parents who spent hours discussing and working on various projects for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). She was eager to know about the science they were discussing, especially physics. That’s how she developed an interest in the subject and started working on innovative solutions for global problems. When she was in grade 10, she was also selected for a programme The Junior Academy conducted by The New York Academy of Sciences.

Arunima Sen

This passion for innovation has led to many solutions. From measuring micro-nutrients in a person’s body using strands of hair to developing a method to save energy in high-rise buildings, the 20-year-old has found a solution to every problem in most developing countries. A climate activist, Arunima has been on important youth-focused panels, led conversations on climate justice and conveyed the importance of climate action.

The young girl is the recipient of several international and national awards — including the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, MPower Financing Women in STEM Grand Award, the Distinguished Student Award from the New York Academy of Sciences — and has been named a 2020 Global Teen Leader of the We Are Family Foundation and one of The Mars Generation’s 24 under 24 Innovators in STEM and Space.

During an interaction with the press, Arunima had said, “I am currently being mentored by professionals from Sidewalk Labs — an urban innovation company working to make cities more sustainable and affordable for all. Since the pandemic had brought many discussions and assignments to a halt, my friend and I are working to resume it soon.”

Follow Arunima Sen on LinkedIn

Rhea Jethvani, Edison Scholar

A student of Oxford Academy in California, Rhea Jethvani knew she wanted to pursue a career in STEM since she was a baby. The youngster, who led a team in creating IOTAnet – a centralised security management platform for the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs’ Apps for Digital Peace competition, plans to dedicate herself to cybersecurity safety to protect her community and spread awareness on this danger.

Rhea Jethvani

The co-founder of her school’s first Hackathon Learnathon, where she held a workshop on basics of cryptography highlighting the importance of password encryption, Rhea plans to major in computer science. She is one of the 2022 Edison Scholars, a scholarship that’s given to 30 students to pursue STEM. During a press interaction after the scholarship was announced, Rhea said, “My pursuit of applying cybersecurity skills to help build a more resistant society is just beginning and I’m excited to protect my community from the evolving danger.”

Follow Rhea Jethvani on LinkedIn

Sahithi Pingali, eco-entrepreneur

A Stanford University student, Sahithi Pingali is an expert in sustainability, business, and computer science. The 19-year-old Bengaluru eco-warrior crowdsourced funds to study the 10 polluted lakes in her home city, when she was just 15. Despite writing several emails to the professors at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru for her project, the young environmentalist was not discouraged when she told that she “wasn’t old enough for such lab work.” Instead, it strengthened her fervour to do more.

Sahithi Pingali

In four years, the coding enthusiast created the app WaterInsights and a testing kit to collect data from the sulfurous lakes. The project took her to Los Angeles in 2017, as one of the top finalists at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), at which MIT named the eponymous planet 34014, Pingali.

The teen innovator’s journey has been recorded in the documentary Inventing Tomorrow, wherein she is featured alongside three international ISEF finalists who presented cutting-edge solutions to tackle water, air and soil pollution.

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Published on 27, May 2022

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Teen innovator Varun Saikia’s AI-driven Makara rids water bodies of plastic

(March 1, 2022) The sight of a gasping pilot whale washed ashore in Thailand in 2018 left a 12-year-old Varun Saikia heartbroken. “I followed the news, and found that it died of starvation as her belly was full of plastic waste. It shook me. I knew I had to come up with a solution to help protect marine life,” Varun tells Global Indian in an interview, of the whale that had consumed 80 plastic bags. And he did. The 16-year-old innovated an AI-driven device Makara to clean polluted water bodies. It won him a special award at the Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science 2021. His prototype also got a nod from the Gujarat Innovation Council, with a grant of Rs 1,86,000 to create a bigger prototype, set to be launched this year. [caption id="attachment_11605" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Varun Saikia with his AI device Makara[/caption] Understanding the workings of gadgets Born in Vadodra in 2005 to parents who own an advertising agency, Varun loved dismantling toys, especially remote-control ones. This inquisitiveness to understand its functioning led the teenager to become an inventor and innovator at a young age. “I used to pick things easily available at home, and come up

