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Srimannarayan narayan narayan

Dear didi आपका यह भजन जिसका नाम है Sri मननारायण नारायण नारायण हरिनारायण नारायण नारायण बहुत सुन्दर भजन है बार बार सुनने के बाद भी… Read more “Srimannarayan narayan narayan”

***Healing Power****

We have heard that music has a healing power, I believe that too but never experienced it so evidently. We have heard that there were… Read more “***Healing Power****”

Happy Birthday

On your special day, I pray to God that you keep shinning like a Sun. Happy Birthday… Read more “Happy Birthday”

Touched My Heart

Every time I decide to drop a message on your Fan page, I run short of words. I fail to understand, how I will do… Read more “Touched My Heart”

I have no word to express myself. The only thing I can say is, you are really a blessed person and may god bless you… Read more “Speechless”

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Gitanjali Ji, is a book of divine and soulful music and art of living in herself. Being blessed with melodious voice, vibrant thoughts, exemplary personality… Read more “Divine & Soulful Personality”

Magic Box :)

Gitanjali Rai Ji,  is the only singer jinhe pura parivar mil kar, bina bore hue sunn sakta hai. No matter what there age is. She… Read more “Magic Box :)”

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One of my facebook friend shared a link of “Hari Sundar Nand Mukanda” with me after which I felt the presence of “Bhagwan“. I have… Read more “Best Singer :)”

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After doing art of living course, we need a mentor or a guide, to get firmly establish in knowledge and devotion. Didi you did this… Read more “My inspiration”

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You are a perfect combination of sweet voice,great personality and above all beautiful thoughts for mankind.These outstanding qualities make you an extraordinary human being.Wish that… Read more “Perfect Soul”

Agar Aap na hote

Khamoshiyon ko samajhne ka hunar har kisi mein nahin hota, Har koi door rehke bhi itna kareeb nahin hota. Humari khamoshi ko pehchan lene wale,… Read more “Agar Aap na hote”

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On the other day when I was going through Face Book posts I came across “Sriman Narayana” bhajan and I became a big fan of… Read more “A Big Fan of Didi”

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After joining Art of Living ; I browsed Youtube and Searched for Aol bhajans …!! I heard  your first bhajan, that was “Sriman Narayan”, since… Read more “My Inspiration”

मेरी नज़र न हो दूर एक पल के लिए, तेरा वजूद है लाज़िम इस सत्संग के लिए…एक एसा तजुर्बा हुआ है मुझे, आज की रात, बचा कर रख ली है मैंने धरकने कल के लिए :)

There are many good singers in the industry and choosing one person may sound crazy, but when you listen to Gitanjali ji this thing becomes… Read more “मेरी नज़र न हो दूर एक पल के लिए, तेरा वजूद है लाज़िम इस सत्संग के लिए…एक एसा तजुर्बा हुआ है मुझे, आज की रात, बचा कर रख ली है मैंने धरकने कल के लिए :)”

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This Teen Scientist Is TIME's First-Ever 'Kid Of The Year'

Brit Hanson

Madeline K. Sofia

Gitanjali Rao speaks onstage during The 2018 MAKERS Conference in Los Angeles, California. Rachel Murray/Getty Images for MAKERS hide caption

Gitanjali Rao speaks onstage during The 2018 MAKERS Conference in Los Angeles, California.

Fifteen-year-old Gitanjali Rao is a scientist, inventor, and TIME Magazine's first-ever 'Kid Of The Year.' She shares why she didn't initially think science was for her, what motivates her now, and a bit of advice for other budding innovators. Email the show at [email protected].

This episode was edited by Viet Le, and fact-checked by Ariela Zebede.

• Indian Origin

EXCLUSIVE: Scientist, innovator, TEDx speaker, trainee pilot – how teenage prodigy Gitanjali Rao is raising the bar

Written by: global indian.

GLOBAL INDIAN EXCLUSIVE

“I know a lot of people say that kids are the future, but I want to spread the message that we are here now, and we can make a difference.” – 11-year-old Gitanjali Rao in 2017 

Meet  Indian American   teen scientist  and  TIME’s First Kid of the Year , Gitanjali Rao. She is wise, confident, knowledgeable, self-assured and loves reading  Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s  websites. A chat with her is refreshing: Lucid thoughts flow almost as if scripted. It’s hard to fathom how a 4 foot something girl with sparkling eyes oozes such clarity. Picture a pre-teen walking into the  Denver Water Treatment plant with a lab coat over gummies, and holding forte among science professionals.  

Gitanjali Rao invented a “Tethys” that detects lead in drinking water—she’s only 15 years old! This young woman single-handedly could do more for the residents affected by the Flint Water Crisis than the elected officials who were supposed to protect them! https://t.co/izuSEObnG7 — Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) February 1, 2021

In an exclusive interview with Global Indian , She radiates poise as she speaks on her first prototype in use – Tethys, which detects lead contamination in water and shares that information through Bluetooth. Her occasional giggles make this child scientist more endearing. Today, at 15, she has 11 innovations to her name, of which three are in the prototype stage with one released.  

