Global Indianstory Global IndianStepping into big shoes: Indian teen innovators are taking the world by storm

Stepping into big shoes: Indian teen innovators are taking the world by storm

Written by: Team GI

(May 31, 2022) “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” These words of Theodore Levitt stand true for the brigade of Indian teen innovators who are helping solve the biggest issues, one problem at a time. From saving the earth to creating social impact, these new generation of precocious youth is solving the problems of today with ambitious, ground-breaking tech.

Global Indian turns the spotlight on five such teen techies, who are breaking the glass ceilings with their innovations.

Satyam Thakur

His trip to Delhi at the age of seven was his first tryst with air pollution. Finding hard to breathe in the capital, Satyam resolved to find a solution. This drive made him spent years researching, before he hit the jackpot with clay pots in 2019. Understanding that chemicals present in clay pots make them good absorbents of particle matter in pollutants, the teen innovator found a way to make a cheap filter out of broken clay pots that could be fitted over car exhausts or even upscaled to cover the factory chimneys.

Satyam Thakur

“This filter is highly eco-friendly. After the absorption of the pollutants the filter could be converted into a brick causing no harm to the environment. I made use of the broken clay pots that purify the water and make it drinkable and this filter can also be used in several other polluting endings like the one in vehicles,” says the Bengaluru-resident teen innovator who is currently pursuing bachelor’s degree in information sciences.

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Vinisha Umashankar

“We have every reason to be angry. But I have no time for anger. I want to act. I am not just a girl from India. I am a girl from Earth and I am proud to be so.” These words of the 15-year-old innovator and environmentalist Vinisha Umashankar received a thunderous standing ovation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021. The teen from Tamil Nadu, who was the only school student to earn a spot among the finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2021, was invited by Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, to speak at the World Leaders’ Summit at the COP26 in November 2021.

Vinisha Umashankar with her solar-powered ironing cart.

At 12, the teen innovator started the idea of inventing a solar-powered ironing cart while accompanying her mother to deliver ironing clothes. Seeing six ironing vendors in her neighbourhood, she realised how charcoal burning is a threat to the environment. She found her eureka in solar power which effectively substitutes charcoal. The innovation won her the Children’s Climate Prize in 2020 helped her get a slot as a finalist at The Earthshot Prize in the Clean Our Air category in 2021. “I was happy that environmental innovations like a solar ironing cart got due recognition. It can play a crucial role in reducing environmental damage and climate change. I hope my innovation motivates students to innovate on products that could help protect the environment for future generations. I am happy that the solar ironing cart is my little contribution towards an ambitious goal,” she told Global Indian.

Follow Vinisha Umashankar on Linkedin

Anang Tadar

A chance encounter with a blind woman on his way back home in Nirjuli village of Papum Pare in Arunachal Pradesh, made Anang think deep about the challenges faced by visually-impaired people. This led the teen innovator to develop a device – Goggle for Blind, a smart goggle fitted with modern electronics and sensor which is capable of detecting the obstacles lying in front of the wearer. Based on the principle of echolocation – used by the bats – it alerts the wearer in advance of any obstacle in front of them. Moreover, it helps them to easily navigate around their environment without the worry of bumping into things or people.

Anang Tadar built Goggles for Blind.

“I did many testing with my prototypes in real life with blind people and they were very impressed with the product and they want the product to be available to them very soon. Right now, I am in the phase of developing the prototype into a final product. UNICEF, among the others, has assured help and support to my invention,” the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Ignite Awardee said in an interview.

Goggle for blind

Follow Anang Tadar on Linkedin

Akash Manoj

At 13, Manoj lost his grandfather to a silent heart attack. That’s when he began research in the space, and after three years of working in varied government and private labs, he came up with a skin patch that can detect a silent heart attack six hours before it happens. His innovation – which could revolutionise healthcare – has received clinical validation from the Tokyo University of Science, London’s Royal Society of Medicine and Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

The patch work emits a small amount of positive charge, which attracts the negatively-charged FABP3 protein, a biomarker for heart attacks. If analysis shows an increased level of the protein, a heart attack is underway.

Teen Innovator | Akash Manoj | Global Indian

Akash Manoj built a device to detect silent heart attack.

“It is a watch-like device that you wear around your wrist and place a patch near your chest. The non-invasive device will identify the alarm signal your heart is sending through a unique bio-electric system that I have developed so you don’t need a blood test at all,” Akash, who is the President’s Gold Medal recipient, had told in an interview. Akash is currently studying at a medical school in Prague, Czech Republic.

