The Telegraph Online Edugraph 18 under 18 Awards 2024: Last Date for Nominations Extended!

As the saying goes, ‘Necessity is the mother of all invention’, and every new invention is a result of innovative ideas and breakthroughs. This innovative brilliance is not only found among the top scientists or researchers of the world, but also in its nascent forms in youngsters around us.

In the last two years, we at The Telegraph Online Edugraph have identified several young minds with exceptional innovative ideas through out 18 under 18 Awards initiative. These minds, still undergoing their secondary and higher secondary education, have unleashed their innovative prowess and contributed in making the lives of their fellow citizens beautiful.

In 2022, we had Ananda Bhaduri from Sarala Birla Gyan Jyoti, Guwahati, a Sophie Fellow, with a host of national and international mathematics prizes and accolades under his belt. The 16-year-old mathematician loves the discipline, especially proof-based mathematics and geometry, and speaks clearly when he speaks about the problems he’s solved and his achievements.

Besides preparing for the Indian National Mathematics Olympiad and the International Mathematics Olympiad, during the pandemic, he has also appeared for the 16th and 17th Sharygin Geometry Olympiads (Russia), where he won distinctions. In 2019-2020, Ananda was one of the top 30 students selected for the International Mathematical Olympiad training through the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad organised by the Homi Bhaba Centre for Science Education - TIFR.

We also had Avigyan Kishore Das from Hooghly Collegiate School, who started his journey of becoming a tech innovator at a tender age and has more than one invention which is getting patented.

Avigyan achievements in science have been featured in NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and he was awarded first prize at the 6th India International Science Festival 2020, organised by the ministries of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences. Sony BBC Earth’s Young Earth Champions contest also saw him bag the Mega Winner tag for inventing a device that can curb industrial and automobile pollution, bringing both down to absolute zero.

In 2023, we introduced you to Arnav Sinha from Motilal Nehru Public School, Jamshedpur, who with his innovative, sensor-based sanitiser dispenser helped to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The touch-free dispenser also has a built-in timer, to ensure that the person using the sanitiser does so properly and for the required amount of time.

Arnav won first place in the state-level IRC School League Robotics Competition in 2018 and went on to participate in the Nationals in Delhi. Has also won various other accolades including a sponsored field trip to ISRO Ahmedabad, district-level INSPIRE Awards, 'Innovate for Change-2022' Inter-School Competition organised by his school, among others.

We also had Prajya Biswas, Scientist and Innovator from Narayana School, Durgapur who has already made a place for herself in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2022. The 14-year-old has already achieved heights by making it to the Top 100 Influential Indians List and top 50 Inspiring Women of 2022 list in India.

Her smart car innovation is able to detect the percentage of alcohol from a driver’s breath and prevent the engine from starting, in case it is above the limit. This is a revolutionary innovation when it comes to curbing accidents caused by drunk drivers. Not only has Prajya won over 100 awards from various departments of the Government of India, she has also been awarded first prize in the 7th India International Science Festival for the science fiction writing competition.

Do these stories of resilience and passion sound familiar? Do you think you or someone you know would be a right fit for the prestigious 18 under 18 Awards?

Well, then here's the best opportunity!

Nominate now for Eastern India's 18 Under 18 Awards 2024 at http://bit.ly/18under18awards nominations.