Global Indianstory Global Indian Exclusive‘AI’ Aye to teen inventor Prisha Shroff’s wildfire tracker, drone & other tech

‘AI’ Aye to teen inventor Prisha Shroff’s wildfire tracker, drone & other tech

Written by: Suruchi Kapur-Gomes

(February 26, 2022) When inventor Nicola Tesla remarked, “Be alone, that is the secret of invention; be alone, that is when ideas are born,” a brilliant 15-year-old girl from Chandler, Arizona, inadvertently followed his diktat. Teen inventor Prisha Shroff sat alone, contemplating solutions to world problems. Et Voila, she solved some, and is on her way to solving many more.

Finding a problem, solving it, and moving on to the next is Prisha’s modus operandi. A mind that runs riot on witnessing something disconcerting, the teen inventor dives into her cauldron of extensive tech and coding stack – and out of that Stem hat a solution is born!

An Intel Innovator, she also had a national honourable mention at the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. Included in the Smithsonian Sixteen Innovators to Watch in 2022, the honours, they keep on coming. Her 2021 invention – An AI-based Wildfire Prevention System won the Broadcom Masters Lemelson Award for Invention, Wells Fargo Sustainable Earth Innovation Award and the 3M Young Scientist Award.

Prisha Shroff with one of her inventions

How a wildfire triggered a fire in her

Prisha witnessed the devastation by wildfires on her way back from LA. Troubled, she researched into AI and tech. Her answer was a Wildfire Prevention System which uses real-time NASA and NOAA meteorological data to predict wildfires. The system alerts and even deploys a drone carrying flame retardant. Just 15, her proclivity to use tech began at just six years of age. Yes, that young.

“I used an engineering design process to build the WPS. The first time, it used only one input parameter, temperature, and image processing to predict hotspots, and had low accuracy. I revised it, and it uses real-time data of six input parameters from Nasa and Noaa to accurately identify hotspots,” teen inventor Prisha Shroff explains in an exclusive with Global Indian. One nods, not fully comprehending, but yes, a serious problem has a solution.

Her WPS is 98.6 percent accurate today. And it combines artificial intelligence to analyse temperatures, soil moisture, precipitation, vegetation, health and wind.

Prisha Shroff

“The fire lasted 86 days, causing 1,032,648 acres of land burnt, and 935 structures destroyed,” recalls Prisha. “I was happy to realise that the solution can be used in the real world to prevent wildfires,” says the teen inventor who is now exploring patents, and working on improving it.

When tech calls, Prisha answers

Her interest in computing and technology thanks to her project-based learning elementary school saw her master ‘all things coding.’ “My teachers encouraged me to keep asking questions. The scientific method and engineering design process were stepping stones to computing and technology. They were the life changing- foundation blocks of my education,” reveals the teen inventor.

Soon, Prisha was leveraging this power to “make things happen,” while peers and experts looked on in awe.

“One day, my mom showed me the code of a digital clock which used an arduino board to tell time. A few lines of code to tell the time…,” left her wonderstruck, and suddenly the world of coding became the framework to mind-boggling inventions for a wee girl – a WPS, a self-cleaning solar panel, a water-saving showerhead, a solar-powered drone, and an arduino-based leak detection device.

A clubber who Stems change

Shroff inhabits a world of block codes, and programming ozobots. A self-taught coder, she learnt on code.org, and soon transformed a few lines of code into a functioning website. As part of the drone club, Prisha wasn’t just flying drones for fun, but learning about the physics of flight. “I discovered that the drone’s flight time was so small, which hindered functioning. So, I developed solar-powered drones,” says the teen inventor. At the 3D printing club in school, more inventions followed – a medi-kit. Unsurprisingly, even the video game design club saw her create an educational game.

AI fascinates this little genius. An Udacity course followed by a Kaggle one, Prisha is now ever-ready to solve real-world problems. That is, if she hasn’t already.