Innovation-driven by empathy  

Gitanjali, named after  Nobel laureate   Rabindranath Tagore’s  famous book of poems,  has an  altruistic sense of scientific purpose that takes one aback. In  3M’s   Not the Science Type   docuseries, she says:   

“All of us can make a difference. It’s just about finding that one thing you want to change, and changing it. I want to use science to inspire kindness. Find yourself with it.”     

15 year old Indian-American scientist&inventor Gitanjali Rao has been named ⁦ @TIME ⁩’s 1st-ever #KidOfTheYear for her work in technology to tackle issues ranging from cyber bullying to contaminated drinking water. “If I can do it,” she says,“you can do it. Anyone can do it.” pic.twitter.com/J6fvSLDe8t — Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) December 4, 2020

Wearing multiple hats  

A weighty quest for science guides the toothy teen scientist. She is described as a  Forbes 30 Under 30,   America’s Top Young Scientist,   TEDx Speaker,   STEM Promoter,   TIME Top Young Innovator , author and student. Moreover,  she is a proficient  glider ,  pianist ,  classical dancer ,  fencer , and a (self-proclaimed) average cook. This quest started with her proclivity to ask questions. Years on, those very questions led her to solutions. First, she tackled water scarcity  and contamination that led to the Tethys prototype at just 11.  

At the age of 15, Gitanjali Rao has 11 innovations to her name.

The technology, Rao says, can be easily enhanced to other contaminants. “More students, especially in the recent  Regeneron Science Talent Research ,  Stockholm Junior Water Prize , etc have taken the same technology and enhanced it for other contaminants or water purification with doped nanotubes. Arsenic, Mercury and Cadmium are a few,” she tells  Global Indian  in an exclusive interview. Further, she has provided some Brazilian students her solution for further research.  

“I am in the process of working with American Water Works Association to explore influencing state and federal policies on water testing,” says Rao.   

She paid  for Tethys materials through her  Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge   prize money, which she won when she was barely 12.  

Addressing the opioid crisis  

Rao became fixated with another question – how to address the  opioid crisis  –  when a family friend was prescribed opioids after an accident. She developed  Epione – a tool to diagnose prescription opioid addiction using an ELISA-based protein detection method. Epione works on a fluid sample and uses protein expression from the mu-opioid receptor gene to find out if a patient is at the onset of addiction. “The device uses standard colorimetry processes to identify addiction status. Results on a mobile app show the status of addiction, and includes a map of the nearest addiction centre,” Rao adds about this early-stage research.   

Gitanjali Rao enjoys talking about science with kids.

Parental guidance  

Rao feels her upbringing – thinking, trying and ideating differently were encouraged – made problem-solving a habit. She probably inherited intellectual rigor from her parents – Rama and Bharathi   Rao,  who migrated from  Mangalore  to the US and have strong academic credentials. Her parents  instilled the freedom to choose and that she says taught her to be resourceful and take risks.   

“If I felt like learning to fly a glider, I had to earn it, find a scholarship. If I wanted to attend a space camp, I had to search for scholarships and apply. To learn more about a concept, they would help me search for an expert, article or professor. They ensured I was safe, and allowed me to take risks.”  

Today, she has a student’s flying license and can fly a glider.   

Gitanjali Rao learning how to fly.

The Raos knew they were raising a special kid very early on. As a 10-year-old, a parent can expect the kid to ask for a new video game or a toy but the Raos had to service a  carbon nanotube request.     

‘Kindly’ to prevent cyberbullying  

Among the other technologies that Rao has developed is  Kindly, where she started with the question of how to prevent cyber threats. Kindly is an  anti-cyber-bullying app that detects words related to cyberbullying using  machine learning and natural language processing . As trailblazers go, her meeting with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella helped guide her with the initial prototype for Kindly. In an awe-inspiring meeting, Nadella was “kind enough to meet a 13-year-old, listen to her ideas and support,” she says.  

Kindly has a Beta standalone app and browser extension now, and she has partnered with  UNICEF  to roll this out as a product that can be used worldwide to measure the number of preventable cyberbullying events.  

Promoting STEM education through innovation workshops    

A three-time  TEDx speaker  and winner of the  US President’s Environmental Youth Award ,  Rao  is hoping to solicit new innovators to address the world’s problems through her innovation workshops. She has already reached about 50,000 students in 26 countries .

“I hope to reach out to 50,000 more by 2021-end in partnership with MJP Foundation for schools in  Cambodia ,  Royal Academy of Engineering  for students in the UK,  Transformation Ghana , and individual schools in India,” says the girl, who is now working on parasitic water contamination detection using genetic engineering . The key is to inspire girls to be unafraid of science and technology and help them connect it to real impact. But challenges abound. A workshop for girls in Gaza was canceled due to security issues. In Afghanistan and Chile, her struggle was to help people understand her accent.

“In a refugee camp in Kenya, some students had to walk 45 minutes just to listen, and had to leave before dark.”  

