Bhargav Sri Prakash

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Bhargav Sri Prakash
2015MedX-OralIgniteTalk.jpg
Born
Bhargav Sri Prakash

Chennai, India[1]
NationalityIndian
Alma materUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor
College of Engineering, Guindy
OccupationEntrepreneur
Engineer
Investment Management
Tennis player
Board member ofFriendsLearn, Inc
Nirmana Investments
Shilpa Architects
RelativesSheila Sri Prakash (mother)

Bhargav Sri Prakash is an Indian American entrepreneur[2] known for pioneering advances in life science research and innovation in global health.[3][4][5] He is the inventor of Digital Vaccine technology for prevention of non-commmunicable and infectious diseases.[6][7][8]

He is an engineer[9][10][11] based in silicon valley.[12]

Sri Prakash has worked in gamification.[13] He is the founder and CEO of FriendsLearn,[14] and is the Chief of Product for Fooya,[9] which is a mobile app designed to improve health.[15][16][17]

He is a former professional tennis player[18] and junior national champion from India.[19][20]

Early life[edit]

File:Bhargav Sri Prakash Former Indian Junior Tennis Champion.jpg
Bhargav Sri Prakash Former Indian Junior Tennis Champion (1991, Sportstar: published by The Hindu), Chennai, India)
File:RamanathanKrishnanAward.jpg
A photo of 13 year old Bhargav Sri Prakash being felicitated by Ramanathan Krishnan for winning the National Junior tennis championship

Bhargav Sri Prakash was born in Chennai, India.[1] He is the son of architect, urban designer and artist Sheila Sri Prakash and M. V. Sri Prakash.[21] He was the top ranked junior tennis player in the nation in the early 1990s.[19] He also played in international tournaments representing India and had a career best International Tennis Federation world ranking of 761.[18] He enrolled in the Birla Institute of Technology and Science but dropped out in his first semester and returned to Chennai because "the tennis courts on campus at BITS were tarred and the net appeared to be a hammock",[22] as he described in an interview. He gained an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy[23] and went on to attend graduate school on a research fellowship at the University of Michigan[24] in Ann Arbor, where he graduated with a master's degree in Automotive Engineering.[25][26]

Career[edit]

File:Digital Vaccines by Sri Prakash - Lecture at Stanford School of Medicine.png
Inventor of Digital Vaccines gives a lecture during the 2017 Stanford MedicineX at Stanford School of Medicine, a leading academic conference for breakthroughs of technology in medicine
Bhargav Sri Prakash gives the Opening Keynote Session & Panel on Future of Healthcare & Technology - 2020 NASSCOM Technology Leadership Forum

He started his first company, CADcorporation, when he was enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Michigan to commercialise his graduate research in math-based simulations for design optimisation of automotive powertrain systems.[27] After selling CADcorporation, he founded Vmerse in 2005, which was the first to market[28][29] with a gamified 3D virtual reality simulation platform for college recruiting and alumni relations.[30] He sold Vmerse in 2009. In 2008 he started an investment fund and asset management company – Nirmana Investments – and served as a managing director.[31]

Based on his experience with Vmerse, he was appointed an entrepreneur fellow of the Kauffman Foundation in 2011, to address education and health issues, which is when he founded FriendsLearn.[32]

Awards and honors[edit]