On winning the Broadcom Masters Lemelson Award for Invention 2021 with a prize of $10,000, the teen inventor says, “My thoughts were happiness as I had created a solution that had a positive impact. It boosted my confidence, and inspired me to never give up.”

Nurtured in academics

Prisha’s parents Romish (from Mumbai) and Prital Shroff (from Baroda) have strong academic credentials. Her father, a computer engineer, did his MBA from Chicago, and now works at a US Fortune 500 company. Her mother, was motivated by her father to study further, and has an MS in computer science from Penn State. She works at a tech firm, also a Fortune 500. Prisha’s Gujarati upbringing ensures she visits her grandparents and cousins in India frequently.

“She’s always been this motivated kid who wants to go change the world,” says her mother Prital while her brother is inspired by how Prisha’s mind works.

Prisha Shroff

The ninth grader from Hamilton High School, LA is not all geek. She plays the piano, sings and reads. “When I play the piano, I feel peaceful, calm and in my element. Singing boosts my confidence. I am the happiest when I am composing my own songs,” says the artsy scientist.

Elon Musk, a role model

Teachers, project heads, parents, have all mentored this sponge of knowledge. Yet the the teen inventor’s bigger inspiration is, “Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, a peaceful, enlightened master, and spiritual visionary. He teaches us to become better people through practical examples and stories. His mission is to realise one’s true self, and serve selflessly. He teaches us 5 S’s – satsang (timeless wisdom), sadhana (spirituality applied), seva (selfless service), sanskruti (culture), sports.” It does explain Prisha’s single-minded focus on doing good.

Prisha Shroff with family

Elon Musk, her role model, she feels is an “amazing visionary with brilliant ideas” “His electric self-drive Tesla cars, SpaceX, exploring commercial flights to both Earth and the lunar orbit, Musk has even created Boring, a company that works on building the hyperloop,” says an excited teen inventor who advices, “Be curious, dream big and never give up.”

A 15-year-old teen scientist who understood a Nasa problem then went on to invent a self-cleaning solar panel, she explains “Solar panels face dust that decreases efficiency. Nasa declared its Opportunity Mars rover unresponsive after its solar-powered robot went silent during a dust storm.” Prisha increased efficiency with her self-cleaning, self-detecting solar panel system (with a dust sensor that activates a wiper system).

It hard to fully grasp a teen and her brilliant scientific mind. “Prisha the scientist and Prisha the 15-year-old are the same person! I enjoy hanging out with friends, playing board games with family, and baking with my brother!” she giggles.

Onward with an incredible sense of self, the years ahead can only be meteoric. She wants to be an entrepreneur, and create solutions. “I am going to change the world with solutions that improve day-to-day lives and the planet. The future will only decide what I will build, but I will be solving real-world problems,” vows the teen inventor.

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Published on 26, Feb 2022

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Aishwarya Sridhar: The 24-year-old documentary filmmaker who became the first Indian to bag the Wildlife Photographer Award

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.”

[caption id="attachment_13808" align="aligncenter" width="442"] Aishwarya Sridhar[/caption]

A multi-hyphenate

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.

Follow Aishwarya Sridhar on Instagram

Reading Time: 7 min

For students, by students: Teen changemaker Aryan Maggo’s mission is to help young people discover their potential

(May 10, 2022) A 250-member team and 1,50,000 students impacted from around the world, all in under two years. The teen changemaker Aryan Maggo founded Optiverse in August 2020, when he was a tenth-grade student at Laxmi Public School, Delhi. Now, at 18, he's gearing up to write his twelfth-grade exams and carve out his own path as an entrepreneur, like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, his two big inspirations. Aryan won the Young Achievers' Award 2021 and was named a Harvard Innovation Fellow that same year. In the summer of 2022, he will participate in LaunchX, touted as the world's top acceleration programme for students, founded by alumni of the Harvard Business School. "My interests? Oh, photography, theatre, reading and writing, entrepreneurship, I have my own YouTube channel and have been doing theatre for the last few years." Aryan rattles of a long list of hobbies without pause. Evidently, he likes to explore new things, from "basketball to tennis, I have tried it all." His desire for discovery is constant, even if he doesn't always excel at everything he does. It's all part of the journey of self-awareness - in Aryan's mind, understanding the self is the most important part of all.

