Ankush Dhawan: The Indian-American teen behind an innovative arsenic detection method
Compiled by: Team GI Youth
(April 26, 2023) The growing concern around the arsenic contamination of groundwater has become a public health distress in recent years. So much so that the number of people affected by arsenic-contaminated water has meteorically gone up in more than 20 countries, including India and Bangladesh. It was these statistics that made Indian-American teen Ankush Dhawan comb through reams of research to come up with an innovative project – an advance and cost-effective method to test arsenic concentration in water – which made him one of the finalists at the Regeneron Science Talent Search award 2020. Not only has his research earned him a spot among the most promising young scientists in the United States, but it has also opened the door to a brighter future for millions of people at risk from arsenic-contaminated water.
Ankush Dhawan
Ankush’s journey into the world of science began at a young age. Growing up in a family of engineers and doctors, he was surrounded by people who encouraged his curiosity and nurtured his love for learning. As a child, Ankush was fascinated by puzzles and riddles, which later translated into a passion for scientific research.
It wasn’t long before Ankush’s interests led him to explore the fields of chemistry and environmental science. When he learned about the devastating impact of arsenic contamination in water supplies, particularly in countries like India and Bangladesh, he felt compelled to address the issue. “Arsenic is a poisonous heavy metal that is found in drinking water all across the world. Over 130 million people have suffered from arsenic-contaminated water. I developed a method to test arsenic and quantify it at trace levels that is an improvement in cost and effectiveness over current tests methods,” the Global Indian said in a statement.
Ankush’s project – An Improved Method for Trace Level Arsenic Quantification in Water – involved developing a method that was more sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective than existing techniques. His approach combined the use of gold nanoparticles with a unique surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique.
As arsenic is naturally present at hazardous concentrations in much of the world’s groundwater, EPA US, recognising its adverse effects on human health, reduced the arsenic drinking water standard in 2006 from 50 ppb to 10 ppb. However, accurately measuring arsenic below 20 ppb requires water supply companies to use costly analytical techniques. Recognising his work, Regeneron Science Talent Search mentioned that by refining a previously developed method, Ankush was able to reduce the detection limit to 3.5 ppb. Moreover, to detect arsenic in remote areas, he developed a fast and portable visual test that, once commercialised, could be used to detect arsenic concentrations of about 50 ppb for less than one-tenth the cost of existing methods.
His dedication to his research has earned him numerous accolades and awards, including a spot in the top 40 finalists of the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 as well as the 2018 Top Young Scientist Award at the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair.
In addition to his academic accomplishments, Ankush is an active member of his school’s science club and chess clubs and has volunteered for Vanderburgh County’s Teen Court system. Moreover, he has an asteroid in the Milky Way galaxy named after him through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory. Ankush’s enthusiasm for research and problem-solving has led him to mentor younger students interested in science and to conduct workshops on the importance of clean water and environmental conservation.
Ankush, who is currently an undergraduate student at Stanford University majoring in Electrical Engineering, credits his interest in engineering and the environment to his parents. He believes that science has the power to transform lives and that young scientists can make a meaningful impact on the world.
As a finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Awards, Ankush has already made a mark on the scientific community. His research has the potential to revolutionise the way arsenic contamination is detected and managed in water supplies across the globe. He wants to economically commercialize his award-winning arsenic test kit once it is patented so that people suffering from arsenic contamination in developing countries can benefit from it. “I would like to potentially commercialize this in the future and get it out to the people who are suffering from arsenic contamination, in areas such as Bangladesh and India. Those are places where contamination is the worst,” he said.
(Aug 29, 2023) Rewards and accolades never seem to stop raining down on Neeraj Chopra. He has made India proud once again with a gold in World Athletics Championships 2023 at Budapest, Hungary. A master at scripting history, the 25-year-old athlete is the first Indian to win a gold in the World Athletics Championships since it started in 1983 - exactly 40 years ago. It's a historic win for India. Neeraj Chopra was conferred a Padma Shri in January 2022, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021. He also received Arjuna award back in 2018. The Indian Army offered him a direct appointment as a Junior Commissioned Officer Subedar (JCO) in the Rajputana Rifles in 2016 when he was just 18. Indian Army does not appoint fresh recruits to such a position but looking at his South Asian Games performance that year and also looking at his future potential, they made this coveted appointment. [caption id="attachment_32764" align="aligncenter" width="659"] Neeraj Chopra[/caption] Neeraj has several eclectic firsts to his credit. He is the first Asian track and field athlete to win a gold in Olympics 2020, and also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the IAAF World U20 Championships
Neeraj has several eclectic firsts to his credit. He is the first Asian track and field athlete to win a gold in Olympics 2020, and also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the IAAF World U20 Championships in 2016. His world under-20 record throw of 86.48 m made him the first Indian athlete to achieve a world record.