rn in Vadodra in 2005 to parents who own an advertising agency, Varun loved dismantling toys, especially remote-control ones. This inquisitiveness to understand its functioning led the teenager to become an inventor and innovator at a young age. “I used to pick things easily available at home, and come up with new ideas,” says the boy who at the age of eight made a water harvesting system using plastic bottles and pipe. Cutter in hand, he was always pottering on inventive ideas. This often invited the fury of his mother. “She was concerned about my safety, but she also always supported me in my innovations,” smiles Varun.

At 12, things took a serious turn with the news of a pilot whale on the shores of Thailand. “After a few days, the whale succumbed. The incident nudged me to come up with a solution,” says the Navrachana School student.

How Makara came to life

The Class 11 student knew he had to get rid of plastic waste that was making many species of fish extinct. He designed a low-cost machine that helps clean water bodies. “After discussing the problem with my mom, she encouraged me to work on the prototype which took three months. Post several trials, I came up with Makara, a fabricated prototype using plastic bottles that worked on a battery, and could be operated by remote control,” reveals Varun who conducted 11 test runs in local ponds and collected 33 kg plastic waste.

With each experiment and test run, Varun improvised the prototype. “Initially, I had added a basket at the tail of the prototype to gather waste. I soon realised that a lot of plastic waste is deeper. So I added a tail net that collected waste in a larger capacity,” adds Varun who pitched the idea to the Gujarat Innovation Council, and won a grant in December 2018.

In July 2019, Varun began working on the bigger model, Flipper, that's 20 feet in length, fully automated, and it can fish out 150 kg waste in one swoop. The teenager claims the innovation doesn’t affect marine life as the ultrasonic waves transmitted from its sensors keep fishes at bay. “Fish don’t come to the surface. The tail net bin is only 10 inches deep, and can be customised up to 1.5 ft depending on the water bodies,” says the young innovator, adding that floating waste is later segregated on land.

This passion for protecting the environment led to the launch of his startup Ocean Cleanerz in 2021. “After working on Makara and Flipper, I realised the need for a company that focuses on finding a sustainable solution to environmental problems,” says the teenager.

[caption id="attachment_11615" align="aligncenter" width="626"] Varun Saikia working on Makara[/caption]

Project Flipper bagged the IRIS 2021 award instituted by the American Meteorological Society, Massachusetts in the category of environmental engineering. “Because of Covid-19, the awards were held virtually. It feels great that my innovation is getting attention, and resonating with people,” adds the teen innovator.

Varun, who calls his mother Ruchira his mentor, has found a perfect support system in her. “She has always had faith in me. She funded my first prototype, that says a lot about her,” adds Varun, who is glad that his parents have been the wind beneath his wings. “I am grateful that they have allowed me to pursue my innovations,” says the boy who wants to study environmental engineering. “I want to get into MIT, and make a difference with my engineering,” adds Varun, who loves going on long walks with his dog.

Starting up as a teen

The teen innovator never misses a day to work on his startup, despite a tight study schedule. “I devote an hour each day to my work as I am passionate about it,” says Saikia who likes exploring tech websites and learning something new each day.

[caption id="attachment_11616" align="aligncenter" width="649"] Varun Saikia working on Flipper[/caption]

The boy who relentlessly follows up on his innovations, advises “never give up on any idea as someday it might materialise into something concrete.” He has been working on Flipper for two years, and is keen to launch it in the next few months. “I would want to use the device to clean lakes of every city and later help to clean river Ganga. Since my device is scalable, it can be used to clean the Indian Ocean too,” concludes the little visionary.

