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

Modi’s Israel visit strengthened Pakistan’s hand in US–Iran truce: Ex-Indian diplomat

By Jag Jivan M. K. Bhadrakumar , a career diplomat with three decades of service in postings across the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, and Turkey, has warned that the current truce in the US–Iran war is “fragile and ridden with contradictions.” Writing in his blog India Punchline , Bhadrakumar argues that while Pakistan has emerged as a surprising broker of dialogue, the durability of the ceasefire remains uncertain.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Beneath the stone: Revisiting the New Jersey mandir controversy

By Rajiv Shah A recent report published in the British media outlet The Guardian , titled “Workers carved the largest modern Hindu temple in the west. Now, some have incurable lung disease,” took me back to my visits to the New Jersey mandir —first in 2022, when it was still under construction, though parts of it were open to visitors, and again in 2024, after its completion.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Ecologist Dr. S. Faizi urges UN intervention to save 35 million Gulf migrants

By A Representative Renowned ecologist and veteran United Nations negotiator Dr. S. Faizi has issued an urgent appeal to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, calling for immediate diplomatic intervention to halt escalating conflict in the Persian Gulf. In a formal letter copied to several UN missions, Faizi warned that the lives and livelihoods of 35 million migrant workers—who comprise the vast majority of the population in many Gulf cities—are facing an unprecedented existential crisis.

Search This Blog