Desk Report:
Tejaswi Manoj, a 17-year-old Indian-American girl, has been named Time’s ‘Kid of the Year 2025’ for her initiative to protect seniors from online fraud. She was inspired by her 85-year-old grandfather’s experience of falling victim to fraudsters.
Tejaswi said that while returning home with her father from Scouting America camp last year, she noticed several missed calls from her grandfather. Later, it was learned that a scammer had sent an email to her grandfather, posing as a distant relative, asking for $2,000. Fortunately, Tejaswi’s father intervened before the money was sent. Seeing this incident, Tejaswi realized how easily seniors can fall victim to online fraud. And this realization motivated her to take this initiative.
Shield Seniors to protect seniors online
Tejaswi Manoj has created a website called Shield Seniors to protect seniors from online fraud. This website helps adults aged 60 and above identify, analyze and report online fraud. It is currently operational on a limited scale. Through it, users can upload suspicious messages they receive for examination. Then, they are scanned with artificial intelligence (AI) and verified as fraudulent. After verification, if the fraud is confirmed, the information is sent directly to law enforcement agencies like the FBI, AARP and SEC.
Tejaswi’s website has four sections—
Learn: It has simple guidelines on online security. This includes ways to keep passwords secure, privacy settings and fraud detection techniques.
Ask: There is a chatbot for cybersecurity-related questions, which gives simple and concise answers.
Analyze: It has an AI-powered system that analyzes suspicious messages to explain their potential risks.
Report: It allows you to report complaints directly to regulatory agencies and law enforcement agencies.
Tejaswi’s Shield Seniors is currently powered by a free AI engine. Tejaswi is working to raise funds to convert it into a commercial AI platform. Through this, he wants to reach more people with Shield Seniors. He also wants to organize workshops for seniors on it.
Tejaswi wants seniors to be able to navigate the online world safely and independently, and at the same time, family members can be aware of protecting their elderly relatives from fraud.
Time magazine praised Tejaswi’s efforts and said that seniors undoubtedly need online protection. Tejaswi is determined to ensure that.
In addition to being named Kid of the Year, Tejaswi is also the first person to receive the Time for Kids Service Star award. This award is given to teenagers who have made a positive impact on society.
Tejaswi Manoj developed an interest in coding while in eighth grade. He won an Honorable Mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. He spoke at TEDx in 2025, where he presented the idea of creating a ‘digital bridge’. He discussed how to make technology safe for all generations.
Along with his studies, Tejaswi is also active in various co-curricular activities. He is a member of Scouting America, having achieved the Eagle Scout rank. He plays the violin in the school orchestra, teaches math and English to Bhutanese refugees, and volunteers with the North Texas Food Bank Young Advocates Council.
