Global Indianstory Global Indian ExclusiveJui Khankari: Forbes 30 Under 30 teen making AI accessible through her nonprofit

Jui Khankari: Forbes 30 Under 30 teen making AI accessible through her nonprofit

Compiled by: Team GI Youth

(August 17, 2024) A summer camp at Stanford University was enough to ignite a passion for AI in Hinsdale Central junior Jui Khankari. However, the hunger to learn more was left unsatiated for the lack of adequate resources to fuel her interest in AI. This led the then 16-year-old to launch her educational non-profit, AInspire, a free resource for people of all ages to learn about artificial intelligence and its many applications. Run entirely on donations, the nonprofit has served over 26,000 students in 91 countries so far through virtual workshops, videos, and educational curriculum created by the Indian American teenager who was named among the Presidential Scholars of 2022. Now at the age of 19, she has found herself on the list of 2024 Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work in the field of education.

“Khankari developed an AI curriculum adopted by 38 school districts as well as organizations like the Boys and Girls Club, National Science Teachers Association, Discovery Education, the White House, and the National Center for Women in Information Technology,” wrote Forbes.

Jui Khankari

Gravitating towards AI

For Jui, an Indian-origin girl from Illinois, her journey into artificial intelligence began when she taught Siri to pronounce her name correctly. After years of people mispronouncing her name in the US, she finally decided to take action when even her mom’s phone got it wrong. By making some adjustments, Jui succeeded in getting Siri to say her name the right way. This experience sparked her interest in AI, but her enthusiasm nearly faded as she found herself the only girl in various workshops. Jui said in an interview that she often had instructors performing coding for her, to the extent that she wasn’t learning anything. It was a frustrating reality for her and many young girls like her, as only 32 percent of the data and artificial intelligence workforce are female, according to the World Forum’s 2021 report.

In 2019, she decided to give AI one more chance, when she was selected for a camp at Stanford University with 31 other girls from other parts of the globe. The camp was a revelation for her as she understood that AI could be applied to health care, mental health, and energy optimisation. “Naturally, technologies that only affect women would be less likely to be developed if there aren’t women fighting for them to be developed. Men might have different agendas, or they just might honestly forget that this is something that we need. It’s a real need, and so that’s why I just really want to get more women inspired and empowered to enter the field so we can make our voices and our needs heard,” the Global Indian told a daily.

Jui Khankari | Global Indian | Indian American

Jui Khankari is currently studying at Stanford University

The beginning of AInspire

In February 2020, the Diana Award recipient founded AInspire to motivate and support young girls interested in AI, including her sister Neha. With the help of 11 young women from around the world, including classmates and friends she met at the Stanford camp, she developed new lessons and activities to enhance users’ understanding of artificial intelligence. AInspire also focuses on building the technical, interpersonal, and comprehension skills necessary for a career in this growing field. Although AInspire is primarily aimed at middle and high school students, Jui believes everyone should have a basic understanding of AI, as it is integral to every industry. This belief drives her commitment to keeping AInspire free and accessible to all.

Making an impact

Born to doctor parents, she witnessed them treating COVID-19 patients, which sparked her interest in applying AI to healthcare. She is now focused on developing AI to detect strokes and identify the bifurcation of the major artery supplying blood to the brain, aiming to enable early detection of neurodegenerative diseases. She has already tested two AI algorithms, and her research has demonstrated that strokes can be detected using AI. “Two million neurons die every minute that a stroke is left untreated. By reducing treatment times even by a single minute, this algorithm could reduce death and disability in stroke patients worldwide,” she said.

She has developed custom curriculum for underserved school districts in Chicago and community colleges in New Jersey, and collaborated with MKAI to deliver AI talks to business professionals. Her teaching experience spans workshops in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Marathi, reaching students from Bolivia to Bangladesh and beyond.

Jui, the 2022 Regeneron Science Talent Search winner and a computer science student at Stanford University, has ambitious plans for AInspire’s future. She hopes to partner with school districts to integrate AI into elementary, middle, and high school curricula. As for her own career, Jui aspires to become both a researcher and a physician, combining her passion for patient care with developing algorithms to advance healthcare.