The students at Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp started their own STEM classes using Rao’s book ( A Young Innovators Guide to STEM – 5 Steps for Problem Solving ).   

“Schools in India that reach out and facilitate are much easier, though I have to tune my message for kindness, empathy, and collaboration.”   

The TIME accolade has amplified her voice to influence and introduce innovation into the early education system. Since April 2018, Gitanjali has been working with UNICEF and was recognized as one of America’s Top Youth volunteers by Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.  She   even donated to UNICEF’s India  COVID-19  response.  

A family girl    

She is often teased by her family that she might be “Kid of the Year” but she still has to do her chores and clean her room. Her friends can’t fathom how America’s top kid scientist forgets adding key ingredients like melted butter while baking.  

Her Indianness comes out in glimpses – eating hot   bhajiyas  on a rainy day. Or sipping on borrowed chai from her mom with a  Parle G biscuit or rusk. Due to the pandemic, Gitanjali missed her yearly visits to India to see her maternal grandparents in  Navi Mumbai  and paternal grandfather in  Hyderabad.  But she’s thankful they are in the US now.  

Mentored by icons  

Having good  mentors  is an important  crucible  in any  Global Indian’s  journey. Rao speaks of being under the tutelage of  Dr Kathleen Shafer  from 3M (Tethys),  Dr Selene Hernandez (Denver Water), and  Dr Michael McMurray  who guided her on genetic engineering concepts. Moving forward, her goal is to reach out to the US Department of Education to bring  innovation into daily curriculum, which means innovations in education.  

When Global Indians meet: Gitanjali Rao with 3M’s chief science advocate Jayshree Seth in 2018

Marvel’s hero project  

Gitanjali was featured in the web series  Marvel’s Hero Project   as   Genius Gitanjali  for her valuable contributions to society.  

“I think that being a scientist is like being a superhero, because superheroes save people, and want to do what is best for their society – scientists do the same exact thing,” she earlier told Google.  

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Jayshree Seth: 3M’s Indian-origin chief science advocate who also holds 72 patents

Reading Time: 5 mins

Dr Ashish Jha: The straight-talking dean and pandemic expert

From Abhimanyu Mishra to Gukesh Dommaraju: Meet the Indian-origin Chess prodigies

Reading Time: 8 mins

I am Generation Equality: Gitanjali Rao, young scientist and activist

Date: Tuesday, 9 February 2021

I am Generation Equality because…

“Equality is important to represent all opinions and perspectives to solve tomorrow’s problems.

Three ways you can encourage girls in STEM:

• If you are an adult in the STEM field, be a mentor and a guide.
• If you are in Universities or research labs, open up your lab.

• Girls, reach out and seek the opportunities. Do not wait for somebody.

Solutions of tomorrow need different perspectives and they need collaboration. If everybody working on innovation thinks the same way, we will have solutions that work only for certain groups.

I have been part of coding and STEM camps, where sometimes I was the only girl. I believe everybody, no matter their age, should pursue what they are passionate about and use their talent to make a difference.

I pursued my research and innovation and saw a need to share my experience, process and journey with students, especially girls, to [inspire them] to keep pursuing their passion.

A very simple step, and the one that each one of us can do, is respecting differences. Respecting that there are no woman and man skill sets and giving an opportunity to everybody. No matter who they are.

Encouraging girls in STEM

Girls have more opportunities in STEM today than before, but what is lacking is the [enabling] infrastructure and environment. There are many reasons, but the lack of role models and pay equality are the major ones. 

I know several of my female friends become interested in STEM when they see a direct connection between how it applies to the real world. We like to see art combined with STEM; we like to see role models and get inspired. We like to see that we can continue our careers and our colleagues will support it.

“Solutions of tomorrow need different perspectives.”

Girls are all unique and introducing STEM, in the same manner [to all girls], may not be universally effective. I lead workshops that focus on finding what girls like to do, and then introducing STEM [as it relates to their interests]. 

Just introducing girls to coding or STEM may not increase their participation.

Introduce them to a variety of technologies and fields. Let us pick and choose. 

Youth leaders for global good

The ingenuity of youth needs to be harnessed. We should not restrict research, innovation, entrepreneurship in Universities and organizations. If we are serious about getting the future workforce ready, involving us and giving us opportunities and listening to our perspectives and opinions matter.

 My advice to girls is to find your talent, your passion and use it to make a difference, even if it’s impacting just one other person.

Gitanjali Rao is a 15-year-old Indian-American scientist, inventor, author and advocate. In 2020, she was named Time Magazine’s first ever Kid of the Year for her work using technology to tackle a range of issues and bringing together young innovators to solve global problems. She recently gave an interview to UN Women in support of the Generation Equality campaign.

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Gitanjali Rao (Director) Age, Husband, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Gitanjali Rao

• Gitanjali Rao started her career as a theatre artist.
• She directed, produced and animated few short films like ‘Printed Rainbow’, ‘Shorts’, ‘Chai’ and ‘True Love Story’.
• In 2014, ‘True Love Story’ was nominated among 10 short films at Cannes Film Festival at Critics’ Week.
• She also manages workshops and presentations and has been a part of the jury at various International Film Festivals.