Year Name Awarding organization References
2020 Digital Disruptor NASSCOM [33][34]
2019 Top breakthrough in technology Carnegie Mellon University - Year in Review [35]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Pride of Chennai – A list of people that make Chennai proud". Itz Chennai. January 2012. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  2. Dr Deepti Gupta (June 2016). "Escalation of Entrepreneurship in Assorted Segments in Indian Market" (PDF). International Refereed Journal of Reviews and Research. ISSN 2348-2001.
  3. Josephine Tolin (14 January 2020). "Engineering Alum Promotes Childhood Health Education through Digital Vaccines". University of Michigan.
  4. Scott Barsotti (December 2018). "Can Kids Game their Way to Better Health?". Carnegie Mellon University.
  5. ANI News (31 July 2020). "Indian health-tech pioneer develops the world's first digital vaccine candidate for COVID-19". Times Now.
  6. Katie Barry (4 December 2020). "Digital Vaccines for COVID-19 and Beyond". Brown University Alpert Medical School.
  7. Correspondent (13 January 2018). "Fooya! founder in patent war over digital vaccine with US pharma giant". The Economic Times.
  8. Nikhila Natarajan (21 January 2018). "Indian start-up resists Boston firm's bid to trademark digital vaccines". Yahoo! News.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Jude Sannith (3 March 2017). "Fooya: A Game For Healthy Food Habits". CNBC.
  10. Udhav Naig (3 March 2013). "Play and Learn". The Hindu.
  11. "An app to help children choose healthy food". The Hindu Business Line. 28 December 2016.
  12. Cromwell Schubarth (31 May 2013). "FriendsLearn Shows Food Fights can be Educational". Silicon Valley American City Business Journals.
  13. Alex Linda (22 March 2013). "Fooya the crowdfunded game from India to teach healthy eating". Gamification.co.
  14. Victor Rivero (6 February 2012). "You and Your FriendsLearn". EdTech Digest.
  15. Stanford School of Medicine (March 2017). "Research and evidence backed approach of innovation towards implementing a digital vaccine for reducing risk of lifestyle disease". Stanford MedicineX: Abstract list of peer reviewed presentations.
  16. Stanford School of Medicine (September 2015). "Neuropsychology based behavior design through mobile health gaming". Stanford MedicineX: Abstract list of peer reviewed presentations.
  17. Dr. Jennette P. Moreno, Dr. Craig A. Johnston, et al; Department of Pediatrics & Nutrition, Baylor College of Medicine Children's Nutrition Research Center/USDA (2 November 2014). "A Nutrition Education Mobile Game Impacts Snack Selection in Middle School Students" (PDF). The Obesity Society. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. 18.0 18.1 "Sri Prakash, Bhargav (Player Profile)". International Tennis Federation. 1992.
  19. 19.0 19.1 "Top Male Tennis Players of India". Times of India.
  20. "Tennis in India and a list of Champions through History". This is My India. December 2018.
  21. "Shilpa Architects – Leadership Team". Shilpa Architects.
  22. "A Journey for Health". Dina Thanthi. 28 August 2013.
  23. Naig, Udhav (12 March 2013). "Play and learn" – via www.thehindu.com.
  24. "Fooya". University of Michigan Ann Arbor. 19 February 2013.
  25. UM CFE (13 August 2015). "Learn to become comfortable with the uncomfortable". University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship.
  26. "Michigan Entrepreneurs Design Innovative Facebook Game". The Michigan Daily. 19 February 2013.
  27. "From Idea to IPO in 14 Weeks". University of Michigan Business School, Dividend. Fall 2000.
  28. UM Office of Undergraduate Admissions (29 August 2008). "Vmerse". University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  29. Ted Spencer (10 March 2008). "Vmerse". University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  30. "Center for Educational Outreach Conference Agenda". Center for Educational Outreach at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  31. Sushila Ravindranath (20 March 2017). "Healthy lifestyle choices: Fooya helps change kids' behaviour towards food in a fun way". Financial Express.
  32. "Kauffman Foundation Education Ventures Fellows".
  33. Lakshmipriya Nair (5 September 2020). "Our Digital Vaccines Build Resistance to COVID-19 causing Hygiene related Behaviors". Express Healthcare.
  34. "Bhargav Sri Prakash in conversation with Suresh Venkat". NASSCOM Technology Leadership Forum. 22 February 2020.
  35. Correspondent (31 July 2020). "Indian health-tech pioneer develops the world's first digital vaccine candidate for COVID-19". Times Now.

External links[edit]

  • [1] – Official web site of FriendsLearn Inc
  • [2] – Official web site of Nirmana Investments