Neeraj is one of the only two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold medal (Abhinav Bindra is the other). The talented athlete had set ablaze the Olympic scene as the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medallist in an individual event and the only one to have won gold in his Olympic debut. He represented India in 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games and claimed gold in both. Global Indian turns the spotlight on the journey of the super athlete.
“When the desire for success does not let you sleep, when there is nothing better than hard work, when you do not get tired after working continuously, understand that you are going to create a new history of success.” - Neeraj Chopra
[caption id="attachment_32773" align="aligncenter" width="685"] Neeraj after winning gold[/caption]
Struggles with childhood obesity
Looking at him now, it’s hard to believe that the track and field athlete and reigning Olympic champion in Javelin throw struggled with childhood obesity. This Khandra village boy of Haryana was often teased by children. Addressing his son’s ordeals of getting bullied for weight, Neeraj’s farmer father enrolled him in a gymnasium at Madlauda, a Haryana province.
Neeraj, later enrolled in a gym in Panipat and made physical activity an integral part of his life as he did not want to be an object of fun for the village boys anymore. While playing at Shivaji stadium at Panipat, Neeraj came across javelin throwers and began participating in the game The rest is history!
Learning ancient art from modern platform
There is archaeological evidence that javelins were already in use by the last phase of the lower Paleolithic age that dates back to about 300,000 years ago. Indian Mythology talks about extensive use of this great weapon. This powerful weapon is known to be the favourite of Kartikeya (son of Shiva and Parvati and elder brother of Ganesh), known as the Hindu God of war. History is also replete with use of javelin as a powerful weapon in warfare spanning centuries. Interestingly javelin started trending in India only after Neeraj Chopra created history with it in the Olympics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4wUBsLkgW0
As part of its promotional campaigns YouTube has been flashing Neeraj Chopra’s tryst with Javelin stressing on the fact that it was the platform that helped the village athlete in picking up tips and tricks of the game. Neeraj has affirmed that he attempted to copy the style of Czech javelin champion Jan Zelezny while watching the YouTube videos of his performances.
Parent’s and Panipat’s role in preparing the Olympian
He mentioned in an interview:
“In the village that I grew up; no one did athletics. For a lot of my life, I didn’t even know what a javelin was.”
Having discovered the game by chance, Chopra had started visiting Panipat Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre where his talent was recognised by the local coach. He helped him hone his skills and win some local competitions as well. Motivated by winning a bronze in a district championship, Neeraj persuaded his parents to allow him to shift to Panipat from the village to pursue the techniques of the game. That move was quite unconventional for the place that he hailed from and considering the fact that Neeraj was just 13 at that time.
[caption id="attachment_26049" align="aligncenter" width="765"] Neeraj Chopra with his parents on their first flight[/caption]
However, adding wings to the young athlete’s dreams was the best decision of his parents. Life unfolded beautifully, later. For starter, the youngster participated in National Junior Athletics Championships in Lucknow after rigorous training in Panipat and won gold there.
“My village still does not have a playground. Whenever I stay there, I need to practice on the road,” he informed. His flight from such humble backgrounds to reaching the sky in international sporting events is inspiring for millions of Indians and similar to living in a dream for his parents who hardly have exposure to the world outside their province.
Sharing one of the most fulfilling moments of his life, Neeraj Chopra tweeted:
"A small dream of mine came true today as I was able to take my parents on their first flight.”
International beginnings and army induction
Neeraj’s first international competition was in 2013 in Ukraine. He went on to win his first international medal in 2014 at the Youth Olympics Qualification games in Bangkok. By 2016 he started training under the Australian Coach, late Gary Calvert. Neeraj’s performances started improving in international games thereafter.
[caption id="attachment_26051" align="aligncenter" width="622"] Neeraj Chopra with late Bipin Rawat, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army[/caption]
Impressed with his performance at the South Asian Games and looking at his future potential, the Indian Army offered him a direct appointment as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Rajputana Rifles in 2016. He was inducted as Naib Subedar, a rank that is usually not granted immediately to athletes recruited as non-commissioned officers (NCO).
