I'm Tania Chawla, a high school senior passionate about economic policy and inclusive innovation, exploring how ideas and technology can drive equitable growth.
As president of our school's Neurodivergent Outreach Club, I lead initiatives that promote understanding and celebrate differences. We organise peer mentorship, sensory-friendly events and advocacy campaigns to create a supportive environment where all students feel valued.
Through our innovation club, I encourage students to explore entrepreneurship, design thinking and technology. We build prototypes, participate in hackathons and host workshops to ignite creative problem solving.
Intern & Volunteer, Child Rights and You (CRY) - Worked in shelters and community outreach programs; helped raise over $1,600 to fund immigrant children's education (immigrating for better economic opportunities); conducted outreach in underserved areas during a 6-week internship.
Secretary - Managed 30-member Tech club; Scaled Annual Binary Fest to 100+ students; Organised 2 hackathons; Org. discussions on AI ethics & blockchain innovation.
I earned my black belt after years of training, discipline and perseverance. In Taekwondo, the black belt represents the pinnacle of achievement[4], embodying dedication and maturity. I continue to teach younger students and demonstrate that mastering a martial art builds confidence and resilience.
Music has always been an integral part of my life. I completed my Grade 5 piano certification through Trinity College London, which is considered the intermediate level[3] of musical development. Playing the piano has taught me patience, creativity and the joy of performance.
I have a patent pending on the NeuroPlay Cube, an AI‑driven device designed for neurodivergent children. The cube uses adaptive games to stimulate cognitive skills and provide multisensory engagement tailored to each child's unique strengths.
During my research internship, I co‑authored a policy paper with NITI Aayog, India's apex public policy think tank [5]. NITI Aayog catalyses economic development and fosters cooperative federalism by involving state governments in the policy‑making process. Our paper analysed inclusive education policies and proposed measures to support neurodivergent learners nationally.
In the winter of 2024, I interned with a leading renewable energy startup where I investigated renewable energy policies. My published article in a leading energy magazine highlighted the intersection of clean technology and equitable access, emphasising how sustainable policies can be designed to benefit all communities.
As the president of Innoventure, I introduced TRIZ to our high school community. TRIZ, short for the Russian term meaning inventive problem solving, is a methodology developed by Genrich Altschuller. Through his analysis of thousands of patents, Altschuller discovered that many inventions share a small number of recurring solution principles, that innovations arise by overcoming contradictions, and that technical systems follow common patterns [1].
A core element of TRIZ is recognizing and resolving contradictions. Altschuller noted that the most impactful inventions combine properties previously thought incompatible, and that finding a contradiction is the first step toward a high‑quality solution[2]. TRIZ offers matrices and principles, such as the well‑known 40 inventive principles, which help innovators systematically explore solutions[2].
I have developed an AI‑driven companion app to bring TRIZ into classrooms, guiding students through a Natural Language AI driven tool to answer any sort of inventive problem with TRIZ principle based solutions. This initiative empowers young innovators to think critically and create inclusive solutions.
Additionally, I've built the NeuroPlay cube, India's first AI-enabled learning cube designed specifically to support neurodivergent learning. The cube helps children on the autism and ADHD spectrum engage through multi-sensory play. Using OpenMV CAM N6 technology, NeuroPlay records a child's facial expression and uses a machine learning algorithm to interpret their focus level and expressions such as whether the child is excited, distracted, or calm.
The version shown in the video below is a 3D render of the cube's final design, created during its prototyping phase. NeuroPlay™️ was successfully piloted with 40+ neurodivergent children and is now scaling to over 100 children through a signed MoU with the Indian NGO Apna Ghar.
NeuroPlay AI Cube Demo
[1] The concept of TRIZ emphasises that many inventions are based on a relatively small number of recurring solution principles, that recognising and overcoming contradictions fosters innovation, and that technical systems evolve according to patterns.
[2] TRIZ encourages finding and resolving contradictions; the method teaches that combining seemingly incompatible properties can lead to breakthrough inventions.
[3] Trinity College London's piano certificate pathway equates its intermediate level with Grade 5, which marks a significant milestone in musical proficiency.
[4] In Taekwondo, the black belt is the highest rank attainable for many practitioners, representing years of dedication, hard work and maturity.
[5] NITI Aayog serves as the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India and the nodal agency for catalysing economic development and fostering cooperative federalism through the involvement of state governments.