ab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">Aryan rattles of a long list of hobbies without pause. Evidently, he likes to explore new things, from "basketball to tennis, I have tried it all." His desire for discovery is constant, even if he doesn't always excel at everything he does. It's all part of the journey of self-awareness - in Aryan's mind, understanding the self is the most important part of all. It's also why he founded Optiverse, as a means to help students from all over the world find themselves and realise their potential.

A whiteboard stands behind him and Aryan often pauses during the conversation to make a note or two, handwritten into a book on the table beside him. "People ask me how I balance school and work and everything else. I always say, there is so much time and we waste it without realising we're doing so," he says, adding, "I have a bunch of books for different things."

How it began

Aryan had just finished his 10th grade exams and, "felt there was something missing in the students around me." The pandemic had just begun and Aryan found himself cut off from his old friends. "My peers were always talking about the things that got them down - terms like depression and anxiety were part of daily use." Pointing out that Optiverse does not in any way deal with mental health or psychological therapy, Aryan explains, "There was a lot of focus on the negative things in life. And I thought, why don't I do something to help?"

He also recalls a short composition by a junior in school, was asked to write a paragraph describing himself. The boy had written his name, his favourite food, his age and his favourite sports. "I thought, this kid probably has a good idea of who he is but he never shows it nor applies that potential. There's more to life than just academics, after all," he tells Global Indian.

This is where he returns to the Socratic idea of self-awareness. Optiverse is run by students, for students and provides mentees with a six-hour course, divided equally into six sessions. They are put through a set of activities, discussions and questionnaires, acquainted with life maps and design thinking, identity building, decision making and the other parameters "necessary for character development."

Finding recognition

A group of students not yet out of high school are bound to have a hard time proving themselves - a challenge Aryan and the Optiverse team have faced many times. "A lot of our work involves making organisational pitches to potential stakeholders," says the teen changemaker. They have networked with organisations, schools, colleges and NGOs around the world. This includes Lady Gaga's The Way Foundation and a George H.W. Bush Points of Lights Awards.

Recognition comes from all over the world not just because Aryan works with students in foreign countries. Instead, the idea that is the essence of Optiverse, has merit and application that far transcends conventional borders. "Run by students, for students, we give our mentees a better perspective of their skills, strengths and talents," Aryan explains. While most of their mentees are teenagers, they do meet the occasional thirty-something too. "It's about gaining insights positively," he remarks. Optimism and positivity are their core values - baked right into the organisation's name. "We believe it's the foundation of whatever you dream of achieving," he adds.

The system itself is completely free and an advantage, Aryan says, is that the mentor and mentee are almost the same age. "Usually, you have adults counselling children and there is a sense of a gap there. With Optiverse, that is not the case - students feel safe and are willing to open up to someone their own age," he proffers. The mentor and the mentee usually do the course together, too. "The students who have benefited from us promote our work," he explains.

Collaborations are the backbone of what Optiverse does, as is training young people to put the programme forth. Trainers are brought on board by Aryan, after a month-long selection process. "They do the course themselves during that time. By the end of it, they know what question to ask and when. They know how to respond to the questions that come their way," says the entrepreneur. Through this method, the team has grown to a strength of 250, compounding the number of those who have been impacted. "We don't keep track of how many mentees we have," Aryan explains, adding, "We make note of those who were happy with the programme."

Optiverse will always be part of his life. "I see so many students starting up organisations and closing them after school or college. I don't want to do that. 30 years from now, Optiverse will remain part of my secondary life, if not my primary life," adds the teen changemaker.