Continuing with high voltage performances
June 14, 2022 marked the high voltage return of Neeraj Chopra in the javelin turf after 311 days of the historic Olympics gold achievement. He finished a close second (winning silver) at Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku, Finland, competing with world and Olympic champions like Oliver Helander, Johannes Vetter, Anderson Peters, and Julian Weber.
What was glorious about his second-placed finish is that the athlete had participated in a competition after close to a year since his Olympics win. Also, Neeraj unleashed 89.30m while the first-placedOliver Helander of Finland with his personal best was not too far at 89.93m. Cherry on top was that Neeraj marked a new national record to his name with the 89.30 m throw which turned out to be his personal best. However, Neeraj was prowling for more. Just five days after this achievement his tiger moves crowned India with gold at the Kuortane Games in Finland.
Talking about the sudden interest of youngsters in the game, he mentioned:
“I see so much potential for Indians with the javelin. To succeed you need strength and speed, and Indian kids have that. I think, more and more, they'll see what we’re achieving and will become inspired to pick up a javelin themselves.” - Neeraj Chopra
There is certainly more to come from the Olympian in the coming days. India is looking forward to celebrate all his victories!
(April 17, 2024) Jagriti Agrawal, the co-founder of Kira Learning, is a woman with a mission. Her aim is to bring Computer Science and AI education to middle school and high school students, to empower teachers to teach, and students to learn, through a specially developed curriculum and AI-enabled tools. Now based in Palo Alto, the Forbes 30 Under 30 worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she helped build autonomous planning systems for NASA's Perseverence rover. However, the journey to the top wasn't a smooth one, and Jagriti began her career feeling like an outsider who was far beyond her peers... A rocky start When she first arrived at university, Jagriti had never studied Computer Science before, and signed up for an 'intro' class, designed for people like herself. However, the class was extremely difficult and she and her friends struggled with it. "It affected our self-worth for years after, because the way you're taught and your education can affect how you see yourself. That experience made me think of how education can affect self-esteem," said Jagriti. [caption id="attachment_37236" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Jagriti Agrawal[/caption] Although the seed had been planted, Jagriti graduated from Cal Tech and joined NASA's Jet Propulsion
nt/uploads/2024/04/jagriti-2-1024x971.png" alt="Jagriti Agrawal | Kira Learning | Global Indian" width="532" height="504" /> Jagriti Agrawal[/caption]
Although the seed had been planted, Jagriti graduated from Cal Tech and joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Labs, where she was part of a 30-odd member team building the Autonomous Planning Systems for the Perseverance Rover. JPL also had a fairly extensive education programme and Jagriti began teaching through this. "I had also tutored kids, especially those living in women's shelters," she says.
Pivot into education
This kindled a new passion in her and Jagriti decided to risk it all. She quit her job at NASA and went to Stanford Business School. "It was a huge pivot for me, but my experiences teaching had showed me the impact of education and that the way someone is taught can impact their self esteem. That was motivating to me," Jagriti recalls. "After three year sof working at JPL I wanted to see if I could turn this passion into a career. And I knew that Stanford had some good education classes."
She went to Stanford, she says, with an open mind, knowing the university offered good education classes. A startup still wasn't on her mind, she didn't even know anyone who worked in one. "I went with the attitude that I want to learn and work in education and help people. THat was my high level thing." At university, though, she began talking more to people at startups and learned more about them.
And it so happened that she received an email from Andrea Pasinetti, a Stanford alumni who wanted to collaborate with students for his startup. Jagriti joined him as an intern over the summer, and found in Andrea Pasinetti a strong and supportive mentor. "It's really important to surround yourself with the right mentors," she says. "He made me believe I could do it and be a co-founder, much more than I did."
Kira Learning
The AI education company recently completed its Series A funding, and raised $15 million. Their aim is empower students and teachers at the middle and high school levels in AI and CS education, through a specially designed curriculum, and a host of AI tools. "We work with professors from Stanford and Berklee who have experience in the teaching these subjects," Jagriti explains. "It's not easy to build a curriculum that's exciting and motivating."
That is the core aim of Kira Learning however - to empower and to motivate. The curriculum includes video instructions, exercises, activities and projects to facilitate learning and to also help teachers, many of whom are teaching these subjects for the first time. Jagriti's responsibilities involve leading the development of content and curriculum, improving the autograding capabilities and using AI as a teaching tool. "We are developing an AI tutor companion which will guide students when they get stuck on a problem. Our challenge is to make sure that the AI doesn't produce the wrong answer, or even produce the answer in full. We want the students to not be stuck but we also want them to learn." A beta version is nearly ready for release.