Follow Varun Saikia on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min

Swinging his best: Indian Golfer Hardik Chawda is aiming for the big shot

(April 2, 2022) As a child, Hardik S Chawda would often wonder where his father Sunil would go early each morning. One such morning in 2008 when Hardik was eight, he insisted on accompanying his father and Sunil drove him straight to the golf course. “This is where I come every morning,” the businessman told his son, who scanned the golf course with excitement. That was also the first time he held a golf club. Today, at 21, Hardik is at his golfing best. He recently became the first from the Hyderabad Golf Association and Telangana to crack the professional golf tour of India's "B" card, on his first attempt. Hardik achieved this feat at the PGTI qualifying school which was held in Ahmedabad at Kalhaar Blue and Greens golf course in February this year. [caption id="attachment_13785" align="aligncenter" width="469"] Hardik S Chawda[/caption] His driving force “My dad introduced me to golf. He often told me to focus on one sport and indulge in it with complete dedication. So I chose golf over everything,” smiles Hardik, speaking with Global Indian. He went through the pre-qualifying events out of which 130 qualified for the final stage. "After four days of competition, the

in it with complete dedication. So I chose golf over everything,” smiles Hardik, speaking with Global Indian. He went through the pre-qualifying events out of which 130 qualified for the final stage. "After four days of competition, the top 40 made the 'A' card and those who finished 41 to 80 got the 'B' card. I finished 51st," says the beaming golfer. With an 'A' card, one can play all the events irrespective of the prize money at stake while the 'B' card holders will get to participate in fewer events. Nonetheless the 'B' card gives him access to about 20 tournaments across the country and he will also be eligible to play tourneys in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

"It was a great week for me and kind of a mixed bag. After the third day, I was doing well and in contention for the 'A' card. But during the final round, I had two bad holes which denied me a top 40 finish and I slipped to 51,” says the young golfer about the recent tournament.

What it takes

"One of the key aspects in this sport is patience. At my level of game, it is all about your mental strength,” says Hardik, a BCom final year student of St Mary’s college in Yousufguda, Hyderabad. He is now completely focussed on his game, putting in many hours of practice, shaping his game to the best.

The youngster says that you either win or lose a tournament with your decision making. "On a professional tour, everyone has a good swing, short game and able putting. A player who makes the right decisions on the course and plays with a very relaxed and confident mindset wins,” says the professional golfer, who has 14 clubs in his 'arsenal' besides other equipment. “Golf equipment is quite expensive and not affordable to most but I'm very thankful to my parents who support me," he says.

Practice makes perfect

Hardik spends anywhere between six to eight hours on his full golf days, which includes close to two hours of fitness. “I do try to play every day except for the days when I have an exam or other academic commitments,” says the Hyderabad-born lad, who studied in Delhi Public School. During lockdown and post lockdown, when there was no golfing, he assisted his father in their chemical business. “But now that I have turned pro, I barely get any time.” The Chawda family originally belongs to Gujarat but have settled in Hyderabad for decades.

[caption id="attachment_13787" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Hardik S Chawda with his family[/caption]

He says fitness plays a huge role in professional golfing. “Golf is no more for a short hitter. Everyone now understands the importance of fitness and how it can benefit their game and we see players hitting more than 320- 330 yards of carry distance,” says Hardik. His workout comprises warm up stretches which he does before he leaves to play. Upon return, he does foam rolling just to release and relax the whole body. “I also do a little bit of meditation before my rounds. I try to eat healthy and avoid oily and junk food as much as I can,” informs the golfer, who likes to play cricket and basketball with friends in his free time besides watching adventure or rom-coms on Netflix and other OTT platforms.

So what are Hardik’s future plans? “Firstly, I want to play well on the Professional Golf Tour Of India this year. Thereafter, I aim to move on to the Asian Tour, European tour and ultimately the PGA tour. For me nothing matters until I'm on the PGA tour. It's like a dream come true for me competing against the world's top golfers,” smiles the golfer, who is hoping he would compete against the greatest golfer of all times Tiger Woods himself one day. He credits his coach Sanjay Kumar Singh (Hyderabad), Jesse Grewal (Chandigarh), Muneer sir (fitness coach Hyderabad) and Sagar Diwan (fitness Coach Chandigarh). "Importantly, my whole family supported me and backed me throughout," says Hardik, for whom the Hyderabad Golf Association has been his home club, since he started his golf career from there.