Follow on Jui Khankari on Linkedin

Name*

Email*

Name*

Email*

0 Comments

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Published on 17, Aug 2024

Share with

ALSO READ

Maya Neelakantan: Indian-origin ‘rock goddess’ takes America’s Got Talent by storm

(July 7, 2024) Clad in a rust and orange ghagra with jhumkas, bindi, and waistband as her accessories, 11-year-old Chennai-based Maya Neelakantan took on the stage of America's Got Talent, but with a twist - an electric guitar. The youngster, who seemed shy at first, left the judges and audience surprised as the "rock goddess" strummed her guitar to Papa Roach's Last Resort. The 100-second performance got the Indian-origin girl a standing ovation from Simon Cowell, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel. "You know what I love about this audition, you just weren't expecting this. You were so shy, and you're 10! And then you turned into, like, this rock goddess,” he said. Overnight, the 10-year-old became a sensation on the internet. Even Anand Mahindra, the chairman of the Mahindra Group, posted a video of Neelakantan on X, calling her a "Rock Goddess from the land of Goddesses." He tweeted, "Oh My God. Maya Neelakantan is only 10 years old. 10! Yes, Simon, she’s a Rock Goddess. From the land of Goddesses. We have to get her back here to do her stuff at the@mahindrablues! @jaytweetshah@vgjairam." Oh My God Maya Neelakantan is only 10 years old. 10! Yes, Simon,

r-tweet">

Oh My God

Maya Neelakantan is only 10 years old. 10!

Yes, Simon, she’s a Rock Goddess.
From the land of Goddesses.

We have to get her back here to do her stuff at the @mahindrablues !@jaytweetshah @vgjairam pic.twitter.com/sRNHPBondg

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 29, 2024

The youngster is a student of famous guitarist and Berklee School of Music alumni Guitarist Prasanna, an Indian-American. Moreover, she has a YouTube channel that spans her rock and metal covers over the years. In 2022, she impressed Adam Jones, Tool's guitarist with her rendition of Tool's 7empest. Not only this, she even received a guitar as a gift from American musician Gary Holt.

A music lover, she was as young as two when she saw her dad play guitar at home, and instantly fell in love with the musical instrument. Ever since she turned five, she wanted to learn guitar and finally started playing it when she was six. "I started by learning my favourite songs with my dad and he taught me how to self-learn through YouTube videos and guitar tabs. Now, I'm able to learn any song by myself," she said in an interview.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by America's Got Talent Auditions (@agtauditions)

The first time she ever played in public was at an ashram with 50 people watching, an experience she completely loved. It gave her the confidence to perform on stage for the very first time at America's Got Talent. "AGT was completely different because there were more than 1000 people there in the audience." The huge crowd did make her nervous backstage but once she started playing, she was at ease. "I started enjoying myself and wasn't nervous anymore," she added.

Over the last two years, she began learning Carnatic music from Guitar Prasanna, but has now moved to harder techniques. When the opportunity to perform at AGT knocked at her door, she trained hard for three weeks, and even sought advice. "Guitar Prasanna helped me in creating the song and I rearranged it in the end," she said.

Moreover, the youngster was coached by none other than the award-winning actress for the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, Jessica Pimentel, for her movements for AGT. "She also helped me prepare mentally for the show because it was my first time on stage."

Making her debut on the big stage with the guitar gifted by Adam Jones from the American rock band Tool, Maya had nerves. "While I was playing on AGT, the two-minute song felt like 30 seconds," she said. But the cheering and standing ovation at the end of the performance made her feel like she performed for hours. "I was soaking up everything at that moment and now I fully understand why everyone says they want to go on stage again and again after going on the first time. I never experienced that before but now I want to continue performing on stage," she added.