Scaling up
Their biggest partnership is with the state of Tennessee, and their course has also been used by the state of Ohio. Kira Learning hopes to work at the government level and to introduce their curriculum to schools at a large scale. "We're also speaking to New York and California," Jagriti adds. That apart, the company is also setting up a presence in Asia, as well as East and West Africa.
Purpose and legacy
Driven by her purpose to empower, Jagriti says, "I hope I can be someone who helps other people believe in themselves a little more." Education, she says, has a big role to play in that. "We want to create a curriculum that makes people feel they can be who they want and do what they want. And hopefully, they will also be empathetic and kind," she smiles.
(September 13, 2024) When 19-year-old Josh Roy presented his AI-implemented solution for the genetic modification of whiteflies, at the 2024 TKS Focus Hackathon, it emerged as the global winner, beating over 400 competitors from 300 cities and 80 teams. His solution aims to combat the devastating impact of Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) on cassava plants, an essential food staple in the tropics, and address food insecurity. This groundbreaking project, validated by leaders such as the Global Head of Data Science at GSK, was showcased at London Tech Week 2024, which attracted over 45,000 attendees. It also earned Josh a scholarship to the prestigious Villars Institute's inaugural ecopreneurship program. Josh is in active discussions with researchers, NGOs, and technology companies to bring his solution to market and positively impact millions of lives. This November, the US-based youngster would be flying to West Africa to receive the prestigious Global Entrepreneurs Award. “I am due to collect the award in-person in the world's first entrepreneurship village in Akure, Nigeria, where the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu and billionaire Mrs. Folorunso Alakija would be present as guests of honour,” he tells Global Indian. [caption id="attachment_39224" align="aligncenter" width="508"] Josh
would be present as guests of honour,” he tells Global Indian.
[caption id="attachment_39224" align="aligncenter" width="508"] Josh Roy at the London Tech Week[/caption]
There’s more to Josh’s personality. A passionate musician and host of The CapitalTycoon Podcast, where he engages with successful innovators, he was also the first student in the UK to complete a music GCSE in tabla. 'Tabla is one of the main focuses in my life alongside entrepreneurship. If you think about it, the two go hand in hand, as both require the ability to think creatively,' he remarks.
Dabbling in AI-powered innovation, music and podcasting
The British-born innovator describes himself as ‘a design engineer at the intersection of business, tech, and product design’ and is passionate about creating solutions to make the world a better place. As the developer of AI-powered innovations, he also identifies as an AI ethicist and is working on an AI-powered tabla tutor prototype designed to train students at all levels, aiming to revolutionize tabla education.
When asked how he balances his academics, music and other interests he smiles, “I don't know if I balance it well, and I'm not sure I'm at the stage to offer advice on how to find balance in my work. As my mentor John Spence told me, "If you genuinely enjoy and are obsessed with what you're working on, that's what you should be doing." I believe it's this sense of enjoyment I get from these projects that keeps them from feeling tedious or time-consuming."
Josh looks at each aspect of his life as complementary rather than separate. For instance, he looks at his podcast as an avenue to explore new ideas while engaging with successful innovators who provide insights that often benefit in his own entrepreneurial ventures.
The Indian-origin innovator who was born and brought up in the UK, received training in Tabla by Kuljit Bhamra MBE. “My passion for the tabla offers a creative outlet that recharges me mentally, which is essential when juggling high-pressure projects,” he remarks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xxT7frsjtE
He has chosen an alternative education path through The Knowledge Society (TKS), where learning is deeply integrated with hands-on, real-world problem solving. “This flexible approach has allowed me to dedicate time to all my passions,” he mentions.
Josh got the opportunity to enroll in the two-year TKS programme after bagging the Unicorn Scholarship, which is only awarded to 20 students annually. He ranked in the top 0.06% of the 31,298 students who applied in the most recent batch. Its acceptance rate is far lower than that of the most prestigious universities in the world.
Combatting Cassava Mosaic Disease to address food insecurity
It all started with an upbringing that focused on seva. Even before he turned 10, Josh started volunteering with food banksand distributing meals to underprivileged elderly people. This sparked his commitment to tackling food insecurity. While he was still in school, the opportunities to attend tech conferences opened his eyes to technology’s potential. Later, a few Hackathon victories fuelled his desire to work on the problem of food insecurity all the more, and he came up with the AI-optimized tool for the genetic modification of whiteflies - engineered to combat the devastating impact of Cassava Mosaic Disease that has potential to benefit35 million Nigerians.
