An App That Walks You Through Delhi’s History — Built by 4 Noida Teens

In a world where history often feels buried under skyscrapers and smartphones, a group of teenagers from Noida are using tech to bring the past back to life. Meet the minds behind WaPas—a mobile app developed by four Class 12 students that helps users rediscover Delhi’s forgotten historical gems.

The Inspiration: A Forgotten Past

It started with a school project and a shared love for storytelling. While exploring Delhi’s famous landmarks, the students—Aarav Jain, Meher Gulati, Rohan Bhagat, and Anika Sharma—noticed something strange: while places like India Gate and Qutub Minar were well-known, many other equally fascinating sites lay completely ignored.

“People walk past monuments every day without knowing the stories behind them,” says Aarav. “We wanted to change that.”

The Idea: History at Your Fingertips

The team decided to build WaPas (short for “Walk Past Stories”), a mobile app that blends historical accuracy with modern usability. The idea was simple yet powerful: make Delhi’s vast, diverse heritage accessible and interesting through curated, bite-sized stories linked to actual locations.

The app features:

  • GPS-enabled guides to lesser-known sites

  • Short articles, images, and audio clips about each monument

  • Custom walking trails based on theme or time

  • Historical timelines and fun trivia to engage young users

“History shouldn’t feel like a textbook,” says Meher. “We built WaPas like something we’d actually use—visual, interactive, and fun.”

Built During Boards Prep

What’s more impressive is when they built it—right in the middle of their board exam prep. Using weekends and post-study hours, the team taught themselves app development using Flutter, researched Delhi’s history from books and archives, and even conducted field visits to validate their information.

Their biggest challenge? “Balancing it all,” says Anika. “Between school, tuitions, and coding bugs at 1 a.m., it was a learning curve.”

Impact and Recognition

WaPas launched its beta version on Android earlier this year and has already crossed 2,000+ downloads, mostly among students, local explorers, and history buffs. Heritage walkers and educators are also taking note.

The team recently presented WaPas at a national-level innovation showcase for young technologists and received mentorship offers from a Delhi-based heritage conservation NGO.

A Bigger Vision

Now, the students plan to expand WaPas beyond Delhi. “Every city in India has stories waiting to be told,” says Rohan. “We want to build a platform that brings all of it together—from forts in Rajasthan to ruins in Bengal.”

They also want to partner with schools to integrate location-based history learning, helping students explore their own cities beyond the classroom.

Reconnecting Youth With Their Roots

WaPas isn’t just an app—it’s a reminder. A reminder that history is all around us. That technology, when paired with curiosity and purpose, can bridge generations. And that sometimes, the future of the past lies in the hands of teenagers.

As the students prepare for college and bigger dreams, their journey is already making an impact—one monument, one story, one download at a time.