Taking over a stage as big as America's Got Talent, Maya credits her parents for their constant support and encouragement. Thanking them for being the wind beneath her wings, she wrote on Instagram, "They are the ones who are behind the spotlight, sacrificing everything for me and expecting nothing in return. They always make me so happy & without them, I will not be able to follow my passion, meet so many incredible people and have the best experiences in life which is just like a dream!"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maya Neelakantan (@mayaneelakantan)

Maya, who calls Adam Jones, the guitarist of Tool, Gary Holt, the guitarist of Exodus and Slayer, Alex Skolnick, and Eric Peterson her idols, wants to create her own music by combining Carnatic music with Heavy Metal. "All these different genres activate different emotions for me and I want to mix them together. I feel that you have to really go into the music to enjoy it so I want to make music so that my listeners can go with me on a journey through the song," she said, adding, "So, that's the dream I'm working towards and all these events are bringing me one step closer to creating my own music. It could even turn out to be a genre unheard of."

Her groundbreaking performance that infused Carnatic music with heavy metal was proof of her technical mastery of the guitar which allowed her to seamlessly integrate the intricate rhythms and scales of traditional South Indian Carnatic music with the aggressive, electrifying energy of metal, creating a unique and mesmerising auditory experience. Her performance showcased her incredible skill and presented a fresh approach to music, blending different genres into a unified and innovative sound.

Follow Maya Neelakantan on X and Instagram

Avi Gupta: Indian-American teen revolutionises healthcare with affordable ventilator invention

(September 13, 2023) "I want to take you back to March 2020. The coronavirus had landed in the United States. Social distancing entered into our vocabulary. Schools were closed and store shelves were empty. Against this backdrop, Europe grappled with its first wave of coronavirus. One of the key shortages they faced - ventilators," that's how Avi Gupta opens his TedX speech. The Indian American from Portland reveals that the US, especially Oregon, too faced a similar situation with a shortage of hundreds of ventilators for the critically-ill covid patients. That's when Oregon Health Authority reached out for help from many individuals and companies, including INTEL. However, it didn't take the responsibility of designing and manufacturing a ventilator, instead the request was filtered down to the senior staff of the company, one of whom happened to be a manager of Avi at a former internship. That's how the Stanford University student joined a team of doctors, researchers, and fellow engineers to co-found LifeMech, a non-profit that builds low-cost ventilators. Such has been the impact of his work that he was awarded the Truman Scholarship 2022 for his commitment to public service. [caption id="attachment_24322" align="aligncenter" width="481"] Avi Gupta played a key

Avi Gupta played a key role in developing low-cost ventilator[/caption]

Then an 18-year-old, Avi helped design the ventilator's user interface, as amid the crisis, "rapid development and deployment of the technology were essential." Interestingly, he wasn't just the youngest member of the team but also the reigning Jeopardy Teen Tournament champion. "The original prototype which was fully functional was made in our garages. So, it's truly something that can be deployed worldwide," the Global Indian said in an interview.

Avi, who switched to Stanford to pursue his interests in artificial intelligence and public policy after a year of college at Columbia University's School of Engineering, knew that the prototype had to be scalable in both design and manufacture. But more than anything it had to be "low-cost and open source to be deployed in communities worldwide." "What it meant that anybody like a doctor or a non-profit in another country could download our designs and code and easily manufacture the ventilator with the parts available in their country," he added.

[caption id="attachment_24323" align="aligncenter" width="546"] Avi Gupta is currently studying at Stanford University.[/caption]

Though he found the process of designing the interface stressful, he also found it equally rewarding as it could have a direct impact on someone's health. Avi, who collaborated with his father, Dr Saurabh Gupta, a cardiologist for the making of the ventilator, said that the project epitomises the work that he wants to do - using technology to solve a bigger problem. "It's using technology to advance public service," he told the Stanford Daily. Later, the ventilator was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and used widely during the ventilator shortage.

Apart from this, Avi is also involved in Public Interest in Tech (one of the groups on the Stanford campus) which focuses on fostering conversations around technology's role in society. Since his school days, Avi has been keen to make a change, so when he won the 2019 Jeopardy Teen Tournament, in honour of the host Alex Trebek, he donated a part of his winnings ($100,000) to raise awareness and fund early pancreatic cancer research. He partnered with OHSU Knight Cancer Institute to create and lead the #InspiredBy campaign, raising over $225,000.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBFc0Lbek4w

It was in 2016 that he kickstarted his journey towards creating social impact when he founded Project 32, a student-run social startup that uses the power of education to tackle dental diseases in youth. Since its inception, Project32 has provided thousands of dental hygiene kits to children in the US, India, Guatemala, and Haiti.