Cassava is a calorie-rich vegetable and the third-largest source of carbohydrates in food in the tropics, after rice and maize, making it an important staple. In African Cassava Mosaic Virus is a plant virus that infects cassava plants, causing mosaic symptoms on leaves and leading to significant yield losses in regions where cassava is a major food source. It is primarily transmitted through infected cassava stem cuttings and by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. When Josh came to know how millions of people in Nigeria suffer from food insecurity due to the Cassava Mosaic Disease, the AI enthusiast got drawn to solve a solution to the problem, and came up with an AI-driven gene editing solution for the genetic modification of whiteflies that cause the Cassava Mosaic Disease.
[caption id="attachment_39225" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Josh during the Villars Institute's mentorship programme[/caption]
Later, the week-long mentorship he received from ecopreneurs and scientists — pioneers in their respective fields — as part of his scholarship to the prestigious Villars Institute broadened his horizons. “With guidance from experts like Sofia de Meyer and Sofia Khwaja-Horekens, I've refined my food insecurity project, focusing on key stakeholders. Meeting people like the chief economist of Mars Inc. Bruno Roche and my mentor Jini Sebakunzi was an honour, and the experience deepened my connection with nature, and problems in its realm,” he says.
Work in progress
“The next steps involve collaborating with agricultural institutions in Nigeria and across Africa to conduct field trials of the modified whiteflies. This will help demonstrate the tool's effectiveness in real-world conditions. We are also working on partnerships with government bodies and NGOs to create awareness and ensure smooth adoption of this innovation. Once proven in field tests, scaling the technology will involve aligning with policymakers, farmers, and supply chain partners to ensure it reaches the 35 million Nigerians who stand to benefit,” tells Josh.
For the youngster, the goal is to not only combat CMD but to create a sustainable model that can be replicated across different regions suffering from crop diseases, ensuring long-term food security.
“My Father was my support for me from the beginning of my unconventional path and encouraged me going against cultural expectations by working to solve humanity's biggest problems through entrepreneurship or should I say, ecopreneurship,” he remarks.
Other projects
Josh has worked onother AIprojects like Project Dynamo while pursuing a consulting challenge with The Knowledge Society (TKS). “It's an initiative I launched to train NGO students in climate change problem-solving and systems thinking, partnering with SOS Children's Villages, India. This project also leveraged AI to translate educational content into regional languages, making it more accessible across diverse communities,” he informs.
Additionally, he has worked alongside Google for another TKS Challenge in AI-driven initiatives, for addressing problems like information overload that its employees face.
Josh Roy understands the importance of quality mentorship and has actively pursued it from business leaders.
Determined to reach out to John Spence, the Chairman of Karma Group Global, the youngster tried over 100 email variations until he successfully connected with Spence. “I was inspired by the experience he created at Karma so I was determined to get his mentorship for entrepreneurship. I tried 100 different variations of emails with trial and error as it was hard to find, until his personal hotmail email worked when I found it through a chrome extension,” he says.
This persistence led to a year and a half of valuable email exchanges, culminating in a phone call. “Since then, Spence has been reading my monthly newsletter where I update him and my other mentors on my personal growth. I consider him and his philosophies an influence in my projects and business endeavours. Persistence won at the end,” remarks Josh who loves speaking opportunities.
In addition to Spence, Josh has built strong relationships with other mentors like Kabir Mathur CEO and co-founder, Leen and Manoj Thacker, entrepreneur, and ambassador of Innovaud Swiss. He connected with Kabir during a family trip to Egypt and with Manoj through a friend's introduction. “Both mentors have been instrumental in guiding my journey, with Kabir even nominating me for The Diana Award and supporting my case for an O-1 visa in the US,” he says. Josh’s persistence to seek guidance have earned him mentorships that continue to shape his entrepreneurial path.
In the shoes of a mentor
One of the youngster’s moments of pride has been getting into the shoes of a mentor of 300 youngsters at Toronto in AI and gene editing for 1517 Fund's annual summit.