Follow Akash Manoj on Linkedin

Harshwardhan Zala

He was only 14 when he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) worth ₹5 crore with Gujarat government for finding a smart solution to diffusing landmines through drones. Outfitted with an infrared sensor, thermal meter and an RGB sensor with a 21-megapixel built-in camera, the drone can survey minefields, pick up the location of landmines, submit their findings to the base-station remotely and can also bomb landmines they spot.

Harshwardhan Zala is known as drone wiz kid

His device – EAGLE A7 (Escort for Attacking on Ground and buried Landmines as Enemy by Aerobotics7) — was tested at an army test field, achieving an accuracy rate of 89-93 percent. The teenager was also invited to visit the Google and Facebook offices as part of a private fellowship. The CEO of Aerobotics, the teen innovator is on a mission to make the “world a safe place.”

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Published on 31, May 2022

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Racing to put Indian motorsports on the global map – Arjun Maini, Yash Aradhya & Karun Chandok

(December 31, 2021) The news of the first all-Indian team to compete internationally at the 2021 Asian Le Mans in February sent ripples of anticipation among Indian racers. The all-Indian driver line-up of Narain Karthikeyan, Arjun Maini and Naveen Rao came in fifth place, and spurred the racing aspirations of many. New technology, new drivers, and hopefully more corporate involvement are what we can expect in the future. We need to break away from cricket being sold as the only sport in India. - Gaurav Gill Of course, the memory of Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher wheel to wheel with Jean Alesi in a tarmac crunch to the chequered flag at the 1995 Europe Grand Prix, is still among the most memorable moments for racing aficionados, etched in many minds. Finally, India too has taken to a sport that is not cricket. Many youngsters are training, learning and being mentored to be the next Schumacher (or close), and it is a sign of the growing popularity of motorsports in India. Ten years after that 1995 scene, Coimbatore-born Narain Karthikeyan scripted history by becoming the first Indian to debut at Formula 1, inspiring the current generation to get behind the wheel

a 1, inspiring the current generation to get behind the wheel of a mean machine that can go insanely fast around a corner.
The adrenaline rush, blind cuts, and need for speed keeps every racer revving. However, the lack of sponsors and expensive gear often play spoilsport, thus nipping many dreams in the bud. Perhaps, this most expensive sport in the world is finding stable footing in India with a handful of young Indians revving up at the start line, and pushing the gas pedal on greater accomplishments.

The young blood

This October, the 23-year-old racer Arjun Maini became the first Indian to make a podium debut at the DTM Championship after claiming second place at the Norisring (Nuremburg) race circuit. “For me, it was a very special moment to be the first Indian driver in DTM and I am very proud of it,” tweeted Maini.

Arjun Maini, the Bengaluru boy started with go-karts when he was eight, thanks to his racer dad Gautam Maini, who once participated in the national championships. It was in 2011 that Arjun Maini made headlines when he won the Sahara Force India’s One from a Billion talent, and since then there has been no looking back for this lad.

If Arjun Maini is vrooming through unchartered territory with each of his races, his younger brother Kush Maini, too, is busy taking the legacy forward as he made his debut at the World Endurance Championship in Bahrain this year. Following the footsteps of his brother, the 21-year-old began his journey with the national karting championship before graduating to cars in 2015. In no time, he made waves in the European racing circuits by competing in the Italian Formula 4 championship, and British Formula 3 championship. However, it was this year’s Formula 3 Asian Championship where his team Mumbai Falcons did the unthinkable by clinching a third place at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. “The year 2021 Asian F3 Championship has not been the smoothest of rides, had a lot of engine issues throughout the campaign and some unlucky moments but all the credit goes to @mumbaifalcons who never stopped believing in my capability and we finished off the championship strong with a podium. A historic moment for Indian motorsports and it’s been a pleasure to be a part of it,” he wrote on his Instagram after the historic podium finish.

A universe of opportunities

If the Maini brothers found inspiration through their father, 19-year-old Formula 4 racer Yash Aradhya’s love for motorsport stemmed from his need for speed. The recipient of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, Yash’s passion began at nine years of age, and despite no family background in motorsport, the teenager dived into the game out of sheer love. “I started with karting and here I am,” the Bengaluru-born teenager tells Global Indian Youth.

