Revolutionizing the society with coding since Sixteen-Nitesh Yadav
Nitesh Yadav is an Android Developer, Programmer, and Entrepreneur at the age of 16. He is the youngest website/ app developer. He strives to give back to the community with his knowledge in Technology, Web Development, and Robotics and has created numerous android apps for the same. He has conducted various seminars and workshops across the country.
Being a TedX speaker and a Google guest, he is also known for his Chatbot Exam Mitra and Techsicon. Read what this young man had to say about his journey in this interview with Team Storiyaan.
Interview
Questions and answers
What attracted you to Computer Science? According to you, how can technology change the world?
My zeal to create something unique for the society through technology attracted me towards Computer Science. There are many examples where technology has increased equality. By creating products that are cheaper than the existing solutions, more accessible, they are able to reach a wider audience. We feel technologies like Blockchain (the tool behind cryptocurrency bitcoin), and artificial intelligence has the same potential if developed with their social impact in mind. Technology can be used for good or ill. It’s neither good nor bad, and it’s neutral. It is important to build a conversation about ethics and responsibility in developing technology.
You stated in an interview that your family couldn’t afford you to enroll you in coding classes, but that didn’t bring down your resolve and learned coding from ‘Google Gurudev.’ What are the best sites you recommend learning to code for a beginner, and what was your self-learning process?
I started coding by learning it online from Google. Google taught me everything about programming. I can proudly say, “If you have the will to learn, you can learn anything from the Internet.” Every beginner who wants to learn to code can start from W3schools.com, Udacity, and Khan Academy. You can learn coding easily from these platforms.
What are the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on you and your village? Has it affected your well-being? What are the sources you derive positivity from?
I have a benefit that I reside in a village, and there are no cases nearby. It has affected me, yes. I can’t go to Jaipur or Delhi for some of my events and meetings. My work motivates me. I am busy, so I have no time to think about anything going on in the outer world. Besides that, I read books of OSHO, Swami Vivekanand, and Bhagwad Gita to derive positivity.
How old were you when you wrote your first ever computer program? What was the feeling you got when it got compiled and executed successfully?
My first app was ‘MeraKanharka.’ It took me four months to make it and launch it on Google Play. I made it when I was 15 years old. I felt like a celebrity when it got published in newspapers. You can imagine how it feels when a village boy becomes a poster boy.
From being an android app developer and a coder to being a Google guest speaker. What does your daily schedule look like?
I am a tea lover, so my day starts with a cup of tea. Then I head on my day with Yoga and Meditation. Later, I study academics all day, and my evenings are reserved for my fun. Then I started programming at night and code until 2 A.M. That’s how it goes.
You also developed an AI-Powered Chatbot recently. What is the inspiration behind creating it, and can you elaborate its function?
The story on how Exam Mitra came into existence is interesting. I spent most of my time on Facebook to interact with people who applauded me. One day my dad told me that I spend too much time on FB and adviced me to focus on studies. That’s when it struck me. I thought, why not make Facebook a platform for studying. That’s how Exam Mitra was born.It helps users and students to study while they use the platform. The software is integrated into the Messenger app and has subjects like Mathematics, Geography, Physics, Chemistry, etc.
There are fewer people of your age who serve the society? What attracted you to take the initiative towards it?
It was my passion to create something for the society.
What were the hurdles you faced while developing your first app, ‘MeraKanharka’? Was there someone to assist you in developing it, or you did it single-handedly?
My father motivated me all the time, and I just developed the application. He collected the entire data required for it to function. I vividly remember how he toured the village for data collection. It was him who assisted me and assured me that I wasn’t alone.
You have to upgrade your apps and also manage your start-up constantly. How do you balance these things along with your academics?
I am a student by day and coder by night. I go to school during the day and work on my programming projects at night. It’s a little difficult to manage both, but for now, I am handling it well.
A lot of students, while they initially learn coding, get stuck, and eventually give up. What problems did you personally face, and how did you manage to solve them?
The coding language is really strange and boring. You have to be keen on learning it. If you want to be the next Elon Musk, you have to make HTML and Java your best friends. Only then can you play with it.
If someone wants to develop an AI software, from where do they began, and how do they start?
In order to develop a software based on Artificial Intelligence, you need to learn coding in Python language. Apart from it, there are many Chatbot maker platforms like Bottr where you can easily create them.
From where did you learn programming and what are some of the best learning resources?
I learnt everything from Google and YouTube. Even now, they are my learning resources.
What are the problems you encountered while starting up your own start-up, and how did you resolve them?
I faced several difficulties and challenges. Coding an app requires skill and training. My family could not enroll me in coding classes. So, I went to what I call “Google Gurudev,” where I read an app developer from companies like the app development companies melbourne who created many educational apps. When I learned how to use a smartphone, I went to “Google Gurudev.” It taught me everything about coding and creating websites.
What do you do during your leisure and during your bad days?
I read novels in the genres of fiction and religion. When I am having a bad day, I play cricket all evening long.
What are your plans and ambitions?
I want to digitize each and every village in India and also rain students in the field of web development, robotics so that they can design apps on their own. Moreover, I don’t want them to endure difficulties that I had to during my early years.
I want to give back to the community in whichever way possible.
What word of advice would you like to give to our budding coders and reading?
I want to say, never give up. Keep working hard and achieve your goals. I suggest you study smart, not hard. You’ll need smartness at every point in your life. Keep going. Choose your field. Follow the Law of attraction, and you’ll achieve success.
Quick 5
•Binge series or movie– Series
• City or Village-Village always
• One programmer that inspires you – Elon Musk
• Three words to describe your personality – Love, flowers, and blessings.
• One thing you would want to change about yourself –
My addiction to Chai (tea).