Balod tech fest tests students’ interest in innovative ideas in the fields of science, engineering, start-ups

By A Representative

A techno fest scheduled on December 20 and 21 in Balod district of Chhattisgarh will test the innovative ideas of school students in the fields of science, engineering and start-ups.

For this two-day fest organised at Maheswari Bhawan of the district, a total of 824 models made by students were initially registered. Out of those, a selection committee chose 200 models from several schools spread over five blocks of Balod. These will be on display on these two days from 10am to 4.30pm.

Out of many ideas, one of the most interesting models is a smart glove which can be used by children with impairments and disabilities. For those who cannot speak at all or have speech difficulty, they can ask for help from caregivers by pressing their fingers on the glove after wearing it. This will attract attention.

The techno fest being organised in Balod has a huge significance. The district has the highest number of Atal Tinkering labs in the state. There are 38 such labs spread across many schools. Funded by the Government of India, these labs are part of the Atal Innovation Mission. The objective is to develop curiosity, creativity, and imagination in students.

Pankaj Kumar Soni is the nodal officer in charge of the Atal Tinkering labs in Balod. By profession, he is a physics school teacher. “The NITI Aayog is helping develop these labs to inculcate and enhance the spirit of curiosity among students at the national level. These labs have tools, robotic kits, sensors and so on. After the registration opened, both government and private schools registered for participating in the three categories: the first is for classes 6 to 8, second is for classes 9 and 10 and in the third category, there are classes 11 and 12.”

All the models are complete and ready for display at the event to be visited and reviewed by district collector Indrajeet Singh Chandrawal and others.

Student Adeeb Qureshi is in Class 12 and is participating in the fest. “Mr Soni, who is the nodal officer of the labs, told us about the techno fest and we were encouraged to make models to represent our school. I am participating with my friend Anish Kumar Patel.”

The duo has developed an eight-legged spider robotics inspired from nature. “We focused on the real spider, and how it works and adapts to situations. The model can be used in rescue operations during natural calamities. It is made for toxic environments like factories where humans cannot be present,” the duo explained.

The model has been made using 3D printer and tools from the Atal Tinkering lab of the school. The school is called the Swami Atmanand English Medium School of Excellence. Jayrin Khan is an English teacher here and teaches classes 9 to 12. “The models are ready for display and the students have put in a lot of effort. Three models have been selected from the school.”

Jayrin’s colleague Swapnil Sinha teaches physics at the school. He guided the students in making the models. Another model is on a 3D hologram for three dimensional display. The third model is on a hydrogen generator.

Aanchal Pundir, who is from non-profit Pi Jam Foundation, is the organisation’s state lead in Chhattisgarh. She informed that the fest is a collaboration between Pi Jam, Unicef Chhattisgarh and Samagra Chhattisgarh, the state education department. Pi Jam works with students and helps in building skills for competition and in STEM education.

“The Chhattisgarh Tinkerathon organised two months back (September 28 and 29) was a success. The district collector is interested in promoting STEM education is schools,” she said.

Manish Anand is also from Pi Jam Foundation which is giving technical support to the fest. As a teacher trainer, he has looked at various models. One model is on how the cattle can automatically save themselves if a fire breaks out in a village. This is innovative as during a fire, people run helter-skelter trying to save themselves first and forget domesticated animals.

Comments

US-China truce temporary, larger trade war between two economies to continue

By Prabir Purkayastha The Trump-Xi meeting in Busan, South Korea on 30 October 2025 may have brought about a temporary relief in the US-China trade war. But unless we see the fine print of the agreement, it is difficult to assess whether this is a temporary truce or the beginning of a real rapprochement between the two nations. The jury is still out on that one and we will wait for a better understanding of what has really been achieved in Busan.

When growth shrinks people: Capitalism and the biological decline of the U.S. population

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* Critically acclaimed Hungarian-American economic historian and distinguished scholar of economic anthropometric history, Prof. John Komlos (Professor Emeritus, University of Munich), who pioneered the study of the history of human height and weight, has published an article titled “The Decline in the Physical Stature of the U.S. Population Parallels the Diminution in the Rate of Increase in Life Expectancy” on October 31, 2025, in the forthcoming issue of Social Science & Medicine (SSM) – Population Health, Volume 32, December 2025. The findings of the article present a damning critique of the barbaric nature of capitalism and its detrimental impact on human health, highlighting that the average height of Americans began to decline during the era of free-market capitalism. The study draws on an analysis of 17 surveys from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (...

Mergers and privatisation: The Finance Minister’s misguided banking agenda

By Thomas Franco The Finance Minister has once again revived talk of merging two or three large public sector banks to make them globally competitive. Reports also suggest that the government is considering appointing Managing Directors in public sector banks from the private sector. Both moves would strike at the heart of India’s public banking system . Privatisation undermines the constitutional vision of social and economic justice, and such steps could lead to irreversible damage.

Shrinking settlements, fading schools: The Tibetan exile crisis in India

By Tseten Lhundup* Since the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, the Tibetan exile community in Dharamsala has established the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) as the guardian of Tibetan culture and identity. Once admired for its democratic governance , educational system , and religious vitality , the exile community now faces an alarming demographic and institutional decline.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Rajiv Shah Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Sardar Patel was on Nathuram Godse's hit list: Noted Marathi writer Sadanand More

Sadanand More (right) By A Representative In a surprise revelation, well-known Gujarati journalist Hari Desai has claimed that Nathuram Godse did not just kill Mahatma Gandhi, but also intended to kill Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Citing a voluminous book authored by Sadanand More, “Lokmanya to Mahatma”, Volume II, translated from Marathi into English last year, Desai says, nowadays, there is a lot of talk about conspiracy to kill Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, but little is known about how the Sardar was also targeted.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Behind Sarojini Nagar’s glamour: The Hidden lives of its daily wage workers

By Samra Iqbal* In Delhi’s bustling Sarojini Nagar market, what you buy and how much you pay rarely affects the person selling it to you. “Maalik kabhi baitha hi nahi hai” (“the owner never sits”), said Bilal, a daily wage worker who has spent years behind one of the hundreds of stalls that line the market’s narrow lanes.

Search This Blog