Class 12, ₹2 lakh salary for dad: Meet Kerala’s teenage AI entrepreneur

Salary twist

At just 16 and still in Class 12, Raul John Aju is already running an AI startup — and the unusual power dynamic does not end there. He has reportedly hired his own father and pays him ₹2 lakh a month.

Robot roots

Raul’s AI journey did not begin with a startup or a boardroom. At nine, he began teaching himself AI; by 12, he had built MeBot for a school science project. That early experiment would soon become something much bigger.

Father hired

Most teenagers turn to their parents for advice. Raul turned the arrangement around. His father Aju Joseph, with experience at Amazon, Adobe, Wipro and IBM, now works for his son — giving the teenager access to experience no AI tool can simply teach.

Global reach

Raul’s work has moved well beyond his classroom in Kerala. His startup and ThinkCraft Academy have reportedly reached nearly five lakh learners worldwide, while his AI projects now span education, practical tools and technology-focused initiatives.

UN spotlight

A Class 12 student speaking at a United Nations-linked session is unusual enough. Raul did exactly that at the 2026 India AI Impact Summit, where he addressed AI and children’s safety and interacted with senior UN figures.

Human lesson

For all the AI tools, startup milestones and global appearances, Raul’s most striking idea may be less about technology. He argues that young people should embrace AI without losing creativity, empathy, curiosity and individuality — and knows when to keep learning.