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Indian-American Gitanjali Rao named first-ever TIME ‘Kid of the Year’

The 15-year-old was selected from a field of more than 5,000 nominees..

Updated - December 04, 2020 07:46 am IST

Published - December 04, 2020 07:45 am IST - New York

Indian-American Gitanjali Rao, a “brilliant” young scientist and inventor, has been named by TIME magazine as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ for her “astonishing work using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.”

“The world belongs to those who shape it. And however uncertain that world may feel at a given moment, the reassuring reality seems to be that each new generation produces more of what these kids have already achieved: positive impact, in all sizes,” Time said.

Ms. Rao, 15, was selected from a field of more than 5,000 nominees as TIME’s first-ever Kid of the Year. She was interviewed by actor and activist Angelina Jolie for the TIME special.

“Observe, brainstorm, research, build and communicate,” Ms. Rao told about her process during a virtual talk with Ms. Jolie from her home in Colorado.

She spoke about her astonishing work using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying, and about her mission to create a global community of young innovators to solve problems the world over.

“Even over video chat, her brilliant mind and generous spirit shone through, along with her inspiring message to other young people: don’t try to fix every problem, just focus on one that excites you,” Time said.

“If I can do it,” she said in the interview, “anybody can do it.”

Ms. Rao said her generation is facing many problems that they have never seen before.

“But then at the same time, we’re facing old problems that still exist. Like, we’re sitting here in the middle of a new global pandemic, and we’re also like still facing human-rights issues. There are problems that we did not create but that we now have to solve, like climate change and cyberbullying with the introduction of technology,” she said.

“I think more than anything right now, we just need to find that one thing we’re passionate about and solve it. Even if it’s something as small as, I want to find an easy way to pick up litter. Everything makes a difference. Don’t feel pressured to come up with something big,” she said.

“When asked when she knew that science was her passion,” Ms. Rao said she always wanted to put a smile on someone’s face. “That was my everyday goal, just to make someone happy. And it soon turned into, How can we bring positivity and community to the place we live?”

Ms. Rao added that she doesn’t look like “your typical scientist.”

“Everything I see on TV is that it’s an older, usually white man as a scientist. It’s weird to me that it was almost like people had assigned roles, regarding like their gender, their age, the colour of their skin. My goal has really shifted not only from creating my own devices to solve the world’s problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. Because, from personal experience, it’s not easy when you don’t see anyone else like you. So I really want to put out that message: If I can do it, you can do it, and anyone can do it,” she said.

She said when she was in second or third grade, she started thinking about how she can use science and technology to create social change. She said she was 10 when she told her parents that she wanted to research carbon nanotube sensor technology at the Denver Water Quality Research Lab.

When asked by Ms. Jolie if Ms. Rao does things that kids her age do, she said: “actually I spend more time doing 15-year-old things during the quarantine. I bake an ungodly amount. It’s not good, but it’s baking. And, like, it’s science too.”

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Meet Gitanjali Rao, 15-year-old scientist and Time’s first ever ‘Kid of the Year’

Read this exclusive interview to know more about the 15-year-old scientist and innovator gitanjali rao, who became time’s first-ever ‘kid of the year’..

Listen to Story

15-year-old Gitanjali Rao, who was chosen as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by Time magazine, has been recognised for her astonishing and ground-breaking work as a scientist and innovator who used technology to tackle issues from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.

After receiving the title, Rao said in a tweet, “Humbled, honored, and excited! Special thanks to all my mentors, teachers, family, and friends who believed in me and supported me. Congrats to all the finalists and many of them are my friends @jordanjustright from @TheSTEAM_Squad @MightyRebekah @ElijahLee07. They inspire me!”

Rao’s innovation in lead detection in water, AI

While speaking about the strides she made in innovation and science, Gitanjali said, “A lot of the inspiration that I have drawn in from India. Looking at the water problem in India helped me understand how much of a widespread problem lead water is, especially in India.”

“I travel to India multiple times. I have friends, family members, and cousins who live in India. Every time I go there, I have something new to learn,” she said while talking to India Today.

“When I was much younger, I was told to go fetch water with my cousin from a well. My grandma would boil it and then we would drink it. We walked a far distance to get the water. I remember taking a sip of it and for the next week I was sick,” she said.

“Marie Curie is my greatest inspiration”

While talking about her inspiration, Rao said, “Marie Curie is my greatest inspiration since I was in grade 2. Apart from that, my parents have been a huge support. My grandparents and family members from India have supported me.”

Rao’s AI service against cyberbullying

While talking about her efforts to prevent cyberbullying, Gitanjali said, “Kindly is an artificial intelligence-based service to detect or prevent cyberbullying. This identifies words or phrases that might be considered bullying.”

Talking about the service, she said, “It is intended to be non-punitive. It allows the user to rephrase what they want to say if they want to. It gives them time to reflect because a second of reflection makes a difference.”

