Siddarth Nandyala, a 14-year-old Indian-American, is gaining praise for creating a mobile app that can detect heart diseases in just seconds using artificial intelligence (AI).
Born in Hyderabad and now living in the United States, Siddarth says he was only seven years old when he received his first STEM kit. That was the moment he fell in love with science and technology. “The idea of creating something out of nothing completely fascinated me — it sparked a curiosity that has not left since,” he told indianexpress.com during a recent interview.
Siddarth spoke about his passion for innovation, how Indian and American values shaped him, and how he wants to use technology to improve lives.
“The Indian values of persistence, humility, and respect for education have guided my mindset, while my exposure to the American spirit of innovation has taught me to think boldly and act fearlessly. Together, they have created a foundation that drives both my ambition and empathy,” he said.
These values helped him start two companies — STEM IT and Circadian AI — at such a young age. He has even received letters of appreciation from former US presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama. Leaders in India, including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, also congratulated him.
Siddarth’s first venture, STEM IT, came from his frustration with traditional school learning. He said that normal textbooks only teach theory but do not explain how things work in the real world. So, he created STEM IT to give students hands-on experience with tools and projects, helping them better understand technology.
His second project, Circadian AI, is even more special because it helps save lives. This AI-powered app can detect heart problems by simply listening to heart sounds.
To use the app, a person just has to place a smartphone on the chest area and press “analyse”. The app listens to the heart sounds and gives a report within seconds.
Siddarth tested this tool in hospitals in Andhra Pradesh. In Guntur Government General Hospital, two studies were done. In the first, 505 patients were checked, and 10 were found to have heart disease. In the second, 863 people were tested, and 16 had heart problems.
All the positive cases were later confirmed by doctors using ECG and echo tests. A similar test in Vijayawada screened 992 people and found 19 with heart issues.
It took Siddarth seven months to develop Circadian AI. He spent that time collecting heart sound data, training the AI, building the app interface, and testing it in hospitals to make sure it was accurate. However, he made it clear that the app is not for public use but is meant only for hospitals and clinical settings.
Siddarth’s father, Mahesh Nandyala, said they noticed his son’s talent early on. “We knew Siddarth was different when he started taking apart gadgets not to break them but to figure out how they worked. We encouraged his curiosity by giving him tools, resources, and, most importantly, freedom,” he said.
When asked about advice for young innovators, Siddarth said that ethics are very important, especially in AI and health care.
He believes that in the future, AI-based medical tools will become more personalized and available even in rural areas where healthcare is limited. Siddarth is already working on adding more features to Circadian AI to detect lung diseases. He wants to create a complete health screening tool that can help patients within seconds.
If he could add one futuristic technology to education, Siddarth said he would choose mixed reality with AI tutors. This would allow students to explore real-world systems in virtual environments and get personalised feedback, making science and engineering more interesting.
Outside of technology, Siddarth enjoys playing golf and chess, which he says helps him think clearly and improve his decision-making. He is deeply inspired by India’s former President and scientist, the late Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.