Each year, new names crop up, and sponsors are at the heart of this expensive sport, and a deep bank balance too. “Motorsports is an expensive sport but I wouldn’t say the same anymore as opportunities are being given at the grassroot level. You have a chance of being picked up and taken forward as long as it’s backed by the performance that helps the sponsors and investors put their faith in you,” adds Yash, who has dreams of becoming a Formula 1 racer.

It’s been a decade since Indian racer Karun Chandok turned up the heat on the racing track in Formula 1, but new blood is now gearing up to test the waters by putting themselves on the biggest platform. It’s the plethora of opportunities that have made these youngsters confident of their skills and talent. “The new generation is quite lucky as there are so many opportunities for us in India, and the costs are low. We get the European standard of racing in India with European drivers coming in and giving us the best exposure and opportunity to prove ourselves and gain experience,” adds Aradhya.

Like Yash, Jehan Daruvala, too, was just nine when he found motorsports. Spanish Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso kept Jehan glued to the Formula 1 track as a child. Now, a decade later, like his racing hero, he is all set to knock the doors of Formula 1. At the cusp of achieving his childhood dream, the 23-year-old has come a long way. From excelling in karting championships across Europe in 2013 to transitioning to cars in 2015, he has proven his mettle time and again. So much so that he has found a fan in Arjuna Award-winner and racer Gaurav Gill. “Jehan is doing great at the world level in Formula racing,” says Gaurav Gill, who won the Asia Pacific Rally Championship thrice and Indian National Rally Championship six times.

The future is bright

It was in the early 2000s that Gill started competing at the national level, and in the past two decades, this 40-year-old racer has seen the Indian motorsport scene evolve. “Motorsport has evolved from being a hobby to a career sport especially after my Arjuna Award. The younger generation can now look at it being a full-time job/sport,” says Gill.

Gill, who calls motorsports an ever-evolving sport, is excited about the future. “New technology, new drivers, and hopefully more corporate involvement are what we can expect in the future. We need to break away from cricket being sold as the only sport in India. We see so many Olympians now, and I hope to see lots more motorsport engagement soon,” says the racer who has started his own school to groom aspiring racers to hone their skills.

As more and more Indian-origin youth foray into the world of motorsports, India is finally ready to get past the chequered flag once again in the international circuit. One race at a time.

Reading Time: 5 mins

A ‘pharm’idable idea: Changemaker Arjun Deshpande is disrupting medicine affordability with Ratan Tata’s aid

(March 28, 2022) One balmy afternoon at a medical shop in Thane, the then 16-year-old Arjun Deshpande witnessed an unpleasant scene. An old man, deep in debt, profusely pleaded with a shopkeeper to pay a hefty medicine bill later. The shopkeeper refused. “His wife had cancer and his son, who was an auto driver, was the sole breadwinner. They had spent a lot on treatment, and were finding it hard to manage money for medicines daily. He was helpless, and felt guilty. I saw how a common man was burdened with paying bills for necessities like medicines. This made me determined to bring about a new era in the world of pharma,” says Arjun who started Generic Aadhaar in 2019 to help provide medicines to the aam junta at low cost. In three years, Generic Aadhaar has a presence in all states, and has opened over 1,500 stores across India. Such has been the vision and mission of the startup that even Ratan Tata invested in it. “We share the same mission and want to serve people. When he saw the same vision and determination to work for the people, he spontaneously supported Generic Aadhaar,” Arjun says in an interview

tion to work for the people, he spontaneously supported Generic Aadhaar,” Arjun says in an interview with Global Indian.

[caption id="attachment_13569" align="aligncenter" width="490"] Arjun Deshpande is the founder of Generic Aadhaar[/caption]

How a young boy got an idea

Born in 2002 in Thane to a mother who works in pharma, and a businessman father, Arjun learnt about the pharmaceutical industry at a young age as he often accompanied his mother on official trips. The 19-year-old understood that multinationals selling medicines were burning a hole in the pockets of the common man by adding “marketing and promotional cost.” “About 60 percent Indians cannot afford to buy daily medicines because of high prices. Since there is no alternative for medicines, MNCs have been selling medicines at a very high rate for decades,” says Arjun who is on a mission to eliminate middle-chain costs and provide medicines from manufacturer to end customers directly through a pharmacy-aggregator business model.

That appalling incident at a medical store made Arjun ideate. “At 16, I saw a burning problem. It made me realise that even though our country is a hub of manufacturers and suppliers of medicines, our people have to spend a lot of money on essential medicines. I believe medicines are not a luxury but a basic necessity. I didn’t let age come in the way of my innovative idea,” says the young changemaker-entrepreneur who initially didn’t begin with an ”intention of starting a business” instead wanted to “make an impactful change in society.”