Rao on time management and Covid-19 innovations

Talking about her extracurricular activities, Rao said, “I am a strong believer of wanting to do things and not needing to do things. Everything I am doing is the things that I want to do. I love working on my inventions, I love kathak and I love singing.”

“Even though it is hard at times I remind myself that I am doing what I love,” she said.

“I have a few ideas that I would be working on. But, first of all, a big thank you to the collective effort of all the scientists and researchers who are developing a vaccine within a span of nine months. It is amazing,” Gitanjali said while talking about the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Hope to be as powerful as Indira Gandhi: Rao

While talking about her inspirations from India, the 15-year-old scientist said, “My biggest inspiration from India is Indira Gandhi. We share the same birthday. It is humbling. Her work and her leadership is something that I hope to embody someday.”

Geetanjali also talked about her love for Bollywood movies and how much she admires the work of actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra.

“I watch Indian films with subtitles. I did recently meet Shahrukh Khan who was the most exciting and selfless person I ever talked to. I did a Ted Talk that he hosted. It was such an amazing opportunity. I will definitely continue to follow his work,” she said.

Rao’s obsession with superheroes

Gitanjali talked about how much she loves superheroes, and how she is obsessed with Marvel movies. She said, “Anything with supernatural in it, count me in.”

She said, “I really do want to be my own science hero. Not just about what I am creating but just about who I am as a person. My excitement towards solving problems that is why I want to be a science superhero.”

“With great powers, comes great responsibility. I see that so much right now. No matter what happens, I will continue to keep innovating and keep going. Responsibility is such an important thing and this is just one step in my journey towards solving bigger world problems,” she said.

While talking about her future plans, she said, “I want my innovation workshops should be self-sustaining beyond me. My mind keeps changing on future plans.”

Gitanjali finally said, “My teacher told me that I am going to change the world one day. I did not believe it at the time but hopefully, I am getting there.”

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A Story Of Gitanjali Rao: TIME’s Kid Of The Year 2020

Prodigy literally means an amazing thing, especially one out of the ordinary course of nature. In other words, something that leaves you awestruck and dazed for hours. That’s how we can describe Gitanjali Rao , TIME’s Kid of the Year recipient for 2020 . 

The 15-year-old Indian- American scientist is the brain behind 6 inventions and has also paved her way from America’s top young scientist award as well as made her mark in the Forbes 2019’s 30 under 30 lists. This is her story. 

Let’s talk science 

Drinking water is a fundamental right of any human being. We cannot survive without it. 2014 initiated the Flint water crisis where the resident’s health was put at risk for high levels of lead in their drinking water. The then 7th grader Rao took note and embarked on the journey of innovation. The device was called the Tethys and it could detect the lead compound in water sending the values of the water status- ‘safe’, ‘slightly contaminated’ or ‘critical’ to a smartphone app she created alongside. The invention won her the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Gitanjali Rao according to some could be categorised as a nerd but that would be incomplete. She was a nerd but with a pragmatic approach. She saw an issue and worked against it. 

Her next invention was motivated by the dire need to hit the conscience of cyberbullies with Kindly, an app and a Chrome extension that can detect cyberbullying at an early stage. 

In her interview, she quotes, “I started to hard-code in some words that could be considered bullying, and then my engine took those words and identified words that are similar. You type in a word or phrase, and it’s able to pick it up if it’s bullying, and it gives you the option to edit it or send it the way it is”. The app gives you a chance to rethink your choice of words initiating the trail of thought that your conscious leads. 

Another invention is a device called Epione that physicians can use to tell if their patients are at the onset of addiction. Opioid-related overdoses killed more than 47,000 people in the US in 2017, the same year that opioids were responsible for about two-thirds of all drug-related deaths globally. The crisis darkens further as we understand that only 1 in 7 people with opioid abuse disorders receive the help they need. With Epione in the picture, this AI-powered medical device helps diagnose opioid addiction at an early stage. 

What a daily life looks like for a 15-year-old scientist

In Rao’s interview with TIME magazine, she said,” I spend more time doing 15-year-old things during the quarantine. I baked an ungodly amount. It’s not good, but it’s baking. And, like, it’s science too… To be fair, most of the time we don’t have eggs at home, or like flour, so I have to go online and search eggless, flourless, sugarless cookies, and then I try to make that. I made bread recently and it was good, so I’m proud of myself.”

The innovator is also adept in playing the piano, swimming, fencing and Indian Classical dancing and singing. At the age of 9, she began to learn classical music. 

“If I can do it so can you” 

Pragmatism is a gift that needs the push of focus and concentration. She encourages young people to take on one problem at a time. Keeping her own work as a testimony for all that anyone can achieve by taking inspiration from their own problem. 

Rao works with schools, girls in STEM organisations, Shanghai International Youth Science and Technology group and the Royal Academy of Engineering in London. Moreover, she conducts weekly sessions and workshops that have expanded to more than 28,000 elementary, middle and high school students globally. In her interview with CNN, she highlighted the importance of right mentorship and how to guide educators across the globe to mould the scientific brains of those, much like hers think outside the box.

