Sai Tarekar
From a total beginner with zero research or coding experience to an IEEE conference acceptance in environmental science -- as a 9th grader at one of India's top boarding schools.
Where Sai Started
His Background
- • 9th grader at Woodstock School, Mussoorie (IB boarding school)
- • Passionate about environmental science and rivers
- • Competitive chess player for 8 years
- • Zero research experience
- • Zero coding experience (self-rated 1/5)
- • Never worked with a mentor or on a science fair
His Goals
- • Perform experimental research with real-world impact
- • Publish in a major journal or conference
- • Explore how humans affect rivers and how treatment methods can be improved
- • Build a competitive edge for college admissions
- • Learn advanced research skills
“I am interested in environmental research which focuses on the health of flowing rivers. I seek to explore how humans are affecting rivers and how can the current treatment methods be bettered for a greater impact.”
-- Sai, during his YRI onboarding
The Research
Automated Hybrid In-Situ River Remediation System (AHIRRS)
Working with his YRI mentor, Sai developed a novel framework for cleaning the Yamuna River -- one of India's most polluted waterways. The 22km Wazirabad-Okhla stretch in Delhi-NCR receives approximately 3,491 million liters of sewage daily, with a treatment gap of 900 million liters per day.
Sai's AHIRRS framework proposes compact, decentralized treatment units placed directly in the river at pollution hotspots. The system uses machine learning to analyze water quality data and optimize treatment in real-time -- a fundamentally different approach from the centralized sewage treatment plants that have failed to keep up with Delhi's pollution output.
Accepted at 4th International Conference on Sustainable Computing and Smart Systems
IEEE ICSCSS 2026
July 22-24, 2026
Conceptual Evaluation of the AHIRRS Framework
Water Quality, ML, AHIRRS, Yamuna River
9th grader, zero research experience, zero coding, never worked with a mentor. Total beginner.
IEEE conference acceptance, novel environmental remediation framework, ML-based water quality analysis, peer-reviewed research paper.
What Made It Possible
Genuine Passion
Sai didn't pick a trendy topic. He genuinely cared about river pollution and wanted to find solutions. That authentic interest drove him through the hard parts of research.
1-on-1 PhD Mentorship
Despite being a complete beginner with no coding experience, his YRI mentor guided him from topic selection through methodology, data analysis, and paper writing.
Real-World Problem
The Yamuna River crisis is one of India's most urgent environmental challenges. Sai's research addresses a real problem affecting millions of people.
Structured Timeline
The 10-week YRI program gave Sai a clear roadmap from exploration to publication, keeping him on track alongside his boarding school commitments.
Ready to Start Your Research Journey?
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