Winners Announced at the 2023 Brillio National STEM Challenge in Pune
Varad Bhatkhande
Pune, 9th September 2023: The 2023 Brillio National STEM Challenge culminated in a grand finale in Pune, where this year’s champions were revealed. This event marked the third successful edition of the national STEM competition, jointly orchestrated by Brillio, a well-known provider of digital transformation services, and STEM Learning, a social enterprise committed to promoting STEM education among students.
The event marked the culmination of a year-long journey in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). More than 2,500 students from 20 states across India participated in this unique initiative. The program was designed to provide a platform for underserved students in government and government-aided schools, promoting curiosity, innovation, and design thinking skills among students from grades 6 through 10.
In the lead-up to the grand finale, these emerging scientists and engineers underwent training in cutting-edge technologies, generously provided by volunteers from Brillio and STEM Learning. The competition featured an extensive series of over 70 clusters, zonal, and state-level rounds, ultimately culminating in the selection of the top 50 teams, consisting of more than 100 students, representing 13 different states.
The grand finale, attended by an impressive gathering of over 130 students and 40 educators representing 20 schools across 13 states, provided a platform for these young talents to shine as they demonstrated their skills in a wide range of STEM activities. These activities encompassed competitions involving science and mathematics models, technology quizzes, and engineering tinkering.
Distinguished figures from the domains of science, education, and technology graced the event as judges and had the honour of bestowing awards upon the accomplished winners. These respected individuals included Mr Anant Vishwanath Patki, former Deputy Director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); Mr M. C. Uttam, former Deputy Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at ISRO; Mr Pravin Chordia, Scientist at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA); Dr Parag Kalkar, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University; Mr Anil Rao Paila, Pro Vice Chancellor of Vijaybhoomi University; Dr Jitendra Sangwai, Professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras; and Ms Anupama Ramachandra, Fulbright Scholar and Principal of Delhi Public School, Electronic City, Bangalore.
Anant Vishwanath Patki, former Deputy Director of ISRO, expressed his congratulations to the winners and emphasized the importance of offering STEM opportunities to underprivileged youth, citing their limitless potential to drive critical thinking and problem-solving.
Dr Parag Kalkar, Pro-Vice Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University, highlighted the significance of nurturing underprivileged youth’s potential, contributing fresh perspectives and ideas to the STEM fields, and boosting India’s competitiveness on the international stage.
Sandeep Rane, Global Head of Delivery at Brillio, praised the innovative solutions crafted by the students, underlining the importance of bridging the digital divide and providing opportunities for all young people to thrive in the technology-driven future.
Ashutosh Pandit, Founder of STEM Learning, celebrated the successful completion of the third edition of the National STEM Challenge, which aims to address challenges in government schools and equip students with sought-after STEM skills.
Suchitra K, a student at Government High School, Konappana Agrahara, Karnataka, shared her excitement about participating in the National STEM Challenge and how it broadened her horizons and ignited a lifelong passion for innovation and learning.
Winners:
The following awards were presented:
National Science Model Making Awards: 1st Place: Pratik Narhari Jagdhane (Smt. S. D. Ganage Prashala Triveni Nagar, Pune) and Ashrivada Apppuni Patil, GMHPS Navage, Pune 2nd Place: Narayan Manjrekar (Malgaon English School, Mumbai) and Rudra Gaurav (Kalsuli English School, Mumbai)
National Tinkering and Engineering Awards: 1st Place: Tanishq Sachin Chavan (Navonmesh Vidyamandir, Chakan) and Ganesh Babu Kamathe (Punarutthan Samarsata Gurukulam, Pune) 2nd Place: Amrutha (Rani Sarala Devi High School, Bangalore) and Chetan D (Rani Sarala Devi High School, Bangalore)
National Math & Tech Quiz Awards: 1st Place: Kanishk Tandel (Gurukul English Medium School, Walkhad, Mumbai) and Hardika Patil (S.E Rave, Mumbai) 2nd Place: Manohar Mukund (Navonmesh Vidyamandir, Chakan, Pune) and Anup Mahadev Waghire
National STEM Master Maker 2023 Award: 1st Place: Narayan Manjrekar (Malgaon English School, Mumbai) 2nd Place: Tanishk Chavan (Navonmesh Vidyamandir, Chakan, Pune)
Additionally, several teachers were recognized for their contributions:
– C Padmavathi, GHS Konnappa Agrahara, Bangalore (Karnataka)
– Mr. Ananta Sarkar, Jyangra Adarsha Vidyalaya, Kolkata (West Bengal)
– Md. Yasin Ansari, Netaji Hindi Vidyapeeth, Bongaigaon (Assam)
– Mr Rameet Singh, Om Foundation School, Delhi
– Anil Kumar Panika, Government Middle School, Kanai (Madhya Pradesh)
