Teenager Jay Mirchandaney Transforms His Passion into Purpose. From Lockdown Project to Published Author Today, Emirates Reporter Tracks Jay Mirchandaney’s Journey

Jay Mirchandaney, a 16-year-old Grade 11 Indian student at the American Community School of Abu Dhabi, is a young author and blogger who turned curiosity into impact. Starting a daily facts blog during the COVID-19 pandemic, he published over 1,250 entries before compiling 365 of his favorites into his book Matter of Facts – A Collection of 365 Fun Facts. Driven by creativity and purpose, Jay has pledged all his author proceeds to UNICEF, aiming to inspire students across the UAE to explore ideas and give back to society.

Jay responded to Emirates Reporter’s questions from his home and here is the full interview with this promising young talent.

E.R- You started your journey during the COVID-19 lockdown. What kept you consistent in sharing a fact every single day for three years?

Jay Mirchandaney– What started as a way to stay productive during lockdown quickly became a habit. I treated it like a personal commitment, something small but meaningful I could complete every day. Over time, the consistency became motivating in itself, and I enjoyed the process of discovering new information and sharing it with others. The response I got from family and friends to each fact I would post also pushed me to keep going.

E.R-Out of the 1,250+ facts you discovered, how did you decide which 365 made it into your book Matter of Facts?

Jay Mirchandaney– I focused on facts that were either especially surprising, widely relatable, or sparked curiosity. I wanted the book to feel engaging for a broad audience, so I selected facts that were easy to understand but still interesting enough to make people think.

CONTD..

E.R- At just 16, you independently went from blogging to publishing a book—what were the biggest challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Jay Mirchandaney– One of the biggest challenges was turning a large collection of short, informal blog posts into something structured and polished enough for a book. Editing, organizing, and refining the content took a lot of time. I overcame this by breaking the process down into smaller steps and staying consistent, just like I did with the blog.

E.R- Your decision to donate 100% of your proceeds to UNICEF is remarkable—what inspired this commitment to social impact at such a young age?

Jay Mirchandaney– I want the project to have an impact beyond just sharing knowledge. Since the book is built on learning and curiosity, it felt meaningful to connect it to a cause that supports children’s well-being and education. I believe that donating the proceeds is a way to make the project contribute to something larger.

E.R- How has this journey changed the way you see learning, especially compared to traditional classroom education?

Jay Mirchandaney– This experience showed me that learning can be self-driven and enjoyable when it’s based on curiosity rather than obligation. In a classroom, learning is often structured around specific goals, but this project allowed me to explore a wide range of topics freely. It made me appreciate how powerful independent learning can be.

E.R- What kind of response have you received from readers, especially students your age or younger?

Jay Mirchandaney– The response has been very positive, especially from younger readers. A lot of people have told me that the facts make great conversation starters, which I really like because it means the book is helping people connect and share ideas. Others have said it’s something they can easily pick up when they’re bored, since the format is simple. It’s encouraging to see that something simple can spark curiosity in others.

E.R- If you could give one piece of advice to students in the UAE who want to start something creative but don’t know where to begin, what would it be?

Jay Mirchandaney– Start small and stay consistent. You don’t need a perfect plan or a big idea at the beginning, what matters is building momentum. Even a simple daily habit can grow into something bigger and more interesting over time

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