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A post shared by Generic Aadhaar (@genericaadhaar18)

With the sole purpose to free people from the clutches of giant companies selling expensive medicines, Arjun opened the first franchise of Generic Aadhaar in Thane that provides medicines at up to 80 percent off. “The vision is to provide affordable medicines to 130 crore people in India at a price they deserve,” he adds, “by bringing all mom-and-pop medical stores under one roof to give stiff competition to big retail medical malls and online pharmacies.”

However, creating a place amid big pharma companies was a challenge for this teenager, who wanted to curb “illicit trade” in life-saving drugs and provide low-cost drugs. “Another challenge was to make them aware that there is no difference between generic medicines and branded medicines, for which we started ground-level campaigns and free health camps,” reveals Arjun. Soon Generic Aadhaar started to create a lot of buzz on social media and in the pharma sector. So much so that Ratan Tata decided to invest in Generic Aadhaar in 2020.

“Mr Tata was impressed with the venture, and saw how I was bringing change in the pharma sector. When I met him, he said, ‘Arjun, if this venture is successful, it can change the entire healthcare ecosystem for the betterment of India,’” explains Arjun who has found a mentor in Ratan Tata. “I feel fortunate to have such a business legend’s guidance and inspiration for my venture’s journey through which we both are changing the lives of millions,” adds the DAV Public School alumnus whose work is finding recognition in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and UAE. “They are approaching us to open Generic Aadhaar franchises now,” beams Arjun with pride.

[caption id="attachment_13572" align="aligncenter" width="721"] Arjun Deshpande with Ratan Tata[/caption]

Medicines for the common man

The idea of providing medicines at a low cost, has now grown leaps and bounds. It hasn’t only provided direct and indirect employment to over 10,000 people but has also created 1,500 micro-entrepreneurs. “I believe that real India starts 50 km away from the cities. So, it is important to focus on the remotest villages for the development of India. We are expanding from Jammu to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Arunachal Pradesh,” says Arjun who has served 20 lakh people through Generic Aadhaar.

The young change-maker and entrepreneur now plans to mark Generic Aadhaar’s presence in over 300 cities by 2022-end. “On Gudi Padwa, Generic Aadhaar is set to break its previous record of opening 25 franchises in a single day,” divulges Arjun who calls his parents his biggest strength. “When you are doing something good that can bring a change in society, parents always supports you,” adds Arjun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVy6zz_m8lg

Making the right moves

When he’s not neck-deep in work, Arjun loves a game of chess as it helps “boost creativity and analytical thinking skills.” He also loves reading books and playing football in his free time.

Arjun is popularly known as the robin hood of the pharma world. His advice to entrepreneurs, “identify a burning problem and then look for its solution and implement it on time.” He adds, “Innovation is complex but you need to have a winning idea. Successful entrepreneurs have unique ideas that make them stand out. What you need is to do things differently from what already exists,” Arjun, the changemaker and entrepreneur signs off.

Follow Arjun Deshpande on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 6 min

Prajwal NH: The teen innovator creating social impact with affordable technology

(May 11, 2022) Having lived in the US in the early years of his life, Prajwal NH did struggle in the early days as he adjusted to life in India. Seeing potholes on roads and garbage on the sides of the streets was a jarring contrast to the spick and span highways of the US. But that didn't make him detest his surroundings. Instead, he took it upon himself to "solve these problems with affordable technology." The 15-year-old innovator, who has his name in the India Book of Records for being the Youngest Microsoft Azure AI Engineer Associate, loves "fixing" problems by marrying technology with ideas that help in creating social impact. "Social impact is at the core of everything I do. For me, every innovation should solve a problem on a larger scale. This vision led me to make many apps that are economical solutions to bigger problems like water scarcity or road safety," Prajwal tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_16334" align="aligncenter" width="866"] Prajwal NH[/caption] The game-changing moment The Chikmagalur-born moved to the US with his family after his IT professional dad got a transfer. Back then, like every kid growing up in America, Prajwal had dreams of becoming an

p-content/uploads/2022/05/prajwal-1-new.jpg" alt="Teen innovator | Prajwal NH " width="866" height="488" /> Prajwal NH[/caption]

The game-changing moment

The Chikmagalur-born moved to the US with his family after his IT professional dad got a transfer. Back then, like every kid growing up in America, Prajwal had dreams of becoming an astronaut. However, everything changed for him when he moved back to India for good after a few years. Seeing the pollution and the trash littered all across Bengaluru, he was taken aback. "Life in the US was quite different. But I think that moment shifted my perspective. I knew I had to find a solution. I didn't know how, but I knew I had to," says the Class 10 student.

