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Hi, my name is George Abraham and welcome to Eyeway Conversations. My guest today are Aarush Bhat, a young and upcoming software engineer and his mother Anjina Bhat. So, Aarush congratulations for your good results in the 12 standard exam, I believe you're going to Alberta, Canada. So tell us a little bit about your course and what you would be doing there and what are your aspirations.
Yeah so I am going to the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada this fall. I will be pursuing a computer science degree. So I'm basically doing a specialization in software engineering. It's a four year course. And yeah, I've honestly always wanted to be like a software engineer because I just love coding. And I would like to make- like it's always been my dream to make the world more inclusive and empowered and I feel like software and technology in general can play a very big role in accomplishing that.
So Anjina, this is going to be the first time that Aarush is going to be staying away from home for a longish period. What are your apprehensions and what are your thoughts?
I am worried but I am confident. As a mother, I feel that you know, the mother's heart is always thinking but looking at Aarush, the way he has come out with technology. And I know he will manage and because he has technology, and with his mobility skills, he will find out his goal and dream.
Aarush, how did you get interested in software engineering?
I got into the world of tech when I was quite young and I naturally started developing that interest. And it's an interesting story actually, because I remember, when I started learning computers in school itself, I made like this very first website that did something I don't exactly remember what it was, but it was this eureka moment like this feeling that was very satisfactory. When like I was able to code this website in five minutes, and it was able to do something, like accomplish something. It was just super satisfactory when I was able to make things happen that could you know, maybe like benefit people and help people. And that's where the feeling arose. And after that, along with my best friend, we started learning to code together because he was an avid gamer. And he used to also be into playing games. And that's where he learned to code. And yeah, that's where the interest arose. And after that, when I thought about it more, when I learned more, I felt like it actually really coincided with my dream which was always to basically- I just wanted to make sure that whatever challenges as a visually impaired student that I had to go to- I wanted to make sure that no student should be face those challenges. It should not be a barrier for them. After you know, I was like, I wanted to always find a solution. And I think when I actually learned how powerful technology could be, how powerful software could be, I felt like that's when I decided that this was the way to go about it and bringing my dream to life.
Essentially, you also did a lot of education on technology on the side. Could you tell us a little bit about what these various courses were?
Yeah. So when I was in 9th grade, I started exploring ways to actually properly learn to code and you know, how to build softwares because I wanted to actually move to advanced stuff and actually create softwares and not just basic websites. And so yeah, that's basically when I stumbled across resources. And good people, you know, guided me and they showed me this amazing world that I have been you know, pretty much obsessed with and continuously involved with ever since ninth grade which is the world of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), which are basically essentially these courses that you can do online that teach you a number of things, pretty much anything from what I've seen because the course catalog is usually really vast and like you can pretty much learn anything from interactive lectures to these practice exercises. And I find them to be super intuitive and very educational. So that's what I started to do in 9th grade, I took up a MOOC from Coursera, which is a very popular MOOC website, and I started learning Python. So it was Python for Everybody specialization. I remember, that was my very first course. And it was taught by Dr. Chuck from University of Michigan, and I absolutely loved the course. I learned a lot from it. And even the teachers were super supportive. I could even write to them if there was like an accessibility issue. But usually, I also found that the websites were super accessible with a screen reader which is definitely a benefit. And if there weren't, then they were very eager to have them implemented. So after I did that course, and I felt my skill level actually rose greatly. I started taking up more and more courses and as many courses as I possibly could from then on, and you also get certified for these courses. So it's like a very you know, satisfactory feeling that I have actually, you know, I've done this, and I've achieved this. And yeah, sometimes the courses can be challenging as well. But you not only learn, you also get the feeling of satisfaction that you know, I overcame this challenge, and I learned a lot. So yeah, I've been doing quite a bit of coursework from these courses from the Coursera website. And there's another website called edX that has courses from different universities like MIT, Harvard, and they are also super educational. And I find that my software engineering passion, my skill set has really developed from from these MOOCs.
