The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

A 13-year-old inventor blends science and history to create tornado detectors, eco-friendly batteries, and wound management solutions

- By SURUCHI KAPUR GOMES

At six, standing on tiptoes behind a podium at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Anirudh Rao explained how he planned to “control wind.”

The idea, he told the amused audience, came from Lord Krishna swallowing a hurricane. He then launched into the science behind it, talking about sensors, dust alerts, and wind patterns. The audience quickly turned attentive.

Thirteen now, the Indian-origin Colorado boy hasn’t stopped surprising adults since. With four inventions (one in patent stage, three in prototype), the young scientist has developed Mirai, an eco-friendly alternative battery that provides affordable electricity in areas without reliable access to power. The invention has made him a Top 10 finalist at the 3M Discovery Education Young Scientist Challenge 2025. “Mirai means future in Japanese,” he explains. “I would like to implement it in India and test-run it once it is patented. It uses specially treated nanomaterials and water to produce voltage, usable in power sensors.”

Anirudh’s real passion lies at the intersection of science and history: ancient architecture, civilisations, and the timeless logic woven into old solutions.

“I love helping others. If the answer does not come, I keep at it,” he says.