My name is Naimish Shukla and I’m a student at Air Force Bal Bharati School in New Delhi. My school is located in a prime spot with the famous Lodhi Garden just across the street. I’m always down to make new friends and I live with my parents and little sister in New Delhi.

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been obsessed with the world of Lego. I loved building all sorts of things, and as I got older, I moved on to DIY projects. My first ever DIY project was a little motorboat that I made in 6th grade, and man, it was so cool watching it move in the water. After that, I was determined to make an RC-controlled airplane or drone. So, I started doing some online research and found out about clubs where people can fly their RC planes and drones. That’s when I joined my school’s aeromodelling club, and even during the COVID lockdown, we were still building planes and drones with the help of our instructor over video calls. So like, my obsession with aeromodelling has totally blown up, and now I’m like the boss of the Innovation Club at my school where we’re all about pushing the boundaries and coming up with the next big thing. Crazy, right? But wait, it gets even wilder – I scored this internship gig with IIT Mandi, all thanks to my aeromodelling skills, specifically on Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) stuff.

In 7th grade, I made this working model that turned sound viberations into electricity using these cool piezoelectric plates, for the school science exhibition. That’s when I got hooked on the whole sustainable energy vibe and over the summer of 9th grade, I did a small research on nuclear energy experiments at ITER. And, I took a trip to Govardhan Eco Village to soak up some knowledge on sustainable development goals. Now, in 11th grade, I landed this awesome internship gig with EV2 ventures during the summer, wherein I delved into the economics of all segments of Electric Vehicles.

In 10th grade, I took a course on Arduino from John Hopkins University and loved it. I made an intelligent number based lock and a temperature and humidity sensor with a fan speed regulator. One of the many projects that had Arduino in it was a project that I did at IIT Kanpur, In which I made a phone cover that would sense the battery temperature and regulate the charging input.

My tinkering hobby led me to fix electrical gadgets like coolers and bikes at home.I have built a hybrid e-bike on my own. I analyzed various components to prepare an affordable, convenient kit for converting a simple bicycle to an e-bicycle. The failures of my initial pursuits do not demotivate me. While building rockets as a hobby, I failed multiple times, but that did not deter me from trying more and more with some improvement every time. My perseverance to build is my strength. Whether it’s horse  riding, card aiming, shooting, yoyo, tinkering, building planes, playing guitar, or constructing rockets, I find joy in the pursuit of diverse interests. My curiosity and passion for acquiring knowledge in various areas drives me forward. 

Physics and  Maths are my jam! I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to understanding the forces of the universe – from tiny atoms to giant galaxies. It’s the most incredible thing ever and I can’t get enough of it. I wish I could have been around when the steam engine was invented, that would have been so cool!

I have been an active member of the Aeromodelling Club, Popular Mechanics Club, A core member of my innovation club, and the Atal Tinkering Lab of my school. I have managed and conducted the science fair this year in my school with the guidance of my teachers. I have been instrumental in scrutinizing the ideas submitted by students.I have participated in the Model United Nations(MUN) conducted by ALTIOR Delhi.

Nature is my happy place, horses galloping in fields, kites soaring in the sky, it’s all just so magical. But when I see stray dogs, it breaks my heart. I do my best to help them out. The countryside is my favorite place to be, the cool breeze and the green landscape with rivers flowing is just so peaceful. It’s important for us to take care of our planet, otherwise, it’ll all be gone. I hope to use my tinkering skills to create sustainable energy solutions that will benefit the world.

I’ve got the basic certification in scuba diving and I’ve even taken some surfing classes. I have been taking formal lessons on guitar for the past 4 years.  I have completed Grade 3 from Trinity College, London, and aim to complete Grade 4 in the next three months. I am an active member of my school band. 

Boxing is my favorite sport, it’s a great workout and it helps me build grit, confidence, focus, and patience. It’s helped me through all the tinkering projects I’ve worked on and my studies.

One day, I hope to create an engineering marvel that will change the world for the better!