Reading Time: 6 min

A ‘stem’per of brilliance: These Indian-origin science whizzes win big at the US’ junior Nobel

(April 9, 2022) Proving President Joe Biden’s words, “Indian Americans are taking over the country,” right, several Indian-origin kids have been winning big at the Regeneron Science Talent Search every year. Also called the US’ Junior Nobel, several Indian-origin high school students have secured positions among the top 10 finalists at this STEM competition, which discovers the most innovative budding scientists. Inspired by compelling issues that cripple the pace of day-to-day life, these students have developed simple, unique, low-cost solutions for humankind. Established in 1942 to recognise the best and brightest young scientists for demonstrating exceptional scientific leadership potential, Regeneron Science Talent Search, a programme of the Society for Science, is USA's oldest and most prestigious pre-college science and mathematics competition. Global Indian takes a look at five Indian-origin students, who have the potential to become scientists and innovators. Neil Chowdhury, 18, Washington, US An 18-year-old from Washington, Neil Chowdhury’s success in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2022 is inspiring. He finished fifth among the top 10 winners of the United States’ Junior Nobel in stem and received a cash award of $90,000 for his project, “Modeling the Effect of Histone Methylation on Chromosomal Organisation in Colon Cancer Cells,” an

rd of $90,000 for his project, “Modeling the Effect of Histone Methylation on Chromosomal Organisation in Colon Cancer Cells,” an innovative computational method of studying the role of histones implicated in colon cancer.

[caption id="attachment_14491" align="aligncenter" width="782"] Neil Chowdhury[/caption]

The project he submitted to the Regeneron Science Talent Search shows that histone proteins cause changes to the way a long string of DNA loops and coils fit inside the nucleus of a cell. Explaining his project, Neil had earlier said that being able to simulate biological systems and develop models of 3D genome, can help us to better understand the inner workings of the cells.

In his experiment, Neil tried to replicate the method of modulating the DNA’s physical formation using molecular simulations of DNA polymers and coded the simulation in Python, an open-source programming language. His experiment shows that a modification of histone proteins can help with colon cancer by causing changes in the folding of DNA strings. Neil is exploring DNA, the basic building blocks of life, and will use the money to help pay tuition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is currently studying at the Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire) and has applied for Primes, a research programme offered to high school students by MIT.

Follow Neil Chowdhury on LinkedIn

Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu, 17, Virginia, US

Just 17 and already going places. Indian-American student, Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu won the seventh place at the 2022 Regeneron Science Talent Search. Pravalika, a resident of Virginia, received a cash award of $70,000 for her project on real-time monitoring of laparoscopic surgeries. A student at the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Pravalika designed a video-assisted programme that uses machine learning to detect errors, if any, in surgical steps that doctors take in the operating room so that a corrective measure can be taken immediately.

“My programme was inspired by my cousin in India, who died of a preventable brain surgery complication,” Pravalika had shared during the competition, adding, "I wanted to create a tool that alleviates surgeons’ stress and helps them perform better in the operating room.”

[caption id="attachment_14492" align="aligncenter" width="851"] Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu[/caption]

Pravalika started working on Dynamic Operating Room Companion (also known as DORC) in July 2020 and her goal was to reduce the potential for mistakes in gallbladder surgeries. Using machine learning, DORC analyses live surgery videos and tracks the movements of surgical tools, such as the acceleration and velocity in use. DORC uses this info to flag potential errors.

Follow Pravalika Gayatri Putalapattu on LinkedIn

Gopal Krishna Goel, 17, Portland, US

This 17-year-old from Portland, Oregon secured the fourth position at the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2021. A homeschooled math genius, Gopal made it to the top 10 for his research on mathematical properties of random matrices, for which he received a $100,000 award. For his project, he made connections between two mathematical objects related to randomness and probability.