What the future holds

“The biography of Steve Jobs was the first big book I read," Aryan smiles. That happened soon after his tenth grade, around the time he started Optiverse. "He is a visionary." Then there's Elon Musk, the unpredictable billionaire who dabbles in everything from space to social media - a maverick quality that Aryan no doubt admires. "Entrepreneurship is where I see myself," the teen changemaker speaks with great conviction. "I see myself being part of many startups which also work on the UN Sustainable Development Goals."

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Finding recognition

This summer, he will head off to LaunchX to build a startup from scratch. "I have a 100 percent scholarship," adds the teen changemaker. During the programme, he will begin with a business pitch and have a business that's ready to launch by the end of the month-long programme. With mentorship from experts all through.

OptiverseX is his latest endeavour, an ambitious bid to bring 50 student organisations together around the same table, fighting for all SDGs under one proverbial roof. "Lots of people and businesses focus on one or more SDGs. Here, will be working with all at the same time," he concludes.

Follow Optiverse on Instagram and YouTube

Reading Time: 8 mins

Kitchen Confidential: Chef Neel Kajale’s journey from Mumbai to New York

(February 18, 2022) As he stood before the chopping board at New York City's famed Eleven Madison Park, all set to start cutting, Chef Neel Kajale found himself face to face with an angry sous chef. "I simply couldn't understand why he was upset," he said. Neel was even more mystified when the sous chef then adjusted the cutting board. "He told me that everything has to be perpendicular and parallel. My cutting board was not in line with my workstation. I was at Eleven Madison Park. Everything had to be perfect," said Chef Neel explained. When you're working with the world's most celebrated chefs, every detail needs to be perfect. The Michelin experience By the age of 25, Chef Neel Kajale has done quite the tour of world-famous, Michelin-Starred restaurants and their chefs. After graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management, he worked with Chef Atul Kochhar, of Benaras fame, joining the team as they began NRI in Mumbai. He has also worked at The Bombay Canteen and Farzi Cafe before setting off to study at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City, where Eleven Madison Park would come calling. Today, he has moved away from the high-glamour, high-stress restaurant life and works

helin-Starred restaurants and their chefs. After graduating from the Institute of Hotel Management, he worked with Chef Atul Kochhar, of Benaras fame, joining the team as they began NRI in Mumbai. He has also worked at The Bombay Canteen and Farzi Cafe before setting off to study at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City, where Eleven Madison Park would come calling. Today, he has moved away from the high-glamour, high-stress restaurant life and works at a test kitchen, creating content and exploring a space that to him, feels like home.

[caption id="attachment_11024" align="aligncenter" width="651"] Chef Neel Kajale[/caption]

When food is what you aspire for

At 13, the Mumbaikar knew he wanted to be a chef. He loved food, disliked maths, so the choice was simple. “There was no point in struggling with something I had no talent for. What I did have, however, was a passion for food,” recalls Neel. Encouraged by his parents, he leaped headlong. “I had no backup plans. It was a do-or-die situation for me,” adds the 25-year-old.

MasterChef piqued his interest, and he was hooked. “As an Indian, it was a revelation to see what could be done with food. Here, we didn’t think about plating food or about Michelin stars. I wanted to know what is happening in the world of food,” explains Neel who was blown away by the culinary revolutions in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.

New York Minute

In June 2021, Eleven Madison Park re-opened its doors to guests - even on opening night (after the pandemic), the three Michelin-starred restaurants had a waiting list of around 15,000. And Neel was at the heart of plating, cooking and more. Celebrities streamed in - Angelina Jolie, Jake Gyllenhaal, Chipotle founder Steve Ells, etc. For Kajale, however, accustomed as he was to celeb-spotting, Angelina Jolie was a revelation. “You feel good because they’re so mesmerized by what you’re doing,” he recalls, adding, “Rightly so because the food is phenomenal but it’s so stressful that after a point, you start saying, it’s just food, not rocket science.”

Plating up aging beets and mustard leaf kimchi, or learning a thing or two about chef-owner Daniel Humm’s famed dry-aged duck breast – it’s the sort of experience any young chef cherishes. Neel was no exception – with a combination of talent, dedication, and unshakeable grit. “You need to bring your A-game every day. If you want to excel at anything, you need to give it everything. The standards and expectations are so high,” he explains.

