At 12, Rishi Shiv Prasanna has an IQ of 180, a score higher than Albert Einstein’s estimated IQ of 160. He is also one of the youngest members of Mensa International, a high-IQ society that admits people who score in the top 2% on an approved intelligence test.
A Google-certified Android developer, author of eight books and winner of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, Rishi has already achieved what many adults only dream of. But his ambitions go beyond coding and books.
Speaking at India Today Conclave Mumbai 2026 during the session ‘Einstein 2.0? – Meet The Young Genius Who Thinks Beyond His Years’, he shared his views on artificial intelligence (AI), the importance of curiosity and his dream of making the planet cleaner.
HIS IQ IS 180, AND QUESTIONS DRIVE HIM
Rishi said he was always asking questions as a child, even when he received answers. “Even if someone answered that question, I would always have two or three follow-up questions,” he said.
That curiosity, he explained, opened doors to developing apps and writing books.
His first book, Learn Vitamins with Harry Potter, came from a school writing competition when he was in Class 1. Having read the Harry Potter books several times, he wanted his classmates to enjoy a story while learning something.
His latest series, Titanium Time Travelers, explores time travel and different periods.
Despite his achievements, Rishi said he makes time for academics, coding, writing and sports. He believes school remains important not just for learning but also for socialising, making friends and learning alongside others.
AI MAY TAKE JOBS, BUT IT CAN ALSO HELP
Asked whether AI could take over the world, Rishi said he did not believe it would happen independently, although people with harmful intentions could programme it to do dangerous things.
He believes AI could replace some jobs while helping others, particularly in education and healthcare.
“We can like make personalised learning programmes, personalised diagnosis,” he said, adding that documentation and clerical work could also be handled by AI.
His advice to children using phones and tablets was to focus on how they use them. “It’s what you do with that that matters,” he said, arguing that research and entertainment both have a place if children maintain a balance.
HIS DREAM INVENTION: CLEAN AIR FROM CAR SMOKE
Rishi wants to develop a device that could be placed near a car’s exhaust pipe and convert smoke into clean air. He has tried developing a prototype on paper but acknowledged that the idea has not progressed beyond that stage.
He also wants to ask vaccine pioneer Edward Jenner whether science could help remove human traits such as greed, selfishness and ego.
“Because that would make the world a better place,” he said.
For Rishi, intelligence is not limited to academic achievements. Pointing to friends who excel in chess, dance, swimming and recognising emotions, he said, “There’s not only one type of intelligence.”
“Everyone’s unique in their own way,” he added, arguing that children should be allowed to pursue their passions.
And when asked what he hopes to achieve in five or six years?
He said, “I hope to be the same person, just with a few more inventions and ideas to his name.”
– Ends