Speaking about his journey, Gopal shared during an earlier interview that homeschooling gave him the opportunity to explore the areas of study he loved at his own pace. His father piqued his interest in physics, and they started going through most of Halliday Resnick 2nd edition together. The young scientist believes that his work may be useful to the fields of nuclear physics, quantum field theory, and meteorology. He hopes that it will aid in the search for the true nature of quantum gravity, more commonly known as “the theory of everything.”

[caption id="attachment_14493" align="aligncenter" width="863"] Gopal Krishna Goel[/caption]

Gopal, who is currently pursuing his undergraduate in math, science, music, and philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is confident that the award-winning research will play a key role in the field of meteorology, nuclear physics, and quantum field theory. His research is on the connection between randomness and probability.

The math genius was also a coach for the USA Physics and Math Olympiads and volunteers in the memory care unit of an assisted living facility. He also holds a Taekwondo black belt and enjoys performing Indian classical music.

Follow Gopal Krishna Goel on LinkedIn

Alay Shah, 17, Texas, US

Among the top 10 winners of the 2021 Regeneron Science Talent Search, 17-year-old Alay Shah from Texas finished seventh and earned a $70,000 award for developing a possible low-cost alternative to MRIs. Through his research titled, “identifying eye-movement patterns in neurological disorders to assess cognitive and motor function,” Alay developed a tool to test eye movement as a low-cost, non-invasive method of quantifying deep brain function. He wrote the software, built the hardware, and conducted clinical testing on dementia, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and ADHD patients.

On knowing that injured footballers are immediately taken for an eye check-up to find concussions, Alay started working on the idea of using abnormal eye movements for accurate detection of several neurological disorders. During a session with the media, Alay, who is currently studying computer science and cognitive science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, had shared that he is a big believer in project-based learning. And that he took a look at the current eye-tracking standard, and used a combination of a set of intelligent algorithms to redefine the technique at its core.

[caption id="attachment_14494" align="aligncenter" width="822"] Alay Shah[/caption]

A resident of Plano, Alay has integrated into the device an infrared camera that uses his coded software. The device also uses deep learning algorithms to analyse and interpret the data on pupil movement. He has already tested the tool successfully on 200 patients.

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Indrani Das, 21, New Jersey, US

Currently pursuing a degree in chemical and physical biology at Harvard University, Indrani Das took home the top prize of $250,000 for her winning project focused on brain injury at the 2017 Regeneron Science Talent Search. By manipulating astrocytes, a type of supporting brain cell in an injury model, Indrani worked to promote neuron repair.

[caption id="attachment_14495" align="aligncenter" width="830"] Indrani Das[/caption]

A contributor to neuron death is astrogliosis, a condition that occurs when cells called astrocytes react to injury by growing, dividing, and reducing their uptake of glutamate, which in excess is toxic to neurons. In a laboratory model, Indrani showed that exosomes isolated from astrocytes transfected with microRNA-124a both improved astrocyte uptake of glutamate and increased neuron survival. Explaining her research, Das said that when Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, stroke, or a traumatic injury affects the brain, the neurons, which are the main signal cells of the brain, are killed. Next, the supporting cells - astrocytes - that are supposed to nurture and protect the neurons, go awry and create a toxic chemical environment, poisoning the neurons.

Though Indrani comes from a family of bankers, she decided to take a very different path. Sharing how her family’s journey helped her win the award, Indrani had said that her parents worked full-time day jobs while securing additional degrees by night, and saved religiously for over a decade before her birth to give Indrani a quality education.