In his free time, he loves to play chess and basketball and is a huge Portland Trail Blazers fan.

Follow Avi Gupta on Linkedin

Reading Time: 4 min

Moitri Santra: Florida teen’s innovation can combat harmful algae blooms

During a vacation to Costa Rica in 2018, then ten-year-old Moitri Santra saw that the waters seemed red and brown. Although she didn't know at the time, she was looking at Red Tide, one of the many harmful algae blooms that release toxins which are fatal to fish, shellfish, marine mammals and birds which feed on the poisoned fish. Apart from this, these harmful algal blooms deplete the oxygen available in the water. Moreover, she noticed signage all over the beach, warning people not to go in the water. The Global Indian would go on to create a solution to harvest harmful algae when it is still alive and potentially turn it into biofuel. What are Harmful Algal Blooms? [caption id="attachment_37062" align="aligncenter" width="272"] Moitri Santra[/caption] When Moitri Santra got home to Florida, she began researching toxic algae, discovering that it is a rapidly growing concern. She found a seven-year study by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the harmful algae event database had record 9,503 events with impacts on human society. "It contaminates marine life and sea food," said the teenager, during her presentation for the 3M Young Scientists Challenge. She went on to develop a robot, and a film gel that

O's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the harmful algae event database had record 9,503 events with impacts on human society. "It contaminates marine life and sea food," said the teenager, during her presentation for the 3M Young Scientists Challenge. She went on to develop a robot, and a film gel that can attract algae to a substrate. Her vision is to be able to clear the oceans of Harmful Algal Blooms by collecting the algae alive and converting it to biofuel.

Harmful Algal Blooms occur naturally in waterbodies, and can also be encourage dby human activities. Phosphate and nitrate runoffs from fertilizers, as well as from sewage and leachate (liquid from solid waste), along with excessive sunshine can cause harmful algal blooms to proliferate. They also ten dto prefer warmer, still and more shallow waters. Huge amounts of money are spent to clear water bodies of these HABs, the US alone spent $1.1 billion in 2020. Also, there are products to combat these blooms, but Moitri says they just aren't up to the mark, or are pollutants in themselves.

Moitri's solution

"I created a water soluble, biodegradable and positively charged gel with a citrate ion and citric acid," Moitri explains. The chitosan and citric acid contained in the gel induces coagulation in the algae. She spent a summer vacation experimenting with gels and substrates, transforming the family dining room into her makeshift lab. "These algal blooms are everywhere but are especially prominent in Florida," she explains.

Moitri's gel is designed to be biodegradable and water soluble, reducing its environmental impact. The chitosan polymer swells and carries the citric acid in water in the gel. The gel induced coagulation in the algae, causing it to clump together, become dense and sink to the bottom. However, the process also causes them to die. However the decomposition process depletes oxygen from the water, killing off marine life all around it.

A functioning prototype

Her 3M mentor, Dr Kannan Seshadri helped her with a turnaround. Moitri Santra realised that algae can be harvested to make biofuel, which comes with environmental benefits of its own. "I experimented with gels, powders and flakes and found that dried film gel floats effectively on water, and attract algae in under a minute. However, this requires a substrate material to trap the algae. In her early version, Moitri had used a scotch brite sponge, which is a non woven material with intertwining fibres. "I experimented with around a dozen non wovens in rayon, viscose, wood pulp, PA and nylon," she explains. "I chose only the hydrophobic ones because the hydrophilic materials will soak up water and become heavy. Finally, she settled on PET non-woven material.

But after all this, how is the algae harvested? For this, she built SCARAB, an EV3 robot that can be deployed on a boat. The substrate is tied to spools and fastened under a 'guide' to hold the material in place. The material is coated with gel and when the motors are turn on, the spool spins slowly counterclockwise, ravelling and unravelling the substrate to collect algae. The material of the substrate also allows the algae to become trapped. "The algae are alive at the end of the process. I examined it under a microscope and it was clearly moving," she adds.

