Tejasvi Manoj

Tejasvi Manoj
Born2007 or 2008 (age 18–19)
California, USA
Known forComputer crime countermeasures
protecting seniors from cybercrime
Parents
  • Manoj Ganapathy (father)
  • Aishwarya Manoj (mother)
Websitewww.shieldseniors.com

Tejasvi Manoj is an American teenager, programmer and website developer. She received the TIME's Kid of the Year award in 2025 for her initiative to protect seniors from cybercrime.

Early life

Manoj was born in California and grew up in Texas to Indian-Tamils parents. She was a student at Lebanon Trail High School in Frisco.

Initiative to protect seniors from cybercrime

In 2024, Manoj and her father averted a cyber scam. Manoj's 85-year-old grandfather called them ready to wire two thousand dollars to a cybercrime operation, based on a deceitful email he received.

Manoj was inspired by the incident to develop an app designed to help seniors identify and report online scam. She subsequently launched the website Shield Seniors.

Both Manoj's parents are IT professionals that accompanied the teenager in her effort to set up the information website for the elderly.

Recognition and awards

Manoj received an honorable mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge.

In September 2025, Manoj was named TIME Kid of the Year.

References

  1. ↑ "Who is Tejasvi Manoj, the 17-year-old Indian-origin girl named TIME's 2025 Kid of the Year". CNBC TV 18. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kluger, Jeffrey (9 September 2025). "TIME's Kid of the Year Is Protecting Seniors From Cybercrime". TIME. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  3. 1 2 Hernandez, Diego (4 February 2025). "After Her Grandfather Almost Got Scammed, Local Student Creates Online Security App". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  4. ↑ Naaz, Fareha (10 September 2025). "Who is Tejasvi Manoj? Meet Indian-origin TIME's 2025 kid who made 'Shield Seniors' to guard elderly from online scams". Mint. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  5. ↑ "After Her Grandfather Almost Got Scammed, Local Student Creates Online Security App". Dallas Observer. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.