About Us
Pushpendre Rastogi (Co-Founder)
Pushpendre Rastogi has experience in data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, deep learning, statistics, and compilers. His work has spanned several areas, including Gemini distillation for scalable deployment, Gemini diffusion modeling, and the development of vision-language models under 500MB with novel loss functions for activation quantization and model compression. He has also worked on running vision models on Qualcomm AR1 hardware. Rastogi completed his PhD focusing on the use of variational autoencoders (VAEs) for natural language processing and has worked on ad optimization at Amazon. His research contributions have been recognized with a best paper award at an ACL Workshop on conversational agents.
Priya James (Co-Founder)
Priya James is the Founder and Director of the Brain and Body Autism Center (BBAC), where she leads a multidisciplinary approach to early intervention and lifelong support for neurodivergent individuals. A licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and ASD Clinical Specialist, Priya has over two decades of experience working with clients across the lifespan—from toddlers as young as two to adults in their nineties. She co-authored comprehensive intervention manuals for children with developmental delays, established the Speech-Language Pathology Department at Amrita Hospital in Kochi, and has worked in diverse settings including preschools, elementary, middle & high schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and even the Juvenile Justice System. In addition to her clinical work, Priya has also conceptualizing and designing technology platforms for special education. Her broad expertise and innovative approach continue to shape impactful, multidisciplinary interventions for neurodivergent individuals and their families.
Bharat Saiju (Founding Engineer)
Bharat is a fourth-year Computer Science student at UC Santa Barbara, specializing in web engineering and Human-Computer Interaction. Passionate about accessibility and inclusive design, he is dedicated to creating digital experiences that are intuitive, responsive, and usable for people of all abilities. In the past, he has developed administrative software for clinical use to improve workflow efficiency of independent clinics. Currently he is conducting research at the intersection of accessibility, interface design, and user experience. Skilled in React, Spring Boot, and Next.js, Bharat builds full-stack applications that balance engineering precision with design creativity. Outside of his academic and professional work, he enjoys exploring science fiction media and relaxing with a good cup of tea.
Shambhavi Navranjan Kumar (Founding Engineer)
Shambhavi Navranjan Kumar is a product-minded technologist and front-end developer with a strong foundation in both engineering and business. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Engineering Management at San José State University, where she integrates technical expertise with strategic decision-making to build impactful, user-centered products. With a passion for product innovation, design thinking, and emerging technologies such as AI and assistive solutions, she thrives at the intersection of technology, creativity, and human experience. Shambhavi enjoys transforming complex ideas into seamless digital experiences and driving solutions that bridge the gap between people and technology.
The Origin of TejuTalks
TejuTalks was born out of a deeply personal and professional journey at the Brain and Body Autism Center (BBAC) is a micro-school and therapy center focused on empowering neurodivergent children through a multidisciplinary, movement-based model.
At the heart of it was a bright 4.5-year-old girl joyful, observant, and full of potential who had made steady progress across all developmental areas except expressive language. She understood everything, but when it came to communicating her thoughts, needs, or feelings, she struggled. Traditional AAC tools were tried but the pages were too many, the navigation too complex. Her motor planning difficulties turned every attempt at communication into a frustrating task. Despite knowing what she wanted to say, she couldn't express it easily.
That heartbreaking gap between what she knew and what she could express sparked a question: In a world of ChatGPT and advanced AI, why is communication still so hard for our kids?
So, we decided to build something new. An AI-powered AAC app that listens, understands, and offers meaningful, real-time language options with just one tap. No endless page-turning. No scripting. Just accessible expression, grounded in understanding.
We named it TejuTalks, after our little "Ladybug" the child who inspired it all.
Today, TejuTalks is used in real therapy sessions and group learning at BBAC. It's helping non-speaking and minimally verbal children show us what they know — often far beyond what we assumed. From revealing pain to answering classroom questions, it's giving children a voice that adapts to their comprehension level, not their motor ability.
TejuTalks isn't just an app. It's a bridge between knowing and expressing — powered by AI, driven by empathy, and rooted in the lived experiences of children like Teju.