The 3M Challenge and Broadcom Masters

She attributes much of her success to her mentor, Dr Kannan Seshadri. "He helped me turn my simple idea into a functioning prototype," Moitri says. "I was thinking of sinking the algae and he allowed me to see that it could potentially cause more environmental harm." Moitri's next challenge is to remove the algae from the strip without damaging it, which she hopes to do with a primer. "If the right primer is used it can also increase the strip's reusability," she says. She hopes to see her innovation being deployed around the world, and the eventual use of this harvested algae in the making of biofuels.

In 2022, Moitri also placed second in the technology category at the Broadcom MASTERS, taking home a cash prize and the opportunity to attend a STEM summer camp. She decided to follow her interest in medicine and medical university at the University of Connecticut's Pre-College Summer Program for its pre-med focus. There, she spent her time attending lectures in the morning and taking practical lessons in the afternoons, exploring a different specialization everyday. "using mannequins, we did simulations of emergency situations," says Moitri, who has always been fascinated by the human body and its many complex functions.

Tanishq Mathew Abraham: Indian-American teen is one of the world’s youngest to receive a PhD

(June 11, 2023) "I want to finish my Ph.D. by the time I get my driver's license," says a ten-year-old Tanishq Mathew Abraham, who began college at the age of seven. And now at 19, he has become one of the world's youngest Ph.D. holders as he graduates from the University of California, Davis on June 15. For someone who began community college at the age of seven, Tanishq embarked on an academic path that defied conventional norms. A huge congratulations to @iScienceLuvr on another incredible achievement! We have been following him along his whole academic journey at UC Davis and are so proud of him. 🎉#UCDavisGrad https://t.co/PumuzaJtjO — UC Davis (@ucdavis) June 7, 2023 Born to Dr. Taji Abraham, a veterinarian researcher, and Bijou Abraham, a software engineer in Sacramento, the Indian American was always fascinated by books. As young as four, he started devouring library books on dinosaurs and space as it was something that fascinated him. And when he ran out of books to read, he started googling. One such search landed him at UC Berkley's Palaeontology Museum. Unable to curtail his excitement, he went to the museum to hear a paleontologist speak. "I sat on the

gets.js" charset="utf-8">

Born to Dr. Taji Abraham, a veterinarian researcher, and Bijou Abraham, a software engineer in Sacramento, the Indian American was always fascinated by books. As young as four, he started devouring library books on dinosaurs and space as it was something that fascinated him. And when he ran out of books to read, he started googling. One such search landed him at UC Berkley's Palaeontology Museum. Unable to curtail his excitement, he went to the museum to hear a paleontologist speak. "I sat on the front row as an excited 6-year-old waiting for a magic show to start and after the speech, I had questions so the speaker invited me to his office to speak more about his research and show me some of the fossils. I got a chance to hold 65 million old dinosaur bones," the Global Indian revealed in a TEDx Talk.

After his first visit to UC Berkley, Tanishq was "infected with incurable learning virus." He soon began searching for nearby colleges that might offer palaeontology classes. While he did end up finding one but was turned down because of his age. But this didn't deter him. "By the time I was seven, middle and high school materials were boring for me, so I begged my parents to take me to college classes. After being turned down several times, my parents finally found a Geology professor who agreed to let me on his course. My mom took the class and I tagged along with her, sitting in the front row, soaking it all in," he said.

[caption id="attachment_30971" align="aligncenter" width="632"] Tanishq attending classes with his mom[/caption]

He took the exam along with his mom, and both scored an A, which convinced the professor of his abilities who persuaded the Dean of Counselling to let him take the next class for credit, as an advanced education student. "I got permission from my school principal and the dean. That was the beginning of college for me." He credits his Geology profesasor for "being the angel in disguise" to get him started. He then enrolled in an Astronomy course along with his mom. "I was seven and my classmates thought that I was there because my mom couldn't find a babysitter," he smiled, adding, "Some were surprised when I would answer questions or join class discussions."

