Meet Vyshnav Karun and Athul Nambiar

At CHRIST University in Bangalore, final-year students Vyshnav Karun and Athul Nambiar are focusing on purposeful education for all learners. Their project, Vidhya, aims to provide personalized learning opportunities to students across India using accessible technology.

“I’m a final-year Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) student with a specialization in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AIML). Ever since I started coding, I’ve enjoyed creating mini-applications, as they allow me to turn my ideas into interactive and playable creations,” says Vyshnav. Athul Nambiar introduces himself as a full-stack developer with experience in various programming languages and technologies: “I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science with a focus on AI and machine learning from CHRIST University,” he explains.

Vyshnav and Athul met at CHRIST University, where they discovered their shared interest in all the possibilities artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing into their field. With a little help from IBM SkillsBuild, they both connected in a hackathon to create Vidhya, an application designed to level the educational playing field for students across India, according to the students.

“The main goal of the application is to equalize educational opportunities for students across India using just a smartphone and an internet connection,” Vyshnav describes. Vidhya represents Vyshnav and Athul’s vision of an inclusive education system while offering personalization. “We aim for it to be a tool that understands and addresses the needs of each student,” Vyshnav explains. “For us, this all comes down to a single question: ‘Did Vidhya improve someone’s standard of living?’”

Taking advantage of the intuitive interface of IBM Granite, a family of open AI large language models (LLMs), Vyshnav and Athul quickly created a personalized course plan based on students’ previous interests and background information. This model helps them provide users with highly informed, accurate, and personalized responses to their study planning. In addition, by using Granite, Vyshnav and Athul have a comprehensive set of risk and harm detection capabilities and IP protection, helping them secure the learner information. “The model generated a rough course plan, which was then used to find relevant courses and content online for the student’s use,” Vyshnav explains.

They have also used Granite to a create a virtual agent for the app, focused on responding to user’s queries. Vidhya offers features like an advanced virtual assistant that provides information in students’ native languages and a mentorship system tailored to each student’s interests. Athul adds, “We’re both fans of the book ‘Ikigai’ by Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia, which is one of the core inspirations behind Vidhya. The platform also generates career roadmaps based on the Ikigai concept, guiding students on their educational journeys.

Through developing Vidhya, Vyshnav and Athul not only helped others learn but also gained hands-on experience with AI, strengthening their own skills for the future. This project serves as a stepping stone in their careers, demonstrating how AI can enhance the workforce through education. Both students recognize the importance of AI in staying ahead in the evolving tech landscape, and Vidhya was a great start.