What makes Gitanjali Rao the best role model for our students is not just her research or the fact that she can invent things that we at her age would only dream of. She is after all just a kid. But a kid who knows how to direct her out of the box thinking into actual working solutions and making history. 

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Scientist, fencer, dancer, singer and baker: Meet Gitanjali Rao, TIME’s Kid of the Year

Gitanjali rao has added to the credentials — the 15-year-old inventor and scientist has become the first kid of the year on the time magazine cover..

Last year, when Gitanjali Rao appeared on Ted Talks: Nayi Baat, actor Shah Rukh Khan introduced her as, “She is winner of the America’s top young scientist award, she is on Forbes 2019’s ‘30 under 30’ [list], and is the brain behind not one or two or three, but six innovations.”

Rao has added to the credentials — the 15-year-old inventor and scientist has become the first Kid of the Year on the Time magazine cover. An Indian-American from Denver, Colorado, Rao was chosen from among 5,000 US-based nominees.

Rao does not look like your average brilliant scientist, and she is aware of this. “Everything I see on TV is that it’s an older, usually white, man as a scientist,” she says.

Life at home

Rao’s parents, Bharathi and Ram Rao, have an academic background and supported her curiosity and intelligence, even though there have been incidents — such as the time when 10-year-old Rao declared to the family that she wanted to research carbon nanotube sensor technology at the Denver Water quality research lab.

“My mom was like, “A what?” she recounts.

Inspired by problems

When Rao was in second or third grade, she started thinking about using science and technology to create social change.

When she was in seventh grade, residents of Flint, Michigan, were battling a grave problem — a dangerous level of lead in drinking water. She created a device, called Tethys, which uses carbon nanotubes to quickly detect lead compounds in water and sends in the values of the water status — ‘safe’, ‘slightly contaminated’, or ‘critical’ — to a smartphone app.

The invention won her the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Then, there is Kindly — an app and a Chrome ­extension that can detect cyberbullying at an early stage, based on AI technology.

“I started to hard-code in some words that could be considered bullying, and then my engine took those words and identified words that are similar. You type in a word or phrase, and it’s able to pick it up if it’s bullying, and it gives you the option to edit it or send it the way it is. The goal is not to punish. As a teenager, I know teenagers tend to lash out sometimes. Instead, it gives you the chance to rethink what you’re saying so that you know what to do next time around,” Rao told actor and Time’s contributing editor Angelina Jolie in an interview for the magazine.

Another invention works with human genetics and can detect the growing problem of prescription drug addiction.

READ | Role model for my two daughters: Photographer who clicked Gitanjali Rao for Time cover

“Approx six million people in India have opioid use disorders, including prescription opioids. Many addicts start as regular pain medication users but become drug abusers without even knowing it. Doctors are now trying to lift the amount of addictive painkillers that they prescribe.

“However, many people need opioids for their pain management and end up with serious addictions. In addition, physicians do not have an easy tool to diagnose opioid addiction at an early stage The current tools that are used today are after the fact and they are mainly based on self awareness or assessment of behavioural changes,” she says.

So Rao chose to develop an easy-to-use, portable and efficient device called Epione that physicians can use to tell if their patients are at the onset of addiction. 📣 Follow Express Explained on Telegram

Message for young people

Rao is a believer in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and works with schools, girls in STEM organisations, museums all across the world, and bigger organisations like Shanghai International Youth Science and Technology group and the Royal Academy of Engineering in London to run innovation workshops.

These weekly sessions have reached out to more than 28,000 elementary, middle and high school students globally with whom she has shared her process and tools. Her message is, “Don’t try to fix every problem, just focus on one that excites you. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

Apart from inventing

The young scientist is also adept in playing the piano, Indian classical dancing and singing, swimming, and fencing. She was nine years old when she began to learn classical music.

Rao told Jolie in the Time magazine interview: “Actually I spend more time doing 15-year-old things during quarantine. I bake an ungodly amount. It’s not good, but it’s baking. And, like, it’s science too… To be fair, most of the time we don’t have eggs at home, or like flour, so I have to like go online and search eggless, flourless, sugarless cookies, and then I try to make that. I made bread recently and it was good, so I’m proud of myself.”

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What’s next for Gitanjali Rao?

In her Ted Talk: Nayi Baat, Rao had said, “In our minds, superheroes can jump tall buildings, have technological gadgets and superpowers. But what do they have in common — the ability to save lives. And the magical thing is that they show up exactly at the right time to save a life. How are living, breathing scientists different from the superheroes in comics? No matter where they are, scientists come up with solutions to help people. I love science and I want to be a scientist superhero solving real world problems and saving lives.”

So, every time she sees problems in society, Rao can be expected to be on a mission to solve it.

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Meet Gitanjali Rao, Time Magazine's first-ever Kid of the Year

Today we have a special episode featuring an old friend of ours -- scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao. Time Magazine recently named her the first-ever Kid of the Year !

