Meet 12-Year-Old Gitanjali Rao, Who Invented A Gadget To Test Water Pollution & Help Save Lives

According to a June 2018 report, India is facing the worst-ever water crisis in its history, with over 600 million people experiencing acute water shortage during the 2018 monsoon season. Data released by Indian government's Niti Aayog claims that for 24 of India's 29 states the water crisis is "only going to get worse" in the coming years.

The Niti Aayog report also warns that the country's 21 major cities are likely to run out of groundwater by 2020, despite record increase in demand for consumption.

In such a scenario, where every drop of water is precious beyond imagination, it's important to ensure it's clean for consumption. And Gitanjali Rao has invented a gadget that lets us do just that.

Gitanjali Rao

Still studying in 8th standard, and based in the US, 12-year-old Gitanjali Rao has invented a nanotechnology sensor-based water tester to detect dangerous lead contamination in drinking water. Her device, called Tethys, detects lead in water faster than anything else available in the market today.

"While I was studying the problem, I realized that detection is a primary issue," said Gitanjali Rao, who's in Mumbai as a speaker at TEDxGateway 2018. "People do not know if their drinking water is safe. So I focused on creating a solution that is portable, fast, accurate and cheap so each one of us can test our own water."

Tethys

For her ground-breaking invention, Gitanjali was named America's Top Young Scientist of 2017, Tethys allows a sensor linked to a mobile app to give an accurate, instant analysis of a water sample. There's literally no waiting time whatsoever.

Young Gitanjali believes her water testing device, Tethys -- which is the name after Greek Goddess of freshwater -- should immediately be implemented in schools across the world to ensure young children don't drink lead or other heavy metal contaminated water.

"I believe my device can be used starting in schools to detect contaminated water," she said, before mentioning how she has "investors who have believed in me and incubator company who is helping me with the commercial feasibility."

Gitanjali Rao

Her biggest hurdle right now? "To do extensive accuracy testing and analysis all by myself, but I'm looking to see if I can build a team of experts with the help of some incubator companies that can help and guide me," said determined Gitanjali.

India is also on her mind. While her water contamination testing device Tethys is focused on detecting lead right now, "I have a future plan to expand it to other contaminants such as Arsenic, Cadmium etc. which are major contaminants of water in India," said Gitanjali. She expects it to launch as soon as early next year.

Her message to other young innovators? "My only message is to be aware of the advancements in technology and be curious about the issues and impacts that it has on people," said Gitanjali Rao.

Gitanjali Rao

"No problem is big or small and no idea is smart or dumb. Try putting an idea on to paper and start with baby steps one at a time. Also, it is important to remember that failure is a good thing and is a important part of future success."

Wishing this young genius a lot of success in her future, and hoping she gets every chance to make drinking water safe for everyone on this planet.