After taking two on-campus courses, he switched to an online course during summer break. That very summer his astronomy professor proposed to start an astronomy club at American River College. "The next year I felt more confident, and at age eight, I took more courses and helped my Geology professor deliver a couple of lectures. We officially opened the astronomy club and I was the founding vice president. During that year, I was featured on a documentary show called Prodigies. After its release, people from across the world contacted me for my persistence and confidence and I was happy that at such a young age I was a role model to young and old students."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq3FopGY6Fc

By the time Tanishq turned 12, he had already amassed an impressive educational repertoire, which culminated in his acceptance into the prestigious University of California, Davis. While most children his age were navigating middle school, Tanishq was preparing to dive headfirst into the world of higher education. Undeterred by his young age, he pursued an undergraduate degree at the renowned institution, embarking on a remarkable academic odyssey. "When I started at seven taking college classes was just for fun. Later on, I decided to take on an associate degree in science and then transfer to a four-year university as an advanced education student," added the teenager who graduated at the age of 14.

He possessed a deep-rooted curiosity about the world around him, leading him to explore various disciplines and fields of study. It was this interdisciplinary approach that laid the foundation for his groundbreaking research in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and its application in medicine. As a testament to his visionary thinking, Tanishq founded MedARC, a medical AI research organisation focused on training foundation models for medicine. Recognising the immense potential of AI in revolutionising healthcare, Tanishq sought to harness its power by using generative AI in microscope viewing and the causes and effects of diseases. "I think we are now in the AI revolution, and I want to continue to be a part of it," he said.

And now at 19, he is set to receive his Ph.D. His doctorate journey involved defending his dissertation which explored how medical professionals diagnose diseases and advanced algorithms that may enable doctors to make more accurate and timely diagnoses.

Very excited to share the news that I successfully defended my PhD research today! 🥳🎉

After 4 years 8 months in the @UCDavisGrad @UCDavisBMEGG graduate program,

I am now Dr. Tanishq Mathew Abraham (at 19 years old)!! pic.twitter.com/AbPc2C5Ee5

— Tanishq Mathew Abraham (@iScienceLuvr) May 12, 2023

Tanishq's story serves as a beacon of hope for future generations, encouraging young minds to dare to dream big and challenge societal norms. It highlights the transformative power of education and the importance of nurturing young talent.

Follow Tanish Mathew Abraham on LinkedIn and Twitter

Reading Time: 4 min

Sports, Science and Empathy: Rakshith Srinivasan unleashes ‘Unlimited Potential’

(July 30, 2023) Over one-third of children and adolescents with disabilities have little or no accessibility to sports and physical education, according to a UNICEF study, although the majority have them access to medical, transportation and cultural services. In 2021, a report by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that physical activity among children with disabilities is four-times lower than their non-disabled counterparts. It is a gap that Indian-origin teen Rakshith Srinivasan hopes to fill by creating an enabling ecosystem through research and innovation, to increase access and make people aware of the role sports medicine can play in bettering the lives of children with disabilities. His non-profit, Unlimited Potential (UP), has achieved many milestones in a short span of time, and has raised $100,000 from community donors. [caption id="attachment_32239" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Rakshith Srinivasan[/caption] The change maker envisions an inclusive world where children facing physical challenges have the necessary tools to overcome them and can actively participate in school sports. His focus is also on adults who can lead a more fulfilling life with sports despite their disabilities. “We believe that accelerating research and improving affordability will ultimately lead to fulfilling our vision of a world without wheelchairs by

ian " width="560" height="560" /> Rakshith Srinivasan[/caption]

The change maker envisions an inclusive world where children facing physical challenges have the necessary tools to overcome them and can actively participate in school sports. His focus is also on adults who can lead a more fulfilling life with sports despite their disabilities. “We believe that accelerating research and improving affordability will ultimately lead to fulfilling our vision of a world without wheelchairs by 2050," remarks Rakshith.

The multifaceted teen has also published a book titled ‘Overcoming Obstacles’ and has secured first place in Washington State Science and Engineering Fair 2023.

Passionate about making a difference

UP operates as a network of passionate high school students who are actively involved in sports and have a strong interest in science and research. These student volunteers collaborate with doctors and medical researchers from institutions like Seattle Children’s Orthopaedic Research Lab, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Special Olympics of Washington, and the University of Washington’s Institute of Sports Medicine.

