Who is Tejasvi Manoj? Meet the 17-year-old reshaping the future of tech

When Time magazine named 17-year-old Tejasvi Manoj as their 2025 Kid of the Year, it wasn’t for getting a perfect GPA; it was for her contribution that saved her grandparents from a financial loss of $2,000. This India-born teenager living in Frisco, Texas, is the coding genius behind Shield Seniors, a website designed to help senior citizens recognise and guard against financial scams and cyber-attacks.

The idea was born out of a close call involving her grandfather, who almost wired $2,000 (approximately ₹1,76,623) to a scammer posing as a relative to settle an unspecified debt. He was minutes away from making the transfer when Manoj’s parents intervened. The near-miss is what propelled the then 16-year-old to conduct thorough research to understand just how vulnerable senior citizens are to cybercrime—and the numbers were alarming. She discovered that senior citizens remain a prime target for fraud and phishing schemes.

Motivated to take action, Manoj built her website, Shield Seniors, in a matter of just one year. The site explains how to spot red flags and provides information on how to avoid scams and cyber-attacks, and, once identified, offers the necessary links and resources to report them to law enforcement. While the website is still in its R&D stage, it has already received wide recognition and support, including an honourable mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge and a 2025 TED Talk in Plano, Texas.

For Manoj, however, the achievements are not the mission—her goal is to ensure that tech-averse generations do not fall victim to crimes that can be prevented with greater awareness and assistance. 

Now, Manoj is no stranger to the world of coding. Both of her parents have been in the IT sector, but the child prodigy began her coding journey at 8. She was an active member of the non-profit Girls Who Code, where she took summer programmes and cybersecurity classes. “I code mostly in Java and Python, and a bit of HTML. I really love the fact that you can solve problems with your computer, and I really like creating,” she said in the interview with Time. She was also involved in a joint Air Force and Space Force programme called Cyber-Patriot, which encouraged youth interest in cybersecurity and STEM disciplines. 

Tejasvi Manoj’s commitment to cyber-literacy and security is remarkable, and it reflects the way Gen Z is redefining leadership. Given her family’s own close encounter with cybercrime, creating such a valuable resource before turning 18 is no ordinary feat. Her story is a powerful reminder that age is no barrier to impact. Clearly, the next generation is already working hard on shaping a safer, more informed world.

Lead image credit: Tejasvi Manoj/LinkedIn 

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