We first met Gitanjali back in 2018, when she was the co-host for a series of episodes we did all about water. Back then, she was a 12 year old who had recently won 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Now, she's a very busy 15 year-old who is an inventor, STEM advocate and author. Molly and Gitanjali chat about how kids can turn their ideas into reality, and why kids shouldn't be afraid to share their viewpoints and skills with the world -- we need them!

Gitanjali has also written a book, which you can check out here .

Also, you can hear Gitanjali judge a very science-y Smash Boom Debate: Helium vs Neon !

Check out the water series that Gitanjali co-hosted:

What’s in your water?

The wonderful weirdness of water

Keeping water healthy, one clue at a time

Burning rivers of fire

Audio Transcript

Download transcript (pdf).

Transcription services provided by 3Play Media .

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15-year-old Indian-American Gitanjali Rao named first 'TIME Kid of the Year'

"i think more than anything right now, we just need to find that one thing we are passionate about and solve it", the young scientist and innovator said..

Friday December 04, 2020 , 4 min Read

Fifteen-year-old Indian-American Gitanjali Rao, a "brilliant" young scientist and inventor, has been named by TIME magazine as the first-ever Kid of the Year' for her "astonishing work using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying.

"The world belongs to those who shape it. And however uncertain that world may feel at a given moment, the reassuring reality seems to be that each new generation produces more of what these kids have already achieved: positive impact, in all sizes, Time said.

Rao was selected from a field of more than 5,000 nominees as TIME's first-ever Kid of the Year. She was interviewed by actor and activist Angelina Jolie for the TIME special.

Observe, brainstorm, research, build and communicate, Rao told about her process during a virtual talk with Jolie from her home in Colorado.

She spoke about her astonishing work using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying, and about her mission to create a global community of young innovators to solve problems the world over.

Even over video chat, her brilliant mind and generous spirit shone through, along with her inspiring message to other young people: don't try to fix every problem, just focus on one that excites you, Time said.

If I can do it, she said in the interview, anybody can do it.

Rao said her generation is facing many problems that they have never seen before.

But then at the same time, we are facing old problems that still exist. Like, we're sitting here in the middle of a new global pandemic, and we're also like still facing human-rights issues. There are problems that we did not create but that we now have to solve, like climate change and cyberbullying with the introduction of technology, she said.

"I think more than anything right now, we just need to find that one thing we're passionate about and solve it. Even if it's something as small as, I want to find an easy way to pick up litter. Everything makes a difference. Don't feel pressured to come up with something big," she added.

When asked when she knew that science was her passion, Rao said she always wanted to put a smile on someone's face. That was my everyday goal, just to make someone happy. And it soon turned into, How can we bring positivity and community to the place we live?

Rao added that she doesn't look like "your typical scientist. Everything I see on TV is that it's an older, usually white man as a scientist. It's weird to me that it was almost like people had assigned roles, regarding like their gender, their age, the colour of their skin.

"My goal has really shifted not only from creating my own devices to solve the world's problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. Because, from personal experience, it's not easy when you don't see anyone else like you. So I really want to put out that message: If I can do it, you can do it, and anyone can do it," she said.

She said when she was in second or third grade, she started thinking about how she can use science and technology to create social change. She was 10 when she told her parents that she wanted to research carbon nanotube sensor technology at the Denver Water Quality Research Lab.

When asked by Jolie, if Rao does things that kids her age do, she said actually I spend more time doing 15-year-old things during the quarantine. I bake an ungodly amount. It's not good, but it's baking. And, like, it's science too.

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• KIDS PRIVACY SUMMARY

Gitanjali Rao

Country: USA

Special skill: science .

I’m Gitanjali, an innovator from Lone Tree, Denver, Colorado, USA, who holds the record for the first TIME Magazine Kid of the Year . I’ve invented new technologies to address contaminated drinking water, cyber bullying and more.

The best part of being the first TIME Magazine Kid of the Year:

• I got a platform to amplify my message that science can bring about significant social change.

I love science because it’s a powerful vehicle to drive improvement in our communities. 🔬🧪

In human history , science has always helped make an enormous difference in improving the way we live. A single person's work can have an impact on the lives of billions. 

My hope is to make a small difference in my own way, using the many advances science and scientists have made. 👩‍🔬👨🏿‍🔬

I am certainly like any other teenager. Like all my friends, I have my own challenges with doing my chores, managing time, prioritizing work, and staying focused.

I am naturally curious and I like to observe things around me. 👀

A lot of times, they do generate new ideas . They might not all be great ideas 😆 But somewhere they do help when solving some other unrelated problem. 

Empathy and consideration for others was something I was taught early on. 🤗

I'm usually inspired by issues with a personal connection. I try my best to understand them and look for ways to address them. I am not always successful, but the few times I succeed I feel like I have contributed in some way. 

My advice to other young people is this: Take risks, find your own talent and use it to alleviate the problems in society. There is no limit to the amount of time we can fail, and we still have time to succeed in our endeavours.

Where i see myself in 10 years’ time.