Let me ask your mum. Anjina, the 12 years of school and maybe a couple of years of preschool, what did you see the role that you as a mother and your husband, Vinod as a father had to play to actually help Aarush reach where he has reached.
Let me be very honest. And yes, the challenges were there. But one thing which I feel that today, I feel very satisfied. I feel the way Arush has grown up because it is just the initial years- it's just the mindset, we always you know, as a parent, and restrict ourselves, like we in our head, it starts like my son or my daughter has a special need. That is just a mindset which I have learned through the 18 years of my journey as a mom. Initially as a parent, like you need to train your kid and and take it up there as you know, they have the potential as any other kid has. There is no way I only feel they should not account about you know, people talk about disabilities, people talk about you know, special needs, I think it is something which is not correct. Every child has its own way of growing up, way of learning but as a parent, we need to support them during their initial period. Maybe after class 7 or 8, you need to give them different skills, you need to give them that confidence, you need to be back support and give all the exposures and find out what their interest/ goal is. And then let them flourish. That's what I did in Aarush's case.
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I remember your mom telling me a few months ago about your trip to NASA. Would you like to tell us a little bit about this trip?
When I was in 10th grade. I found out about this one week space camp that the people at NASA were organizing and it was to be held in Alabama Huntsville in US and they had this International Space and Rocket Center there. So I heard about it from a friend of mine and he said that you should fill out this form because they also offer 100 percent scholarship. So it was pretty much you know, a fully paid trip to US for a week. And I was super interested in that because I wanted to learn about space, and I wanted to learn about the technologies being used in space. And I wanted to also network, I wanted to connect with people and learn. So I went ahead and applied and it was like this scholarship form. And, you know they basically asked you to do is like, be yourself and, you know, be honest. And that's like what I ended up doing. And yeah, it was kind of unexpected- I filled out the form and a few months later, when I essentially forgot about it, I received the email that I had actually gotten to scholarship. And so in 10th grade around October, I went to space camp for a week. And it was quite an enjoyable trip. I think I learned about so many different technologies that are used in the Space Centers, on let's say, the rockets themselves. And what was amazing is that they were super accessible. They had screen readers built in some of them in case you know, there were people like, let's say, with visual impairment and there was stuff written in Braille as well. So I think it was a very educational and super fun trip.
Science and maths often are seen as subjects which blind people are discouraged from doing because of obvious challenges in teaching.
Yeah so I have always used a computer for my education like I said from 5th grade, it was always in school. And that also applies to exams, I have never used, let's say, a scribe or you know any other method. I've always done my exams independently. So I used to do, like earlier, I do maths on a tiller frame. And when it came to science, my mom would make like, tiny diagrams for me and I would take those to school. And that's how I would learn. And afterwards, let's say from 9th to 10th grade, when it came to more advanced mathematics and sciences I still continued to do that on the computer itself, but intensively that was actually like CBSE, was not agreeing to let me give my exam on the computer for the boards, and I had to use a scribe. And I felt that was a very new experience for me, and it was not a good experience because I was very new to that. So after that, I actually took the determination to make this my goal to be able to do maths and science independently, even though it was going to be super advanced from 12th onwards on a computer itself. They were not letting me take maths. And even though they let me take maths, they were not letting me do it on the computer. But I had to like struggle a bit and you know, kind of fight a bit. And I gave them this. I told them that if they just give me, let's say 2-3 months of time, I will figure it out, and I will show them a way to accessibly do it. And yeah, it took quite a bit of research because I feel like this hasn't this field of you know, writing STEM on a computer hasn't been explored as much as it should, because the resources are there. They're definitely there. But I feel like there aren't as back then, let's say two years ago, they weren't as known as they seem to be now. Let's say what I started doing was, I discovered that word 2019 had a way to write maths using laTeX which is the language to basically write science and mathematics on the computer. And when you converts to either maximal or different math formats that actually the screen readers are able to read. And I found out that office word 2019 actually introduced a feature where even if you wrote latex, it would autocorrect the mask that was usable without needing to use an external software like mass type. So that's what I started doing essentially. And yeah, it took a lot of practice to master laTeX and to read the symbols and the equations but I kind of tried to persevere and work hard on it and you know, give my best. And in those three months, I made myself chained enough and equipped enough that I was able to show my teachers and then you know, CBSE that I was able to write and yeah, after that I took my 11th, 12 like I took maths and science and I did it all fully on my computer and I also gave my boards as a matter of fact 12th boards completely on a computer itself.