Follow Indrani Das on Facebook

Reading Time: 6 mins

A ‘Rebba’rence to the downtrodden: How Dhruv helps underprivileged and pandemic-stricken

(March 24, 2022) An eighth grader, Dhruv Rebba landed in India from the US to visit his father's village - NP Kunta in Andhra Pradesh. The experience was a life changer – as he started a non-profit at the age of 14. The teenager from Illinois was startled by the gap in the standard of living between the US and India, and couldn't wrap his head around it. “It astonished me that the difference in the quality of life between two parts of the world is so stark — in a week, I experienced polar realities on two completely different continents," Dhruv tells Global Indian in an interview. Universal Help, an organisation that helps improve people's quality of life, began with this earnest need to bridge the gap. That relentless work for the underprivileged, and contribution to stem helped him bag the 2022 4-H Youth In Action Award for Stem. The stem lover is also the youngest amateur radio operator in the US, who obtained his license at just nine. [caption id="attachment_13196" align="aligncenter" width="433"] Dhruv Rebba[/caption] When stem became his be all Born in Dallas in 2004 to immigrant parents, Dhruv's inclination towards stem began as early as age six.

obalindian.com/youth//wp-content/uploads/2022/03/dhruv2.jpg" alt="Stem Lover | Dhruv Rebba " width="433" height="541" /> Dhruv Rebba[/caption]

When stem became his be all

Born in Dallas in 2004 to immigrant parents, Dhruv's inclination towards stem began as early as age six. “I would play with electronic snap circuits (DIY kits) where anyone can put together a circuit while following a guide, and can build Led lights, fans, and various systems with ease,” says the Class 12th student. It was in fourth grade that he came across stem opportunities that 4-H, a youth development and mentoring organisation, had to offer. “I joined the 4-H robotics club where I was taught by older 4-H members, which led to my interest in stem,” adds the Normal Community High School student who initially felt lost but soon picked up pace.

“We began with NXT Robots, which are lego-based robots, and soon started making line followers. Moreover, we made the robot function through line, ultrasonic and touch sensors. This cemented my interest in the field of robotics,” says the 17-year-old who is currently a part of a 4-H based FRC team, MetalCow Robotics that builds 120-pound robots from scratch.

Dhruv also launched 4-H robotics clubs in elementary school to “create more opportunities for younger kids to get involved in stem.” “I teach third to fifth graders the basic fundamentals of robotics, coding and engineering,” reveals the Normal resident.

Radio ga ga

In third grade, Dhruv attended the Dayton Hamvention, an international ham radio convention, thanks to his dad who has been a ham radio operator for over 25 years. “I was inspired by the convention, and took an FCC exam to obtain an amateur radio license when I was nine years," says Dhruv who got a place in the Limca Book of Records for being the youngest person of Indian descent ever to earn a general class license.

This love for ham radio helped him bag a project Amateur Radio on the International Space Station that allowed 16 students from various countries to speak via ham radio to astronauts on board the orbiting station. “I was the driving force behind an ARISS contact on October 23, 2017 at Chiddix Jr High School wherein students got the opportunity to talk to Astronaut Joe Acaba on the ISS. From technical preparations to coordinating with Nasa to making the initial ISS contact, I helped at every step. As the lead control operator of the ARISS contact, I made the initial contact between our ground station and the ISS," says Dhruv, who helped conduct an eight minute live conversation through the radio.

It took a village to see the problems

That visit to his father’s village in Andhra Pradesh (2018) had a profound effect on him, and led to the launch of his non-profit Universal Help. “I walked through a dirt road riddled with potholes. To my left, I saw a deserted primary school with a collapsed foundation. To my right, I saw a medical clinic that was almost always empty and devoid of a doctor. I looked at homes on the street, many of which were small amid a periodic power outage. I thought back to life in the US, with no outages and schools that don't collapse. A regular middle-class home in the US is magnitudes larger than what I saw in this village. It made me think a lot,” says Dhruv.