“I got the opportunity to mentor alongside a panel of 15 other mentors consisting of Zach Laberge (18-year-old founder of Frenter, who raised over three million CAD), Danielle Stratchman (co-founder, Thiel Fellowship) and Michael Patrick-Gibson (author of Paper Belt on Fire),” tells Josh adding, “I recall a Neuralink intern, Kyrylo Kalashnikov, attending the office hours I was hosting. Gaining exposure to some of the brightest minds in North America was both humbling and inspiring. It felt like they were the true mentors, even though I had the label of mentor for a day!”
[caption id="attachment_39228" align="aligncenter" width="497"] Josh during 1517 Fund's office hour[/caption]
The migration story and future
Born in Tooting, London Josh hails from a family with roots in Kolkata. He was raised in Ascot for most of his life, as well as in Lambeth. His mother is a singer-songwriter who was born in London, and did schooling both in India and the UK. His father is a corporate professional who was born and raised in Kolkata. This March, the youngster moved to the US along with his father who got a new job posting. “I decided to relocate with him and pursue my entrepreneurial dreams in the US,” he says.
In the short-term, Josh’s priorities are clear and twofold: "Radical collaboration with agricultural engineers, scientists and farmers to refine and implement my solutions, ensuring credibility and scalability. Secondly, to earn my O-1 Visa that will allow me to better pursue my entrepreneurial endeavours in the US." He is happy that he received his OCI last month.
With prestigious awards, recognitions, scholarships and mentorship the youngster is confident of making his entrepreneurial dream in America come true.
The wilderness is her office, Nature, a constant companion. The first Indian to win the coveted Wildlife Photographer Award in 2020 for her photograph on fireflies Lights of Passion (chosen from 50,000 entries from 80 countries) Aishwarya Sridhar’s entry held pride of place in the august halls of the National Museum of History in London at one time. For a girl who grew up in the hustle and bustle of Panvel, the outdoors entranced her as she pranced along with her father on treks – who as a life member of the Bombay Natural History Society instilled a love for wildlife in her. Spotting a colourful dwarf Kingfisher or awed at the luminous glow of fireflies flitting in the Western Ghats, Sridhar found the power of the medium, with a conservationist spirit. “Every day is a new adventure. I look forward to spending time in the wilderness,” says the preservationist, who cherishes all those moments in verdant landscapes but feels most fortunate to have seen a tigress training her cubs to hunt in the wild. Sridhar is also the winner of Sanctuary Asia’s Young Naturalist Award, the Princess Diana Award, and is a Jackson Wild summit fellow (considered the Emmy
mbay Natural History Society instilled a love for wildlife in her. Spotting a colourful dwarf Kingfisher or awed at the luminous glow of fireflies flitting in the Western Ghats, Sridhar found the power of the medium, with a conservationist spirit.
“Every day is a new adventure. I look forward to spending time in the wilderness,” says the preservationist, who cherishes all those moments in verdant landscapes but feels most fortunate to have seen a tigress training her cubs to hunt in the wild. Sridhar is also the winner of Sanctuary Asia’s Young Naturalist Award, the Princess Diana Award, and is a Jackson Wild summit fellow (considered the Emmy of wildlife filmmaking).
[caption id="attachment_13810" align="alignnone" width="1080"] An eagle clicked by Aishwarya Sridhar.[/caption]
The intuitive soul
This Global Indian is now working on a two-part TV series showcasing the survival stories of the seven endangered primates of India and the folk that protect them.
Each project engulfs Sridhar into a verdant world and its creatures. Straddled with a Canon 1Dx mark ii and Canon 5d mark iii, she sees wildlife with an intuitive soul. Queen of Taru, a film she researched, scripted and directed started off as a passion project in pursuit of the wild Bengal Tigress Maya in the forests of Tadoba, and her struggle of survival in a male dominated world. “After six years of tracking her, I finally gave her a celluloid salute. I learnt that animals are capable of strategy just like humans, and they are capable of feeling emotions, When I got to know that Tiger Queen of Taru would be airing on Nat Geo WILD, that felt fulfilling, I was grateful,” says Sridhar.
[caption id="attachment_13805" align="alignnone" width="1080"] A tiger in the wild.[/caption]
Art with a cause
Going into unexplored territory led her to Panje, a wetland she has been visiting since childhood. Witnessing a gradual loss of habitat at Uran, her connect with the local fishing communities helped her in research which she presented in a 14-minute documentary on DD. “The most interesting finding was that the so-called ‘illiterate’ (local tribals) know the value of our ecosystem and its role in our survival more than the educated who so easily give orders for destruction. The film and photo-story helped bring a Bombay High Court Order protecting Uran, thus saving the livelihoods of around 2,500 fishermen. The Panje wetland is now recognised as a satellite wetland, and will soon receive the status of a ‘conservation reserve’,” says the eco warrior, who is also an emerging fellow at International League of Conservation Photographers, working towards policy-level protection for the wetlands in Mumbai.