You know, science and maths, there are a number of concepts which people use visual aids to understand and to actually teach, especially subjects like trigonometry and geometry and, you know, mechanics and so on. So even understanding these concepts, there is a fair bit of visual grasp that is required, how did you kind of deal with those situations?
Yeah, so I guess this for me was a mix of a few things. So, there's also like, one thing that I did was using, let's say the geometry kit that comes for the visually impaired that, you know, lets you draw tactile diagrams on the sheet of paper, and it's like embossed, and you can feel that. But what I did for the most part I think was visualized using my own imagination. And to boost my imagination, I used things around me because I felt like that worked better for me like TV shapes, different objects in the room, like my table, the wall, or pretty much anything. I think that worked for me because it was more realistic than drawing on a sheet of paper. So that's what I usually ended up doing. And I fortunately had super accessible inclusive teachers that kind of adapted to that pretty quick. And they understood that this is my way of learning. So when they would teach me let's say trigonometry, you know, that would involve involve like X, Y, Z plane, they would teach me on a wall that has like all three of those planes, like on the floor or on the table, and I felt like that worked wonderfully for me. And after a bit of practice, visualizing using these objects in the room stuff around me, I was just able to picture that and form a mental map as it were in my head. And then after that, I was just able to visualize it without needing like external sources. So I think it's just a matter of practice. But that's just the way that it worked for me.
So coming to you, Aarush, I understand that inspired by the challenges that you faced in school, you have launched a software, which is going to help children who are blind who might be going through similar courses in various schools. Tell us a little bit about this software.
It's basically this Windows software that I have launched which what it does is- so when I took up advanced maths and sciences back in 11th grade, I won one major challenge, even after discovering the word LaTeX technology was that some of the symbols or many of the symbols, let's say the Greek letters or some other like mass centric symbols weren't being read out by the screen reader. So NVDA is what I use. It's what I've always used, and it wasn't reading those symbols. And I wanted to come up with a solution because I felt like everything else was working perfectly. LaTeX was working perfectly, and if I just figured out a solution, I think it would be a perfect way for people to do maths and computer. So that's when I basically started writing on national software of my own. And yeah, I've been working on it as I grew and learned myself and as I tested it out myself with school and with boards. And now that I've done boards, I feel like it's got sufficient information and data and I have, you know, enough experience that it was ready for release. And it has now been launched. So basically what it does is it has a list of over 150 symbols and, you know, once that software is in the computer of visually impaired students, their NVDA will easily be able to read all of those maths and science related symbols.
So what do you call the software?
So it's called accessing NVDA which is basically you know, stands for more accessible NVDA. And yeah it's on my website, and hopefully people enjoy it and are able to, you know, benefit from it.
What your website called?
It's inclusionthemotto.com so that's inclusion t-h-e-m-o-t-t-o dot com. It's all one word. And the software's webpage, they can find a download link as well as a description to the software.
So Aarush I believe you have a YouTube channel, which you started a short while ago. Tell me a little bit about that.
Yeah, so the channel was basically it's called "Inclusion the motto" which is the same thing as the website itself that I have, that the software is being launched on. So that's where the whole thing started essentially from the YouTube channel. And the idea of the channel was to basically bring people from all different backgrounds and diverse backgrounds together on a platform where they could learn from each other, where they could be empowered and educated. And so yeah, there's quite a bit of interaction videos, there's interviews, there's some videos that, you know, I have given my own take on different topics. And I hope, it's a source of encouragement for people listening. And I would most likely also, as a matter of fact, publish a tutorial video for those who prefer video rather than text, or on how to use this newly launched software.