When a test kitchen turned food into learning

His days of exploring the fine dining experience, of plating herbs with tweezers are behind him for now. Except for the tweezers, which he carries around. “Since there were so many guest walk-ins at Eleven Madison, we couldn’t really do things with our hands. So, we used tweezers. Now - instead of plating herbs, I’m flipping phulkas at home!” smiles the chef who is reinventing his culinary repertoire.

[caption id="attachment_11018" align="aligncenter" width="570"] Chef Neel's journey took him from Mumbai to Manhattan as he worked with some of the world's best chefs[/caption]

Today, Neel yearns for innovation, to find a bridge between food and media that India - and the world, haven’t seen before with his painstaking work at the test kitchen. Think Chef Sanjyot Keer, of Your Food Lab, or global superstars like Babish and Joshua Weissman. After decades of watching the most glamorous chefs plate up gourmet meals, Neel has found his calling at Haven’s Kitchen as test kitchen manager (New York). Diving deep into recipe development and content creation, his days are filled with ingredient-spotting and taste trails. These are then filmed to be shared with epicureans across platforms.

“If a tomato soup is trending on a rainy day, my job would be to use our sauces to make that soup. It’s a very different life from running a station and handling pressure. Here, you’re perfecting one thing, time and time again,” he adds. Not an easy job but one that has, as Neel puts it, brought him closer to food.

A few of his favourite things

Ask him what he truly loves to cook, pat comes the reply, “home food.” For Chef Neel, it’s the food that nourishes him. The welcome sound of a fragrant curry leaf popping in hot oil is his all-time best aroma. “It's so special to Indian cooking. It’s something I absolutely love,” says Neel.

“What do I cook for myself? A dal chawal or roti sabzi.” His kitchen at his New York home is stocked with Indian ingredients and his mother, does, on occasion receive a call with a request, “How do you make your dal?” Not the restaurant-style dal tadka but “mum’s simple moong dal” is unmatched.
The young Indian chef is a music enthusiast and often strums the guitar. High on fitness and sports, a game of tennis is a welcome break, or it's travel and good wine.

Follow Chef Neel Kajale on Instagram
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Reading Time: 6 min

Leena Rafeeq: UAE-based Indian develops AI app to detect eye diseases

(May 31, 2024) 12-year-old Dubai-based Kerala native Leena Rafeeq made headlines when she developed an AI-based app Ogler Eyescan to detect eye diseases and conditions. Interestingly, she was only 10 when she developed the app which is capable of detecting various eye conditions through a unique scanning process. "Using advanced computer vision, and machine learning algorithms, Ogler can analyse various parameters such as light and colour intensity, distance, and look-up points to locate the eyes within the frame range. It also identifies any light burst issues and if the eyes are positioned exactly inside the scanner frame," she said. [caption id="attachment_38056" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Leena Rafeeq[/caption] Using AI to create an impact A self-taught coder, the Global Indian built the app using machine learning algorithms and computer vision systems, thus leading to 70 percent accuracy in diagnosing potential eye conditions like arcus, melanoma, pterygium, and cataracts. "This app was developed natively with SwiftUI without any third-party libraries or packages, and it took me six months of research and development to bring this innovative app to life," she added. It was a year after the invention of the AI app that she submitted it to the app store. During her development journey,

rithms and computer vision systems, thus leading to 70 percent accuracy in diagnosing potential eye conditions like arcus, melanoma, pterygium, and cataracts. "This app was developed natively with SwiftUI without any third-party libraries or packages, and it took me six months of research and development to bring this innovative app to life," she added. It was a year after the invention of the AI app that she submitted it to the app store. During her development journey, Leena expanded her expertise in areas such as eye conditions, computer vision, algorithms, machine learning models, and advanced Apple iOS development features, including sensor data processing, augmented reality (AR), CreateML, and CoreML. As of now, the app exclusively operates on iPhones from the 10th model onward, running iOS 16 or higher.