Being someone who was fascinated by technology especially battery-operated toys as a child, he loved dismantling them to see what was inside and later use the components to create his DIY gadgets. "I think my dad played an influential role in my journey. He works for IBM and I would often see him work. Though I didn't understand much back then but it intrigued me," says the teenager, for whom a robotics class in his seventh grade turned out to be a game-changer. After taking YouTube tutorials for years, he found the perfect learning ground for programming and Arduino.

Creating impact with affordable technology

This learning led him to make the Fix Me app, a smart way to improve roads. "The idea of fixing the potholes stayed with me ever since I landed in India. But it was only in 2019 that I decided to take it seriously. Upon research, I found that 6000 accidents happen every year due to potholes, and among them 300 are deadly. I realised the process of reaching out to the government officials is tedious and hence, nothing changes," says the BGS National Public School student. The teenager understood the gap and came up with an app through which citizens of an area can send the accurate location of the pothole, reducing complaint time to under three minutes. "It's a digital petition that can be tracked and monitored. The government official has to upload a picture of the fixed pothole for the complaint to be closed," says Prajwal. The app was a winning idea – he won the Top 20 Innovators award at the ATL Marathon 2019. Prajwal is still in talks with the authorities to make this app more feasible for the citizens, after which it will be available on Android and iOS.

Around the same time, he was awarded 'Water Hero' by the Ministry of Jal Shakti for his innovation - Ultrasonic Integrated Smart Water Tap - that's economical and saves 5x more water. "The usual infrared sensor taps are not only expensive (₹5000) but don't work when exposed to sunlight and are colour sensitive. So, I decided to use the ultrasonic technology that kills bacteria and decreases the wastage of water, and made it for only ₹400," says the innovator who has plans of commercialising it soon.

2020 brought with it an international recognition for Prajwal who won the coronavirus app challenge from Massachusetts Institute of Technology US for his Covid-19 Aid app. "I started working on it even before the Aarogya Setu app was out. I wanted it to be a platform where people could report their symptoms, myths about Covid could be busted, and to infuse some positivity during uncertain times," says the innovator, adding, "MIT featured my app on their website."

Turning a teen entrepreneur

The same year, he dipped his toes into the world of startups with Cloud Attack under the mentorship of Bhavesh Goswami, the founder of CloudThat. Learning the nuances of entrepreneurship at such a young age has been a task for this teenager. "The concept of our startup is to help youngsters learn cloud computing by playing a game. Making anything fun makes it easier to grasp the concept. But it has been a lot of trial and error. Understanding the challenges and overcoming them has been the greatest lessons," says Prajwal who has gained experience in hiring, marketing, product development, and management in just two years.

With a startup to his name at the age of 15, he advices youngsters to "not wait for the opportunities. Instead, create them. Just start." The teenage entrepreneur, who is eyeing MIT for future studies, wants to create an empire of technology in India. "I want India to be the technology hub of the world. I want to create opportunities so that there is no more brain drain," says the boy who has found a great support system in his parents. Calling them the wind beneath his wings, he is happy to have been given a chance to follow his dream. "If I hadn't come back to India, I wouldn't have been this proud of myself. The return helped me find a mission in life," concludes Prajwal.

Follow Prajwal NH on Linkedin

Reading Time: 5 min

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

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

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

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

Assuring happiness and empathy

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

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

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

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

Strategies to serve

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

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

Leveraging technology for larger benefits

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

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

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

Inspirations and more….

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

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

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

Follow Ayush Gharat on Linkedin and Twitter

Reading Time: 5 mins

Scribbling his way to Broadway: Indian-origin Shreyas Ayaluri has had a fascinating journey into screenwriting

As a child, Shreyas Ayaluri would spend hours scribbling just about anything on pieces of paper. It made no sense to anyone but him. From doodles, shower thoughts, ideas, catch phrases or just to-do-lists – he would be at it for most part of the day. Once, his teacher suggested he carry a miniature note-pad to capture all his haphazard thoughts and be more efficient with his scribbling. He followed the advice religiously. Now, at 27, he continues to scribble, creates magic out of it and is unstoppable. His flair for writing has led this US-based Global Indian to become an acclaimed screenwriter. His work has been featured at some of the best screenwriting festivals in the world while he makes strides in Hollywood with his latest screenplay Elvis Escobar and Juniper Lea which is all set to grace the silver screen in 2021. That is not all: The latest feather in his cap is writing a song for Broadway which has him on cloud nine. [caption id="attachment_10390" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Quentin Tarantino[/caption] An uphill climb "While all this is magical, I would be lying if I told you that the path was all sunshine and rainbows. I cannot fathom that I wrote a song for Broadway," says a beaming Shreyas, speaking exclusively

