Siddarth Nandyala recalls his first STEM kit when he was seven. “I was hooked instantly,” says the 14-year-old Indian-American, who built an AI app detecting heart disease in moments. “Turning nothing into something ignited a curiosity that’s never faded,” he told indianexpress.com. Siddarth recently shared his tech vision, which was praised by Andhra Pradesh leaders N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan.
Born in Hyderabad, he moved to the US when he was young. “Indian values like perseverance and respect for learning shape me, while America’s bold innovation pushes me to dream big,” says Siddarth, founder of STEM IT and Circadian AI. He’s earned kudos from ex-US presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. STEM IT arose from his frustration with shallow tech education. “It gives kids real tools to explore and grasp systems,” he explains.
His second venture, Circadian AI, emerged after seeing its impact in underserved areas, spotting heart issues in unaware patients. “That split-second change in someone’s life showed me we’re crafting hope, not just code,” he says. The app uses heart sounds for early detection—place a phone on the chest’s 5th intercostal space, record, and analyze for a health report.
Tested at Guntur Government General Hospital, it screened 505 patients (10 with CVDs) and 863 (16 with CVDs), later confirmed by ECG and cardiologists. At Vijayawada’s GGH, 992 were checked, flagging 19 cases. Development took seven months—collecting heart samples, training AI, building the app, and validating in hospitals. Siddarth notes it’s for clinical use only, not public release.
His dad, Mahesh, saw Siddarth’s spark early. “He’d dismantle gadgets to understand them—we gave him tools and freedom,” he says. On AI ethics, Siddarth stresses data quality and transparency. “A model’s only as good as its training—who it includes, how clear it is to users,” he cautions.
He sees AI diagnostics getting personal and widespread, especially in underserved regions. “We’re adding lung analysis to Circadian AI for fuller screenings,” he says. He’d blend mixed reality and AI tutors for STEM education, letting kids dive into simulations with tailored guidance. “It could redefine science learning,” he believes.
To Siddarth, innovation fuels progress. “Every small idea can ripple globally—the tools are yours, just start,” he urges. Beyond tech, he golfs to unwind and plays chess to sharpen strategy, inspired by India’s late scientist-president A P J Abdul Kalam.