Age is just a number. In a generation where kids dream of playing video games, watching cartoons and travelling the world, a school-going kid wouldn’t even comprehend what Artificial Intelligence is unless he’s explained. Who would even wonder that a boy at the young age of 14 can be cognisant of not just Artificial Intelligence but HTML, Python Programming and Machine Learning! He’s Siddharth Srivastav Pilli, Asia’s youngest data scientist.
He is an ordinary kid we come across in everyday life. Coming from a family where both parents happen to be software employees, Siddharth studied earlier in Guntur, Canada, and is now in Sri Chaitanya techno school in Hyderabad, where he has been awarded Whizzkid by Dr BS Rao (Founder of Sri Chaitanya institutions) and many more prestigious awards.
Siddharth’s journey started from video games; it might seem odd as parents nowadays are really worried about children being stuck to the screens without intervals. “When he [Siddharth] was in the fourth standard, just like any other kid, he used to play games on his mobile and laptop. Suddenly, one day, he got curious about video games and asked me a surprising question – ‘How are these games made?’,” said Siddharth’s father Rajkumar Pilli.
Rajkumar patiently explained how games are developed by using programming languages. This sparked curiosity in Siddharth’s young mind. That’s when he told his father, “Dad, I am ready to learn programming languages.”
Since then, his father has been a crucial part of his life in learning programming and understanding complex techniques along his way. Rajkumar showed him how games are created, and how coding and programming logic are significant in the functioning of video games. He also got Siddharth books on the basics of programming and C language along with a laptop for programming.
When it came to doubts, his father indulged him in the habit of self-learning through Google. “Within one year he completed the C language course. He tried to write some small programmes and explain the logic behind the programmes. He wanted to make a game on his own, which drove him to learn the language quickly,” said Rajkumar. Siddharth added:
“After learning the basics, I moved on to acquire the knowledge of machine learning such as SciPy and others. I took paid courses, downloaded a few materials from several websites to quickly master Python and machine learning skills.”
With persistence in his learning, Siddharth mastered C programming, Java and then SQL, HTML, CSS, etc. Today, he knows six different programming languages.
Later, Siddharth advanced to learning trending technologies – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science when he was in Class 6. His father also tried to enrol him in a coaching institute, but he was not allowed, citing his age as an issue. “Initially, when we used to go for demos in coaching institutes, teachers used to think that I am the one coming for the classes. When I told them it was for my son, they rejected us. They said that they couldn’t let him join because of his age and that the courses would be difficult for him,” said Rajkumar.
Despite constant rejections, his father didn’t step down. He ensured that Siddharth got access to knowledge through online courses.
“Once his courses were completed and he had gained good command over Data Science and AI, he asked me if he could apply for jobs. I told him no and said that he would need some graduate degree to apply to first, and even there, his age would be an issue. But the boy insisted on trying for jobs and began his search on various job portals. I even prepared a resume for him,” said Rajkumar.
With an adequate skill set, Siddharth decided to aim higher by applying for a job. Getting a job as a full-time data scientist that asks for not only relevant knowledge of the field but also experience definitely wasn’t a task as simple as writing ABC for him. He had to come through the prejudices of people regarding age.
A family friend who works at a company, who was impressed with Siddharth’s skills, asked Siddharth to apply for an opening in Data Science at his company. His application was rejected by HR, but his resume still managed to catch the eyes of the CEO. He was later called for an interview and got selected.
“When the CEO of this company saw my profile, he was impressed with my skills and wanted to meet me,” Siddharth said. During the interview, he was asked about several machine learning modules. He was also asked to demonstrate his competence through his data science projects. Siddharth is currently working as a data scientist at Infinity Learn. He is a full-time employee who is balancing his education well with his job under special permission for attending school three days a week and working on the remaining three days.
Recently, Siddharth developed a machine learning Covid-19 dashboard to identify Covid-19 cases worldwide. The main goal behind this project was to focus on the impact of Covid-19 in India. He is also working with IIT-Bombay and IIT-Hyderabad on a few prestigious AI/ML projects and he has been selected to work for an AI/ML internship at Andhra University.
In a time when teenagers dream of travelling around the world, Siddharth is a true inspiration for every person in the country to aspire for big dreams. He proved that age is not a criterion when it comes to defining intelligence. He has also proven that harmonising work with leisure isn’t a complex endeavour.
As a youngster with dreams to conquer uncharted boundaries for his age, Siddharth is an inspiration to every child in the world. He has shown that it isn’t hard to succeed if we have the courage and enough perseverance with a little guidance. His journey is an example for every father that with enough nourishment and grooming, their child is capable of doing wonders at a very young age. His family represents the development of India with growing technology by teaching their child at a very young age.
The father-son duo signifies the precious bond of a parent and their love towards his son and their future. When asked about his father, Siddharth said, “The person who helped me a lot to get a job at a young age is my dad, who used to show me different biographies and teach me coding. Everything I am today is because of him.”
Siddharth Srivastav Pilli is a personification of the idea that greater tasks need young solutions for a significant answer.