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[caption id="attachment_10390" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Quentin Tarantino[/caption]

An uphill climb

"While all this is magical, I would be lying if I told you that the path was all sunshine and rainbows. I cannot fathom that I wrote a song for Broadway," says a beaming Shreyas, speaking exclusively to Global Indian. Based out of Los Angeles, the youngster from Hyderabadlikes to call himself a creative addict. His journey from being a scribbler to a screenwriter is as fascinating as it can get. Only, that screenwriting was never on his mind in his early days.

"After pursuing engineering, I gave advertising a shot. I worked as a copywriter for two years, trying to quench my creative thirst. It was my stint at the advertising firm that bridged the gap between science and arts," informs Shreyas, whose life took a 180 degree turn when he saw his first piece of work splashed across a huge billboard while walking home one day. "It moved me. All those feelings, emotions that I didn’t know existed in me, gushed through my body and I just knew it," recalls Shreyas, whose work has been featured and placed at the best screenwriting festivals including the likes of The Austin Film Festival, ScreenCraft, The Script Lab, StoryPros Awards and Film Empire.

[caption id="attachment_10391" align="aligncenter" width="510"] Shreyas Ayaluri with Jeff Goldblum[/caption]

While his stint in the ad agency where he wrote ads for major F&B brands changed his perception of telling tales and selling stories, which he refers to as the first step into the hero's journey, the determined youngster leapt at an opportunity to study screenwriting and film in the US.

It’s all in the family

Growing up in a traditional South Indian family, expectations were set and choices were made for Shreyas, whose father AK Srinivas was in the Indian Air Force. The options before him were straight forward, either join the Armed Forces or pursue engineering. "Luckily, my parents got my enthusiasm and my flair. They pushed me to explore further," informs the award-winning screenwriter, who first studied screenwriting at New York Film Academy and later at University of California.

Shreyas has written four feature length screenplays, two pilots and has multiple shorts to his credit. His very first screenplay Amuse Me fetched him an award for best screenplay and is still going strong at film festivals. The screenwriter says he loves to write custom comedies with a heart, soul and a mind of its own. His latest feature is called Elvis Escobar and Juniper Lea which is a romantic comedy. "The song I am writing for Broadway is still in production," informs Shreyas, who grew up listening to ABBA and watching movies like Top Gun over and over again. Shreyas, who has been in the US since 2018, also worked briefly with General Motors as a quality auditor.

[caption id="attachment_10392" align="aligncenter" width="621"] Shreyas with a friend[/caption]

Rooted in India

But like all successful people, Shreyas' journey came with a lot of ups and downs. "There were times when things got rough, financially, especially during the pandemic, as being an artiste is not a 9-to-5 job and one might work on a project for months without a paycheck. But one has to do what it takes to stay in the game and that’s what I did. Moonlighting and juggling different roles and working for less, it only brought me closer to my dream and made me realize that if you crave art that bad, you just have to be at it like a creative addict," says Shreyas, who did his schooling from Kennedy High and thereafter got admission in Page Academy in Hyderabad.

While at boarding school, Shreyas recalls how he would write letters to his mother Sridevi Ayaluri, telling her how much he disliked being there. "I didn’t hold back; I went on and on about how things could be different if I were back home. But what my mother remembers is how creatively I would tell that story through the letter," says Shreyas, who was the second rounder at the Austin Film festival of both 2019 and 2020 besides receiving several accolades for his work internationally.

So, what advice does Shreyas have for anyone starting off on a journey? "If anyone out there is still contemplating to take that first plunge, I say do it. It’s going to be difficult, scary and most likely you will fall. Pick yourself up, do it again and fall again. Falling may not be fun, but it’s just part of the process. I fall all the time but only I’ve learnt to bounce back quicker,” he says. Shreyas believes that every song has a story to tell and every story is a song, if understood well. "Be it stating facts or dreaming up a fiction, I try to put the right words to go with," he says adding that the one thing that helps ride the tide is his writing.

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