[caption id="attachment_13204" align="aligncenter" width="545"] Universal Help distributed books to schools in Andhra Pradesh[/caption]

The organisation started working for the betterment of people. It has provided textbooks to schools, digitised schools in rural India with projectors, computers and UPS. “We’ve also provided emergency rescue materials during Cyclone Yaas in West Bengal. Currently, we are working on starting a solar panel pilot programme in rural Andhra Pradesh, although it’s in very early stages. Locally, we are working with the city of Bloomington to expand accessibility to recycling, and also with the Ecology Action Centre on a composting project," reveals Dhruv.

Help during the pandemic

Within two years of launching the nonprofit, the pandemic struck, and Universal Help rose to the occasion. “We distributed two months of groceries to poor Purohit families of Kopparu village in Guntur (AP) and 10 grocery kits to the Purohits of Bolarum, Hyderabad during the second wave of lockdown. We also distributed groceries and other essential goods for a month to a mental health clinic in Shantiniketan, Hyderabad. Together, Universal Help and GSSO distributed food to 380 families in rural villages in India during the first two waves of Covid-19,” adds Dhruv whose non-profit works with volunteers, and is funded by individual donations.

Dhruv's contribution to the world of stem and social work helped him bag the 2022 4-H Youth In Action Award for Stem. “It feels good that your work is being recognised,” says the boy who plans to study computer science in college, and wants to start a technology company soon. He loves curling with a book or watching tv in his free time.

His parents, who work at State Farm Insurance, are his biggest cheerleaders. “They’re open to things that I want to do, and try to connect me to people who might be able to help me achieve my goals,” says Dhruv who calls “taking the first step” his biggest challenge so far. “Originally, I had no idea how to start a non-profit. However, with the support of friends, mentors, and family, I was able to overcome many of obstacles,” he adds, advising youngsters to “not be afraid to start. However intimidating it is, once you push the pedal it gets easier and less intimidating.”

Follow Dhruv Rebba on Linkedin

Reading Time: 6 min

Suyash Keshari, the 25-year-old wildlife conservationist behind India’s first wildlife OTT platform

With her amber eyes watching her prey, Solo the tigress crouches amid tall brown grass, beautifully camouflaged. In a second, she pounces on a chital deer. Her teeth tear into its flesh, and she devours him. Solo is the big cat who stole the thunder on Safari with Suyash – Season 1, a wildlife series by environmentalist Suyash Keshari. Amidst the lush foliage, rolling hills and grasslands of Bandhavgarh National Park, Solo found her habitat where she first met Suyash eight years ago. A capture of the six-month-old earned Suyash the Nature’s Best Photography Asia Award, which incidentally hung at Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington DC for a year. Solo played a huge part in Suyash’s journey into wildlife filmmaking as his debut five-part series managed to impress the World Wildlife Fund, which eventually became its distributor. "My first series was inspired by my early life in Central India, its people and animals. It was showcased at the 13th United Nations Convention on Migratory Species in February 2020," Suyash tells Global Indian in an exclusive. [caption id="attachment_16950" align="aligncenter" width="607"] A picture of Solo clicked by Suyash Keshari[/caption] For the past three years, this champion of wildlife conservation has been

lobalindian.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Solo-1-3.jpg" alt="Solo" width="607" height="950" /> A picture of Solo clicked by Suyash Keshari[/caption]

For the past three years, this champion of wildlife conservation has been navigating through unexplored territory of the park to capture the raw and unfiltered beauty of nature.

A childhood in the lap of nature

He grew up in Central India where his IAS officer dad was posted. Thus for the Madhya Pradesh-born, his love for wildlife began early. On his first visit to a zoo as a four-year-old, he learnt (from his maternal grandfather) that animals aren’t free like those he saw on wildlife shows. Instead, they are caged for life. "It broke my heart, and set me on a path to learn more about our wild animals and observe them in their habitat," he recalls.

Instead of guffawing to Tom & Jerry as a five-year-old, Suyash would spend hours watching wildlife shows. Often, he would sprawl languidly in his backyard, spotting birds, climbing guava trees, or observing fish by a pond. "I always wanted to do something related to wildlife, film and photography, and document these sightings. Growing up, people from across the world would present on Indian wildlife. I wondered why an Indian could not do the same," muses the environmentalist whose supportive family cheered him on.

