Who is Akshat Srivastava, the Indian student coder who impressed Apple CEO Tim Cook?
Akshat Srivastava with Apple CEO Tim Cook
With Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 just around the corner on Monday (June 10), Akshat Srivastava, a student app developer from Varanasi, India, is making headlines for amazing CEO Tim Cook with his winning creation, Mindbud.
Kicking off the WWDC 2024 proceedings “in the best way possible”, Cook met with distinguished student developers who won the Swift Student Challenge this year, including 22-year-old Akshat Srivastava.
“It was equally wonderful to meet Akshat this week, and see how he’s created a whole new way to share his love of classic games with the next generation,” said Cook.
“I met so many extraordinary developers when I visited India last year, and I saw so much excitement for the many ways that technology can enrich people’s lives,” Cook added.
Who is Akshat Srivastava?
Srivastava, a student at BITS Pilani K K Birla College in Goa, began his coding journey at 16, inspired by his brother. Fascinated by technology, he found coding to be a perfect match, inspired by its potential to solve real-world problems and bring imaginative ideas to life.
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In his winning submission Mindbud, he put a personal touch from his own childhood reminiscences, aiming to immerse kids in classic games and activities.
The app includes four engaging mini-games curated for kids to enjoy with family and friends, blending traditional fun with modern technology.
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The app’s mission is to nurture both analytical and creative thinking in young minds.
To build the app, Srivastava used technologies like SwiftUI, AVKit for sound, PencilKit and FileManager, which make the user experience seamless and fun.
“Akshat is part of a growing generation of developers from all across India who are bringing their best ideas to life through coding, and making an important impact in their communities and around the world,” Cook said, amazed by his “creativity and determination on full display.”
As a distinguished winner, Srivastava has earned an exclusive invitation to a three-day in-person experience at Apple Park during the WWDC 2024. The special event features tailored programming aimed at enhancing skills and fostering creativity. He will join a global community of like-minded creators, sharing ideas and drawing inspiration from one another.
“The highlight of my trip [to Apple Park in Cupertino] was presenting my project to Tim Cook, which felt like a dream come true. His genuine interest and insightful feedback were incredibly inspiring and made all my hard work feel worthwhile,” Srivastava said.
"This unforgettable experience confirmed my passion for technology and motivated me to keep pushing boundaries and making an impact,” he said while adding that he plans to get his playground submission published on the App Store shortly.
(With inputs from agencies)