Dubai - He was only nine years old when he developed his first mobile application.
Published: Sun 16 Dec 2018, 10:01 PM
What began as a hobby to beat boredom for this Dubai-based 13-year-old has now become a life-long pursuit to be the next big thing in technology.
Aadithyan Rajesh, a student of Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira, was only nine years old when he developed his first mobile application.
Since then, Aadithyan has begun uploading mobile apps on Aptoide, an alternative marketplace for Android mobile applications. He has also been designing logos and websites for clients, and finally, at the age of 13, has launched his own 'company' - Trinet Solutions.
Speaking to Khaleej Times a year into the launch of his website design and software development company, the Kerala native said he started using a computer when he turned five.
"I was born in Thiruvilla, Kerala, and my family moved here when I was five. The first website my dad showed me was BBC Typing, a website for kids where young students can learn typing," he said.
Aadithyan said his interest in technology and computers was developed primarily because his family used to live in a neighbourhood where he did not have too many friends. "I was six years old and would spend a lot of time on YouTube reading cartoons and playing spelling bee games. I began to become fascinated with computers and technology."
After playing games online for a while, Aadithyan decided he wanted to begin developing mobile applications himself.
"I developed an app called 'Ashirwad browser', a web browser similar to Google Chrome but with the lesser customisation. I was 9 when I developed the app, and I used Android Studio," he explained. However, since the Google Play store requires a base fee of USD 25 to upload an app, Ashirwad never went live.
"Instead, I started uploading on the Aptoide marketplace," he said.
After this point, there was no turning back for Aadithyan. "I began learning everything I could about software, app development and hardware as well. I became increasingly interested in cybersecurity, too.
On December 17, 2017, I started Trinet Solutions. I wanted to be good in design, and later perform coding and provide this service to people free of cost," said the Grade 7 student.
Trinet has a total of three employees, who are his friends and other Grade 11 and 12 students from Aadithyan's school. "We're not an LLC," he said. "I need to be over the age of 18 to actually become an established company owner. However, we function like a company. We have worked with over 12 clients, and have given them our design and coding services entirely for free," he said.
Eventually, the young IT prodigy would like to make his company a multinational one and start developing apps on the iOS platform.
"We can register the company only when he turns 18, but he runs it like his company now. He helps his classmates, teachers, and all the school projects are done entirely free of cost. We are not involved in his activities at all. This is all him," said Aadithyan's father Rajesh Nair.
Aadithyan is currently busy with a class management app for his teachers. "It is something that my teachers can use. The main mission is to reduce teachers' daily work by developing pop-up notification for tests, upcoming classes, noting down marks, etc," the whiz kid said.
The youngster is also an avid YouTuber and vlogs on his channel 'A Craze'. "Through the vlog, I teach others whatever knowledge I have and I spread it to my friends. I am working on Android app development courses on my YouTube channel."
"My parents and sister Aaradhya have been really supportive. My sister is six, and she shoots all the videos for my YouTube channel," he said.
The IT whiz works mostly during the weekends. "In the morning, I go to school, then I head back home and rest for a while. After which, I learn Math, and then spend time on company work and on the YouTube channel."
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
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