Highlights:
- Tejasvi Manoj created Shield Seniors, a website to help people 60+ spot and report online scams.
- TIME praised her determination, naming her Kid of the Year 2025 and TIME for Kids Service Star.
- The platform is in private preview, awaiting fundraising to scale to a wider audience.
- Manoj, a coder since eighth grade, also gave a TEDx talk and mentors refugees online.
- She balances innovation with community service, Scouting America, violin, and volunteering at food banks.
Seventeen-year-old Tejasvi Manoj from Frisco, Texas, has been honored as Time magazine’s Kid of the Year for 2025. She earned this prestigious title for her innovative work in protecting seniors against online scams through her creation, Shield Seniors. Time highlighted her determination to safeguard older Americans, who are often targeted by cybercriminals, noting that Tejasvi’s efforts are making a meaningful difference in the lives of the 60-plus demographic.
Shield seniors: Empowering seniors against online fraud
Shield Seniors is a website and soon-to-launch mobile app designed to educate seniors about online scams. It allows users to upload suspicious emails and messages, which are then analyzed to determine if they are fraudulent. The platform provides easy links for reporting scams, aiming to build digital awareness among older adults and help them protect themselves.
Currently, the site is in private preview mode, pending further research, development, and fundraising. Despite this early stage, it is already gaining recognition. Tejasvi emphasizes the importance of family members checking in on their older relatives to ensure their online safety.
Early passion and recognition
Tejasvi’s journey into tech began when she started coding in eighth grade. She was honored with an honorable mention in the 2024 Congressional App Challenge and delivered a TEDx talk in 2025 about creating “digital bridges” to help all generations stay connected and safe online. She also volunteers regularly at local assisted living facilities, educating seniors about cyber threats.
She plans to major in computer science and minor in artificial intelligence or cybersecurity while continuing her advocacy for cyber literacy among seniors. Her work encourages seniors to become more independent and savvy in navigating digital spaces, with support from their families.
A busy life beyond shield seniors
Apart from her flagship project, Tejasvi leads a dynamic life balancing multiple interests. She is an Eagle Scout in Scouting America, a violinist in her school orchestra, and tutors Bhutanese refugees in mathematics and English through Vibha, a nonprofit focused on educational development.
She also volunteers with the North Texas Food Bank Young Advocates Council, helping address food insecurity. Tejasvi embodies a spirit of giving back, saying, “If you’re lucky yourself, you want to make sure other people feel loved and lucky too,” reflecting her passion for community service that dates back to sixth grade.
Following in the footsteps of inspiring innovators
Tejasvi’s recognition as the Kid of the Year follows in the footsteps of other young Indian origin innovators like Gitanjali Rao, the first-ever recipient named in 2020 for her remarkable work using technology to combat social issues including water contamination, opioid addiction, and cyberbullying..
Demonstrators clash with riot police personnel during a protest outside the Parliament in Kathmandu on September 8, 2025, condemning social media prohibitions and corruption by the government. Getty Images
Riot police personnel take shelter behind a security vehicle as demonstrators pelt stones during a protest outside the Parliament in Kathmandu on September 8, 2025, condemning social media prohibitions and corruption by the government. Getty Images
