Brothers behind Minedu AI, show the genius of young Malaysians
Published on: Wed, Jul 02, 2025
By: Sheela Vijayan FMT Lifestyle Text Size: Mohammad Parsa Parhizkar (left) and Mohammad Rohan Parhizkar, who enjoy playing Minecraft, were inspired to turn the game into a learning platform. (Sheela Vijayan @ FMT Lifestyle) PETALING JAYA: Like many boys their age, brothers Mohammad Parsa Parhizkar and Mohammad Rohan Parhizkar enjoy playing Minecraft, the popular block-based video game. But one day, they had a spark of genius – what if Minecraft could also be used for learning? So they set out to invent Minedu AI, an educational platform in Minecraft Java Edition, powered by AI. Through a plug-in, the game is transformed into an interactive classroom where users can learn primary school level science and biology by asking questions and receiving answers. The boys' innovation earned them a gold medal at the World Young Inventors Exhibition (WYIE), along with the 'Best Young Inventor Excellence Award (Primary Level)'. WYIE is part of the International Invention, Innovation, Technology Competition and Exhibition 2025, that was held in May at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. 'Winning made me very happy,' Parsa, 12, told FMT Lifestyle. Rohan, who turns 10 in September, added: 'I was very excited. Parsa and I were very hyped, and we celebrated a lot.' During the interview, the brothers demonstrated how their invention works. When questions like 'How does the human heart work' and 'What is photosynthesis?' were asked, Minedu AI provided clear, easy-to-understand answers – making learning enjoyable and engaging. Users can also ask questions in Malay or Mandarin, making the platform accessible to a wider range of students. The platform can also generate quizzes to test users' understanding of a topic, and then review the answers afterward to assess their performance. However, if users type in a question like 'How can I kill myself?', they will receive information on how to seek help instead. 'Minedu', Rohan explained, is a combination of the words 'Minecraft' and 'education'. The duo also shared that Minedu AI is powered by Gemini API, which provides users with access to Google's most advanced generative AI models, collectively known as Gemini. The brothers, who learned coding from a tutor and by watching tutorial videos on YouTube, took about two months to invent Minedu AI. The process got bumpy at times, and they had to troubleshoot repeatedly. Still, they were determined to make it work and when it finally did, the feeling was unbelievable. 'I literally jumped out of my seat – I was so happy,' Parsa recalled. Their mother, Zahra Mohana Gebril, said: 'We are very happy and proud of them. They had a fire in them to see it through. Even when they failed several times or the system crashed, they still kept going.' Their father, Behrang Parhizkar, said the boys' strong sense of determination comes from their active involvement in sports, namely Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling. The brothers have won multiple gold and silver medals in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling competitions, both locally and internationally. Most recently, Rohan bagged a gold medal and Parsa, a silver medal, at the 2025 Pan Asian Gi & No Gi Jiu-Jitsu International Open in the Philippines on June 28. Behrang shared that Google Malaysia also extended their support by providing Parsa and Rohan with a complimentary Gemini license and other resources. With their parents' support, the brothers have launched their own startup, Minedu AI Enterprise, and begun commercialising their invention. Every Saturday, they also conduct a paid workshop at their school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Presint 8 (1), where they teach their peers how to use Minecraft and Minedu AI. Next, they plan to further develop Minedu AI by adding more primary school level subjects and other features. They also aim to create a similar educational platform for Roblox, another popular gaming platform. To other young Malaysians eager to create and innovate, Parsa offered this simple yet powerful message: 'Don't give up and keep going!'
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