Discover how Mumbai teenager Anushka Prakash’s AI education app, Project Prakash, won a global award and is transforming rural education in India. Learn about its impact on STEM for girls and personalized learning for underserved students.
In the heart of Mumbai, a 17-year-old prodigy, Anushka Prakash, has taken the world by storm with her AI-based education app, Project Prakash. This innovative platform, designed to empower rural students in India, won the prestigious Intel AI Global Impact Festival’s People’s Choice Award in the Junior Category in 2023. This article dives into Anushka’s inspiring journey, the transformative impact of her AI education app, and how it’s revolutionizing learning for rural communities. Discover how this Mumbai teenager is bridging the education gap and why her story is a must-read for anyone interested in AI, education, and social impact.
The Genesis of Project Prakash: A Teen’s Vision for Education Equity
Anushka Prakash, a Mumbai-based high school student, was inspired to create Project Prakash during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to online learning highlighted a glaring issue: while urban students like Anushka had access to digital education, millions of rural students in India were left behind due to limited resources. “I saw how unequal access to education was,” Anushka shared in an interview with YourStory. “I wanted to build an AI education app that could bring world-class learning to rural students.”
With a passion for STEM and expertise in HTML and web development, Anushka developed Project Prakash, a free, AI-powered platform that curates educational resources from top institutions like Stanford, MIT, and Khan Academy. This app is tailored for rural learners, offering personalized content to spark curiosity and open doors to opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Must Read: Top 50 Global Universities in 2025: Leading the Way in Higher Education
How Project Prakash Works: AI-Powered Learning for All
Project Prakash leverages artificial intelligence to deliver a personalized learning experience. The app analyzes user interactions to recommend courses, tutorials, and career advice based on individual interests and academic needs. Whether it’s coding tutorials, mathematics lectures, or university-level courses, the platform makes high-quality education accessible to rural students.
Designed with accessibility in mind, Project Prakash is lightweight and optimized for low-cost smartphones with minimal internet connectivity—a critical feature for rural India, where infrastructure can be limited. Anushka’s collaboration with the Chopra Foundation has further expanded the app’s reach, bringing it to villages across the country. With over 2,000 users and counting, Project Prakash is transforming lives by making education equitable.
A Global Win: Intel AI Global Impact Festival 2023
Anushka’s innovation shone on the global stage when Project Prakash competed against thousands of entries from 160+ countries at the Intel AI Global Impact Festival. The app’s focus on education equity and its smart use of AI earned it the People’s Choice Award in the Junior Category, along with a $5,000 prize, an Intel-powered laptop, and mentorship from industry leaders. This accolade highlights the potential of AI in education and Anushka’s role as a trailblazer in the field.
Impact on Rural Learners: Empowering the Next Generation
Project Prakash is making waves in rural India, particularly for girls who face significant barriers to STEM education. The platform offers free access to resources that inspire students to pursue careers in technology and science. For instance, Priya, a 15-year-old from Rajasthan, discovered her passion for coding through the app. “I never knew what programming was before Project Prakash,” she said. “Now, I’m learning Python and want to become a software engineer.”
By providing tools to explore STEM fields, Project Prakash is helping close the gender gap in technology, where women represent only 28% of the workforce. Anushka’s mission is clear: to empower every student, regardless of their background, to chase their dreams.
Overcoming Challenges: A Teenager’s Resilience
Creating an AI education app as a teenager wasn’t easy. Anushka faced technical challenges, such as optimizing the platform for low-bandwidth environments, and skepticism about her age and experience. Yet, her determination and support from mentors at her school and the Chopra Foundation propelled her forward. “Young people have fresh ideas and the energy to tackle big problems,” Anushka said, proving that age is no barrier to innovation.
The Future of Project Prakash: Scaling Impact
With her global award, Anushka is now focused on expanding Project Prakash. She plans to enhance the app’s AI capabilities to offer real-time feedback and add support for vernacular languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu to reach non-English-speaking students. Anushka also aims to visit rural communities to train teachers and students, embedding the platform into local education systems.
Why Anushka’s Story Matters
Anushka Prakash’s journey from a Mumbai classroom to a global stage is a testament to the power of youth, technology, and compassion. Her AI education app, Project Prakash, is not just a tool—it’s a movement to make education accessible to all. For rural students, it’s a gateway to opportunities that can change their lives. For the world, it’s a reminder that innovation can come from anywhere, even a 17-year-old with a vision.
Call to Action: Want to learn more about AI in education or support initiatives like Project Prakash? Visit theinterviewtimes.com for the latest news and insights. Share this story to inspire others and join the movement for education equity!