I'd like to study a combination of Biology , engineering , and product development , hoping to develop my own products and services.

I also want to continue to do more of what I do today. I have plans to expand innovation workshops with the help of other volunteers who can take it to other parts of the world. 🌍🙋🏽

I'd like to help shape the curriculum to include innovation . 🏫📚

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Gitanjali Rao “Kid of The Year” Wiki, Age, Family, Biography & More

Gitanjali Rao is an Indian American young scientist, inventor, author, and community volunteer who was selected as the ‘Kid of the Year’ by TIME magazine on 4 December 2020. She was given this award for her contribution to the field of science. With the help of the technology available to her and her knowledge, she took the initiative to fight issues ranging from contamination in drinking water to cyberbullying.

Wiki/Biography

Gitanjali Rao was born on Saturday, November 15, 2005 ( age 15 years; as of 2020 ), in Lone Tree, Colorado, United States of America. Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. Gitanjali’s parents noticed her interest in science when she was in second or third grade. She wished to use science and technology to bring social changes in society. At the age of 10, she told her parents that she wanted to conduct research at Denver Water Quality Research Lab on carbon nanotube sensor technology. Gitanjali Rao attended the STEM Highlands Ranch High School in Colorado. She studied the STEM curriculum (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in school, and she is an active STEM promoter.

Physical Appearance

Eye Colour:  Black

Hair Colour:  Black

Parents & Siblings

Gitanjali Rao’s father’s name is Ram Rao, and her mother’s name is Bharathi Rao. She has a younger brother, Anu Rao.

Gitanjali Rao’s mother, Bharathi Rao and brother, Anu Rao

Gitanjali Rao is a writer and she published a self-illustrated book titled, “Baby Brother Wonders” in the year 2015.

Research Work

In 2017, Gitanjali decided to work on developing a device that would help in detecting the amount of lead content present in water. Gitanjali started working on the device with the help of a research scientist at 3M. She developed a device with a 9-volt battery, a lead sensing unit, a processor, and a Bluetooth extension. She named the device ‘Tethys.’ In 2017, Gitanjali’s prototype was successful in detecting the lead content in water, and she won the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge and the $25,000 cash prize for the invention. Later in 2017, she collaborated with the Denver Water Facility and prepared an improved prototype for the invention. Gitanjali is a three-time TEDx speaker, and on 10 August 2018, she appeared in ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jimmy Fallon where she demonstrated her invention ‘Tethys’ on national television. According to Gitanjali, her goal is to study genetics and epidemiology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. She also works as a self-employed developer, and she developed an app and Google Chrome extension ‘Kindly’ that provides the facility of real-time check of content to find for any cyber-bullying content.

Gitanjali Rao with the STEM curriculum coordinator

Baby Brother Wonders book by Gitanjali Rao

Awards & Honours

Gitanjali Rao with the award of Young Scientist Challenge, 2017

• In 2018, Gitanjali was honoured with the United States Environmental Protection Agency President’s Environmental Youth Award.
• In May 2019, she was awarded the Top ‘Health’ Pillar Prize for the TCS Ignite Innovation Student Challenge.
• Gitanjali Rao was selected as the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’ by TIME Magazine on December 4, 2020.

Introducing the first-ever Kid of the Year, Gitanjali Rao https://t.co/Hvgu3GLoNs pic.twitter.com/4zORbRiGMU — TIME (@TIME) December 3, 2020

Facts/Trivia

• Gitanjali was selected among the five finalists out of 5,000 American kids from the age of 8 to the age of 16. These five finalists were selected for the ‘Kid of the Year’ title by TIME magazine, and Gitanjali won the competition and became the first-ever ‘Kid of the Year.’ She was featured on TIME magazine’s cover page, and Hollywood actress and social activist, Angelina Jolie took her interview for the magazine’s feature.

Gitanjali Rao working on the prototype of her invention, Tethys

Angelina Jolie interviewing Gitanjali Rao for her TIME magazine feature

• Gitanjali was awarded the Top “Health” Pillar Prize at the TCS Ignite Innovation Student Challenge in May 2019 for developing a tool that helped in the diagnosis of prescription opioid addiction.
• On receiving the title of ‘Kid of the Year’ from TIME magazine, people across the globe came forward to congratulate her including Chef Vikas Khanna, Anand Mahindra from Mahindra & Mahindra, Shah Rukh Khan , etc.

Time magazine has selected 15-year-old scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao as its first-ever Kid of the Year. This is AWESOMEEEE. Congrats Gitanjali & her parents Bharathi and Ram Rao. @timeforkids @TIME @KeithGrossman pic.twitter.com/Th0sBYsY5F — Vikas Khanna (@TheVikasKhanna) December 3, 2020

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Hi, I'm Gitanjali.

It's nice to meet you. I'm 18 years old and a freshman at MIT, Cambridge. My goal is to create global change by starting an innovation movement of teens looking to make a difference. 

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 For the promotion of anti-cyberbullying and launching the service "Kindly" in partnership with UNICEF

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