How it began

Leena's interest in programming and developing websites developed at a very young age. At the age of six, she was able to create a website from scratch for her school science exhibition. "My parents, who are both coders, are the reason I started gravitating towards coding. I created my first webpage at the age of six, and soon started teaching my younger sister Hana coding and programming," she recalled.

After toying with any ideas, she finally zeroed in on developing an app that aids in diagnosing diseases for users of any age. "This introduced me to Ogler Eye Scan, a program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to thoroughly scan your eyes and enable you to diagnose eye problems," she said. Explaining the benefits of the app, she revealed that it is capable of both - a comprehensive eye scan as well as disease detection. "The four disorders that our app can currently diagnose are melanoma, arcus, pterygium, and cataract. Additionally, it can perform a comprehensive scan that can detect all of these disorders at once. Using your GPS position, the app also lets you browse for eye hospitals in the area," Leena said. Moreover, that app can check pupil distance as well as compare previous scan results with the latest ones. She is glad that her app can help identify eye conditions at an early stage.

Expanding her horizons

The co-founder of Misrai, Leena is trying to be at the forefront of AI with her innovations. "With a passion for technology that ignited at the age of five, I've journeyed from early coding experiments to SOTA innovations in the field of Gen-AI and Pred-AI. At Misrai, I'm currently dedicated to developing a base model prototype for an intelligent, efficient, and compact AI model. This project encapsulates my vision of making AI more accessible and impactful in various industries."

However, it's the development of Ogler Eyescan that she calls her proudest achievement so far. "It's a testament to my commitment to creating tools that define how we interact with technology," says the teenager who loves reading and watching films.

[caption id="attachment_38058" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Leena Rafeeq with her sister Hana[/caption]

She is glad to have found a strong support system in her parents who are also her inspiration. "They have been encouraging throughout my journey, providing me with fresh concepts and business initiatives I might pursue."

AI is the future

As a young software developer, she believes programming and coding are the fundamental building blocks defining the future. "People will likely begin conversing with machines and progress to artificial intelligence. To live an inviting lifestyle and thrive in the upcoming years, it's crucial to know how to code and program because robots may replace many jobs."

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2022 Recap: Meet the young sports stars who brought up India’s medal tally

(December 28, 2022) It has been a year of sports for India. From our young guns' marvellous performance at the Commonwealth Games to sports stars like Nikhat Zareen, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Neeraj Chopra, and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa securing gold at the individual world tournaments - India established itself as a global force in 2022. With these champions at the helm, the future of Indian sports does look good. Global Indian takes a look at some glorious podium finishers, who have proved India's mettle in the world of sports this year. Nikhat Zareen, boxer [caption id="attachment_24916" align="aligncenter" width="522"] Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen receiving the Arjuna Award from President Murmu[/caption] 2022 proved to be a golden year for Indian boxer, Nikhat Zareen. The sports champion, who started her journey as the only girl in Nizamabad’s boxing academy, won several gold medals in various international boxing championships held this year, including the Commonwealth Games, IBA Women’s World Championship, and Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament. And on November 30, the pint-sized boxer was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. “It’s an absolute honour to be conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by the Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi

izamabad’s boxing academy, won several gold medals in various international boxing championships held this year, including the Commonwealth Games, IBA Women’s World Championship, and Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament. And on November 30, the pint-sized boxer was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. “It’s an absolute honour to be conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by the Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji. Gratitude to the Almighty for guiding me on my journey and to all those who shared it with me. Onwards and upwards!” the champion tweeted after receiving the Arjuna Award.

