13-year-old Faguni endeavours to fight India’s obesity problem

India ranks 3^rd on the Global Obesity Index according to news reports. At grade 8, Faguni Kumar has attained the clarity to contribute to the nation through her technological expertise. By developing a health app for adults during the Covid-19 pandemic, she is determined to promote fitness across the nation since she noticed people around her putting on calories owing to stress and lack of activity.  

Participating in the national-levelATL Tinkerpreneur Competition this year, a first nine-week long boot camp which is focused on digital skills and entrepreneurship for students, organised by NITI Aayog and the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), Faguni was selected among the most consistent students to present her scientific ideas. She then created an app called Health and wellbeing, with a tagline – Everyone can be healthy! In an interview, the student shares her inspiration to formulate it. Edited excerpts:

What motivated you to create the app?

As the nation-wide lockdown was declared last year, the idea struck me to create something that keeps people healthy and fit. I wanted to help the society by promoting health and fitness among individuals.

How does the app help people?

The app allows them to count their daily calories according to their food intake, calculates their BMI and gives them information about how to burn excess calories through different physical activities. It also recommends to users their ideal calorie intake per day and further suggestions facts, precautions and information regarding daily foods.  

How was it created?

This was made with the help of Python coding that I have learnt, and it was followed by know-how of digital skills such as digital animation, creation of a QR code, website and catalogue development, along with business skills and accounting reports.

Where can the app be accessed?

At present, it is a web-based app which can be accessed through a QR code on my web site at this url: https://sites.google.com/view/www-healthandwellbeing-com/home. I am developing it further and it will soon be published on Google Play and Apple.

How has the school helped you in your tech-driven endeavours?

I have been associated with ATL for some time as my school has an ATL Tinkering Lab. We have about four classes in a month and our teachers guide us with these ideas and innovations. They provide us with accurate information to put our thoughts into practice, and eventually launch them.

What would you like to become in future?

I want to be an engineer because I am very fond of innovation and new technologies.

What are your hobbies?

I like to keep myself busy gathering more knowledge about science. I make apps in my free time, and I have made an app called Health and well-being, an intelligent home and a low-cost automatic hand sanitizer dispenser.   

Do your parents inspire you for these innovations?

Yes, very much and they are very supportive of my endeavours. My parents are doctors but I would like to become an engineer because technology drives me.

What’s the next thing you would be creating?

For my next project, I would make a gaming-based app called ‘The Berry Game,’ it has about 5 levels currently. I will develop it further.

For anyone wanting to develop an app from scratch, what’s your advice?

I would say that they can begin by learning some digital skills such as coding, QR code building, 3D animation, website etc., through Google or YouTube. They can also visit and download many apps to see what features stand out and learn from it.