Sridhar was selected to feature on My Place on Earth – a digital series by BBC Earth in 2021, and is ecstatic about the episode filmed online with some on-field content pre-shot by her. A self-taught photographer, her initiation with the camera began with her father showing her the basics. A course by acclaimed wildlife photographer Sudhir Shivaram added context, though she giggles saying, “every trick I have learnt is from YouTube and by experimenting.”
Even with filmmaking, Sridhar learnt by watching films on National Geographic, Discovery and Animal Planet. She has since self-taught, edited, presented, and directed an eight-part web series for World Wildlife Fund India. She also did a film for the state forest department and the Deccan Conservation Foundation on the unique and endangered wildlife of the Deccan Plateau. “During the lockdown, I ideated on inculcating the love for Nature in children using origami for WWF-India. I brought Nature indoors with the series titled Fun-Crafts with Aishwarya (digital),” says the shutterbug, whose series helped further with a collaboration with Discovery Channel. It partnered in another unique live show that focused on spotlighting endangered species in India through interesting conversations with India’s top wildlife photographers, filmmakers, and scientists. “I am one of the youngest presenters to have hosted a live show on Discovery,” says the girl, who loves to write poetry in her free time, no doubt inspired by her lush office.
Her upbringing has instilled a deep conservation mindset with focused hard work. “From the age of eight, I have explored India’s wilderness. My parents have always encouraged my curiosity, and raised me with a lot of outdoor exposure which helped immensely,” she says, thrilled that she finally has incredible mentors.
[caption id="attachment_13807" align="alignnone" width="1080"] A wasp clicked by Aishwarya Sridhar[/caption]
Believing staunchly in the power of self, her transition from photography to filmmaking was game-changing. “I never thought of becoming a wildlife filmmaker initially. As I got older, I knew I would never be happy at a desk. So, I chose mass media for graduation though Mumbai University doesn’t offer any filmmaking specialisations. It was daunting. But I worked on myself every day, and still do so,” says the filmmaker, who now wants to try filming with 360-degree VR.
A path peppered with milestones
Each award is a milestone leading her to the next. For instance, for the “BBC Wildlife Your Shot Competition, the pictures of a bonnet macaque alpha male, flamingos in Navi Mumbai and a baby lion-tailed macaque with its mother were winners. Each picture is special, and documents a moment in nature that is otherwise overlooked”, she explains.
A part of the award-winning podcasts Eyes on Conservation now titled Earth to Humans, by the Wild Lens Collective, connecting with natural history storytellers from around the globe enthuses her. “I hope to start my own natural history media outlet in India in the next decade,” says the 24-year-old, who is hugely inspired by award-winning filmmakers Beverly and Dereck Joubert, whose Big Cats Initiative and films have her enthralled.
[caption id="attachment_13806" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Flamingoes of Mumbai, clicked by Aishwarya Sridhar[/caption]
Even though the pandemic has upended much travel, it is slowly opening up. Back to her wilderness address, Sridhar has some great filmmaking projects in the pipeline. She feels travel and Nature teaches one adaptability and patience. “With every animal/bird you photograph the strategy changes. You should be able to adjust to extreme weather conditions and be physically fit to get the maximum out of your trip. Being a Gen-Z kid, I expected instant gratification, but wildlife photography teaches you persistence. There may be times when you don’t see the animal/bird, and you may not get the photograph you have in mind, but it’s important to never lose your calm in these situations,” she advices.
Mother Nature has been her constant teacher, and she hopes humans learn to protect their habitats. “Whenever Nature gets hurt, she repairs herself and continues on. In the same way, I try to be positive and keep working hard,” she says.