Your mother was telling me that while you were in school, you also did several internships with various companies in Delhi. Tell us a little bit about your experience there.
So I ended up doing a couple internships. And I think the most significant one of those would be the one that I did was Vedantu which is a very popular platform for online education here in India. And I realized, when the idea came to me when I was in 11th grade, I had some other friends that were applying for Indian colleges itself, and they wanted to do engineering, let's say and apply for IIT, or other engineering colleges, and they wanted to use online courses to learn, but they were also visually impaired. And like these courses that Vedantu do, they weren't super accessible. So that's when I thought you know, because when I discovered my way of doing maths, and science successfully, I realized that could easily be translated to all different platforms that currently don't have accessible math and science. So I tried to reach out to the company. And fortunately, they were super inclusive. And they accepted me as a high school intern, and we work together to make their content of maths and science accessible. And now hopefully it is completely accessible to a screen reader. So I think no other visually impaired students should have any trouble taking up courses on Vedantu in the future.
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Coming back to your travel to Canada, how have you prepared yourself in terms of your mobility, your independence vis a vis traveling alone and living alone? How are you preparing yourself?
Let's say maybe when I was in 9th grade or so, I did a basic mobility training and I started going out a little bit and you know, navigating around the vicinity where I live, getting an idea of what my area looks like and, you know, using a white cane. But unfortunately, as we all know, after COVID like you know, everything was shut down for like two years. And it's like the process technically stopped. And I was also occupied with all these other accessibility related challenges with 12th. And so I felt it was definitely a challenge to get back into shape after I was done with a board. But I have tried to contribute as much as I can, like dedicate these three months that I have before leaving to mobility. So I've gone out quite a bit using my white cane and I have made use of softwares that like I said technology keeps growing and now all the map software on the phone, have this auditory guidance system where if you set it to walk or drive, it gives you audible instructions on where to turn, on where to go and where different places are. And with that, plus a little bit of vigilance and white cane and lots and lots of practice, I think it is possible, very much possible to get around. So yeah, that's what I've been practicing. I've been practicing walking around my area, and then I started moving to taking cabs to places that were more far away, like visiting friends, for example. And, then I moved to metros and for places that's way too far from home like, you know, Connaught Place, Nehru Place like these are they are super far away one and a half hour away from where I live. And there I navigated pretty much on my own just with a help of a cane and the map. So I think it's been a very good experience. And it's actually helped me learn and you know, train myself for what's coming up next to do. So that's basically how I've been preparing myself.
You have developed an accent which is quite maybe optimum for you when you get into Canada. Where did you pick up this accent from? Was this part of your preparation?
Yeah, I've had this for quite a while because you know, I went to the space camp. And I was able to make so many connections there. And I had friends from from US. And since I've also been doing all these MOOC courses, I was able to connect with professors, I was able to connect with different other other students that were from the US. So most of my friends are actually not from India. So I think that's where the accent came from on its own. And it's also since I like audiobooks. And yeah, different different different sources, but it's kind of developed on its own really.
So Aarush, you've had a fairly exciting life. What are your passions, apart from say, technology and software? What are your other passions that keep you going?
So the first answer that comes to my mind immediately is reading. That's something that my mom got me into when I was quite young and I have been obsessed with reading for I don't know, for the past 12 to 13 years and yeah I think that has been the support that I needed whenever I feel down, when I felt like giving up or when I felt that I didn't have support or didn't have anyone, reading has been that constant companion. Like, you know, people say that reading or books or one's best friend. And yeah, I think that's been the case for me. And it's something that I hope to never abandon because a lot of the books that I've read have essentially made me into who I am today.
Aarush and Anjina, thank you very much for taking time out. I know you are busy preparing for your journey and your trip. But thank you very much for giving us the time and sharing your experiences and learnings and your dreams. Wish you the very best. All the best to both of you.
Thank you.
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