Through these partnerships, the volunteers gain insights into the research, understand its impact, and spread awareness about the gained information, raising funds in the process.

With a team of ten dedicated full-time volunteers and over 600 part-time volunteers spanning United States, Rakshith’s non-profit has achieved a remarkable feat. Since its inception in 2021, UP's campaigns have been instrumental in raising $100,000 for research through generous contributions from community donors whom the volunteers approached within their respective school districts.

[caption id="attachment_32256" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Rakshit Srinivasan at Seattle Children's Hospital[/caption]

The raised amount is enabling the funding of eight research programs in crucial areas such as prosthetics, bionics, muscular dystrophy, skeletal dysplasia, limb deformities, bone cancer, athlete mental health, and human-centred design.

Bringing community together

Team Unlimited Potential has not only garnered support from more than 500 donors but has also formed a dedicated advisory board comprising like-minded leaders with experience in the field of sports medicine.

The experts provide valuable mentorship to the volunteers. The advisory team assists in research selection, engages in donor discussions, plans fundraising campaigns, and facilitates connections with researchers and doctors.

It started when…

Rakhshith has always been interested in medicine, biology and sports. Three years ago, he suffered a grade 2 ankle sprain. “It was the varsity basketball season, and the sprain took me out of the playoffs. I really missed the time I was away from the team. I was frustrated for being away from sports – which is something what I love to do,” he said adding, “It was an eye-opening experience for me. It led me to think about how a lot of children might be missing sports due to their permanent disabilities.

Recognising that sports is one of the biggest unifiers and hobbies of everyone around the world, the youngster devoted his recuperation time in learning about sports medicine. He did extensive research on what's being done in the field to help the people who cannot play sports due to their disabilities or deformities and made up his mind to do his own bit.

Empathy for social change

Rakshith’s dedication not just comes from personal experience of being confined but also from empathy that he developed during a volunteering activity. As a ninth-grade student, he had volunteered to tutor the displaced children of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine - an initiative of the non-profit, World Relief . Getting involved in the initiative changed his whole perspective of how he looked at life.

[caption id="attachment_32243" align="aligncenter" width="539"] Rakshith with Kids[/caption]

“The kids in the refugee base here were in an awkward situation, where they were attending school in a very different education system without even knowing the language properly,” he said.

“Apart from tutoring, just being with them, showing support and talking to them during their hard times gave me a sort of empathy towards others and helped me introspect how I’m fortunate enough but there are lots of people who are not, and I should use what I have been given to help others,” he remarked.

Overcoming obstacles

“While fund raising, we hear more ‘No’s’ than ‘Yeses’ says the youngster, but we keep going.’ Wearing many hats, the teen is not just passionate about sports medicine research and creating STEM awareness but is also an author and basketball enthusiast. His debut book ‘Overcoming Obstacles,’ delves into the cutting-edge research taking place in the field of sports science and research. “All proceeds from book sales would be directed towards the fundraising campaigns conducted by Unlimited Potential,” he says.

Aspiring to be an orthopaedic doctor, the teen has published scientific research papers about muscle soreness and lateral ligament ankle injuries in basketball. He has worked for several medical internships and plays varsity basketball at district level.

In March this year, he was thrilled to win the first prize in the 66th Washington State Science and Engineering Fair. “I was judged 1st amongst highly amazingly talented Washingtonians who participated in the state science fair. My research was about leveraging BC Amino acids compounds to increase energy in muscles lower micro-raptures thus preventing injuries in elite athletes,” he shared.

[caption id="attachment_32241" align="aligncenter" width="639"] Rakshith Srinivasan[/caption]

As part of LEAP (Leadership through Education, Activities, and Personal Development), a student leadership group of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), he is involved with WIAA events, meetings and community projects, and gets opportunity to be the voice of Washington’s more than 225,000 student-participants.

Born in India Rakshith is thankful for his parents' support in all his endeavours and is very close to his grandparents who live in India. “I feel that everyone has potential inside them, and I want to unlock that potential through my initiatives,” he says.

Follow Rakshith Srinivasan on LinkedIn
Visit Unlimited Potential's website for more details

Reading Time: 5 mins