Switching gears to political advocacy

Inspired by mavericks like Steve Irwin, Steve Backshall, and Nigel Marven, Keshari was ready to become a wildlife presenter like his childhood heroes. Yet, his enthusiasm was met with dissent by field experts in India. At age 17, a career in wildlife was considered a suicide mission with no guaranteed results or hefty paycheck. "They told me that it would take me at least 10 to 15 years to create a name. When this came from the people who I looked up to, I accepted it as the only truth. I gave up on my dream and moved to the US," recalls Keshari.

[caption id="attachment_16951" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Suyash Keshari with lions at Bandhavgarh National Park.[/caption]

In America, he switched gears to political advocacy - a degree from Wake Forest University, and then a cushy job at Washington DC. Yet, something was amiss. He yearned for the woods, wildlife and nature. "My deep-seated love for wildlife, and the quest to fulfill my childhood dream led me in 2019 to quit my job and become a full-time wildlife presenter. It also brought me back to my homeland, India. There was no other place I could think of but my beloved, Bandhavgarh National Park (to start my journey as a wildlife presenter) - it had shaped my life and made me the person I am today," beams the 25-year-old with pride.

Finding his true calling

For a child who picked up his dad's camera to record wild stories, he was a natural. A self-taught photographer, his urge to tell stories was prime. "For me, it was always about capturing nature’s beauty and explaining the importance of conservation. Moreover, I would tell stories of the human-wildlife conflict, and make people aware of the beautiful natural heritage that our planet offers. I knew that in order to stand out, I had to be myself," reveals Suyash, whose Instagram account has over 46k followers.

Suyash went viral on the OTT scene in 2019 with Safari with Suyash. Entirely self-funded, the series was picked up by WWF International for a web release, and it opened the doors to wildlife film making. "The idea was to create something people could emotionally connect with. It is vital for people to feel attached to wildlife, only then will they care," says the wildlife presenter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia4SRQcM7cg

Happy to put the spotlight on wildlife conservation, forest community upliftment, and virtual safaris, his aim was to show something completely raw, authentic and unfiltered. Today, the Bandhavgarh National Park is his playground, and the wild animals, his muse.

With the help of a few friends, Suyash recently provided electricity through solar lamps to 175 anti-poaching camps at the national park that he funded from his virtual safaris. "More than 250 forest staff received shoes, raincoats, and bags. Another 200 staff received solar torches to help with night patrol and phone charging. It's vital to take care of the people who take care of our natural heritage," reveals the conservationist who was a former associate at Legislative Affairs and State Engagement at US-India Strategic Partnership Forum.

India’s first OTT wildlife platform

Since virtual safaris had never been done in India before, Suyash has carved a niche by creating India’s first virtual safari experience which comes at a cost of ₹5000. "Buy a membership, jump into the back of the jeep from the comfort of your home and indulge in a wild, raw and epic adventure," coaxes the presenter who loves chasing sunsets.

[caption id="attachment_16952" align="aligncenter" width="1080"] A leopard at Bandhavgarh National Park[/caption]

Suyash along with his small team often brave Madhya Pradesh’s scorching sun and torrential rain to capture footage that resonates. "The biggest challenge isn’t the endless wait in adverse conditions or tracking an animal. It is the willingness of the mind and heart to work harder to achieve the goals, but the body is just too tired to keep going. The challenge is to overcome the setbacks and keep going no matter what," says Suyash who wants to expand virtual tours on Safari with Suyash.

"The idea, for now, is to expand the ‘Safari with Suyash- TV’ platform as much as possible along with our conservation merchandise line. The focus would lie on connecting people with nature, whether virtually or physically with safaris and tours. For me, there’s still a long way to go and a lot more to do and connecting more and more people to nature and wildlife on the way," signs off Keshari.

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