(June 7, 2022) For a young seventh grader, losing seven close family members to heart ailments within a year was a traumatising experience. Her grief soon turned into a quest to discover the root cause. The findings led to a startling revelation - the lack of heart donors. The obliviousness towards organ donation as a whole prompted Seher Taneja to start Abhigyata in 2018. "When I started researching, I didn't know much about organ donation, and I realised I wasn't the only one. On digging deep, I found that for every 50,000 heart transplants needed, we don't even get 10. It shook me, and I decided to create awareness," Seher tells Global Indian. What began as a dialogue with family and friends has now turned into a movement of sorts that has reached over 10,000 people. Her first presentation was at her school (Springdales, Delhi) to "plant the seed of organ donation in young minds." The 17-year-old believes that it's important to change the mindset from a young age. Calling the problem deep-rooted, the teen changemaker says that talking about death is almost considered blasphemy. "There is so much stigma around death that it isn't easy to make people open
ar-old believes that it's important to change the mindset from a young age. Calling the problem deep-rooted, the teen changemaker says that talking about death is almost considered blasphemy. "There is so much stigma around death that it isn't easy to make people open up to the idea of organ donation," adds the Diana Award winner.
Born to a paediatrician father and an anaesthesiologist mother, Seher comes from a family of doctors. However, the tragedy that struck home led her on a mission to create awareness on organ donation. "I knew I needed to be well-read and well-versed on the topic, I couldn't misstate facts. That's when I came across a program by Dr Smita Mishra," reveals Seher who calls Mishra her mentor as she helped her understand the myths and the statistics around organ donation. "I started with high school students between 9th and 12 grade. But by 2019, I wanted to create a ripple effect, that's when I came up with a proper plan to reach out to different schools in Delhi," says the changemaker, who began building a team with an army of volunteers.
Covid-19 took Abhigyata online to a larger audience in 2020. "Our first webinar had Vasanthi Ramesh, the director of NOTTO (National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation), and Pallavi Kumar of MOHAN (Multi Organ Harvesting Aid Network) as the speakers. The session was aimed at helping youngsters clear their doubts and also to bust myths around organ donation," says Class 12 student who also collaborated with various NGOs during that time. "With the pandemic taking a toll on mental health, the webinar was a blessing in disguise as it helped me channelise my energy into something productive," says the teenager who won the Student Leadership Award 2020 by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics.
Empowering youth during the pandemic
The initiative led her to win the Diana Award in 2021 along with the Tale of Humankind. Started in 2019 to engage and empower the youth, it has worked on 10 campaigns so far ranging from mental health to climate change to menstruation and gender equality. "We are bridging the gap between where we are and where we want to be, with the help and guidance of experts from their respective fields. We want to bring a sense of purpose in youngsters with our initiative," says Seher, who has learnt to be more empathetic in the process. The innovator adds that the years have made her more accountable for her actions toward the planet.
Innovator at heart
The social changemaker is an innovator at heart. A STEM girl, Seher has a handful of innovations to her credit including the mobile toilet - a sensor-based automated technology to improve sanitation in an eco-friendly manner. But it was SWAR - smart gloves that convert sign language into text and voice - that earned her a spot in the Top 20 at the ATL Tinkering Marathon 2019 and was later selected for Atal Incubation Centre's Student Innovator Program 3.0. Again, SWAR was conceptualised at home where she witnessed her grandfather struggling with hearing loss. "He was retreating into a shell and was uncomfortable making any conversation. To help him, I started researching more on it and found startling facts in 2018. India is home to 18 million people with hearing impairments with only 250 interpreters. Since the majority doesn't understand sign language, it creates a divide," explains Seher who wanted to bridge the gap with her prototype. "The sensors on the gloves help convert sign language into text and speech by using a smartphone," describes the teenager who has filed for the patent.
The idea didn't just impress commerce and industries minister Piyush Goyal, it also found her a place in Startup India. "I am reaching out to corporate companies. SWAR will be launched in the market soon," says an excited Seher who is moving to the University of Pennsylvania to pursue the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology. With an aim to revolutionise the healthcare sector, she plans to launch her startup in near future. "It's time we stop blaming the people in power and become a shareholder in bringing about change," says the innovator, who loves chilling with her parents and friends.
Neeraj after winning gold[/caption]
Neeraj Chopra with his parents on their first flight[/caption]
Neeraj Chopra with late Bipin Rawat, former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army[/caption]
Josh Roy at the London Tech Week[/caption]
Josh during the Villars Institute's mentorship programme[/caption]
Josh Roy[/caption]
Josh during 1517 Fund's office hour[/caption]
An eagle clicked by Aishwarya Sridhar.[/caption]
A tiger in the wild.[/caption]
Aishwarya Sridhar[/caption]
A wasp clicked by Aishwarya Sridhar[/caption]
Flamingoes of Mumbai, clicked by Aishwarya Sridhar[/caption]
Seher Taneja[/caption]