Currently, at the national camp taking place at the Indira Gandhi Stadium, the flyweight boxer is training hard to claim many more medals for the country. “I took a short leave to visit my family in Nizamabad after winning the World Championship. But I am back at the training camp now. My next aim is the 2024 Paris Olympics. I dream of winning gold there for my nation,” Nikhat said.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, chess grandmaster

17-year-old chess grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, who has conquered the world in the war of checkmates, has been conferred the Arjuna Award in 2022. In 2016, Praggnanandhaa (meaning ‘delight of the intellect’) became the youngest international master in history, at the age of 10 years, 10 months, and 19 days. The coveted ‘Grandmaster’ title that he earned later at the age of 12 made him the fifth youngest person ever to do so. Fondly called ‘Pragg’, the prodigy defeated world champion Magnus Carlsen three times in a row in 2022, thus becoming a household name.

[caption id="attachment_24781" align="aligncenter" width="692"] Praggnanandha with his mother and female grandmaster sister, Vaishali Rameshbabu[/caption]

The grandmaster began traveling abroad for tournaments at the tender age of seven. “I have lost count,” the champion said, pausing to think about it. “I have probably visited 30 countries.” No matter where he goes, his focus remains unwavering, concentrating on one thing only – the game that he is there to play.

Akhil Rabindra, racing driver

Fascinated by cars since a very young age, racer Akhil Rabindra went from enjoying recreational go-karting on weekends to becoming the first Asian to be selected by the Aston Martin Racing Driver Academy. In fact, the champion kicked off its 2020 season with the French FFSA GT4 Championship, one of Europe’s strongest GT National Championships.

[caption id="attachment_25902" align="aligncenter" width="686"] Akhil Rabindra, racing driver[/caption]

“The Aston Martin Racing Academy was a big achievement,” shares the Indian racer, adding, “They help in many different fronts such as physical and mental training, the technique of driving, and a lot of on and off stuff. They are not just focused on the driving part but it is a holistic approach to teaching. It is also the network as you get to interact with drivers who would help you out in different situations. They help tap into different forms of support with ease," he said.

The champion, who recently won the Driver's Championship which recently concluded in Hyderabad Street Circuit, also secured a double podium finish in the season opener with his new team, Racing Spirit of Leman, at the European GT4 Championship.

Aadil Bedi, golfer

He might be only 21, but golfer Aadil Bedi has already made a name for himself in the world of sports. The champion, who was recently crowned winner of the inaugural Ballantine's Golf Championship – Mixed Pro Challenge, picked up a golf stick for the first time when he was just four years old. “From that moment on, I was hooked,” shared the young champion.

[caption id="attachment_18777" align="aligncenter" width="681"] Aadil Bedi, golfer[/caption]

Inspired by his father, Aadil took part in numerous golf championships from a young age and in 2018, became the youngest player to represent India in golf at the Asian Games. Training hard to win as many international tournaments, the young golfer wishes to bring home several coveted trophies. "There were no matches in the last two years. I am preparing very hard to win as many titles as possible. I am a part of tournaments in Indonesia, Singapore, and Korea, taking place later this year. There is an event in Australia as well. Frankly, I will be playing about 10-12 tournaments in the coming year. I am very excited to represent India internationally," the champion said.

Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty, tennis player

Crowned as the national hardcourt tennis champion (women’s singles), Shrivalli Rashmikaa Bhamidipaty was only 11 when she first held a tennis racket in her hand. Calling herself an “accidental” tennis player, Shrivalli was introduced to the game at the Lal Bahadur stadium in Hyderabad. Recording twin victories as the champion entered the singles quarterfinals and doubles semi-finals of the Balaji Amines Solapur Open Women’s ITF $25K Tennis Tournament, she is passionate and focussed. "I think all players feel nervous before a match. I do too. But I am confident that I can play against, and defeat, any player,” shared the youngster.

[caption id="attachment_25696" align="aligncenter" width="671"] Shrivalli Rashmikaa, tennis player[/caption]

The champion dreams of representing India at the Olympics and works at her aspirations without compromise. Her day begins at 4.15 am and training continues for between five and six hours a day. And along the way, she hopes to win as many cups as she can for her country. “I will be participating in several upcoming national and international tournaments. But a dream come true will be representing India at the Olympics and winning gold for the country,” shared the tennis star.

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