Gitanjali Rao, a 15-year-old Indian-American scientist and inventor, was named Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year.
Hisana Thasneem
credits: TIME
Gitanjali Rao, a 15-year-old Indian-American scientist and inventor, was named Time Magazine’s first-ever Kid of the Year. The US-based publication announced award on Thursday, citing her ability to use technology to “tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying”.
Rao, who was featured on the cover of the latest edition of the magazine, was selected from a pool of over 5,000 nominees. In an interview with actor and activist Angelina Jolie, the Colorado teenager spoke about her innovations and shared a message for other young people, "If I can do it, anybody can do it”.
This is not the first time Rao has been recognised for her work. In 2017, she won praise when she created a device called ‘Tethys’ that used carbon nanotube sensors to detect lead in water in response to the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
She later joined hands with scientists in the water industry to release her device in the market and was also named ‘America’s Top Young Scientist’ for her invention. In 2019, she earned a spot on Forbes’ prestigious 30 under 30 list for her invention.
Rao’s recent invention is an app and web tool called ‘Kindly’, which uses artificial intelligence to detect the early signs of cyberbullying, “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".