Baramulla: Shahida Bano Class 8th student of Government Boys Middle Schools Sheeri of education Zone Fathegarh in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was among the top 60 students who were conferred awards in the 8th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition-2021 (NLEPC) of the INSPIRE Awards – MANAK featuring student innovations from all over India.
Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh conferred awards to the top 60 students in the award function of 8th NLEPC-2021 for INSPIRE-MANAK.
Shahida Bano was among one eleven students of J&K who were selected in SLEPC to showcase their innovative projects at the National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC) under Innovation in Science Pursuits for Research for Inspired Research Awards (INSPIRE Awards-2019-20) a Million Minds Augmenting National Aspiration and Knowledge (MANAK) program.
Brides Shahida who developed a vehicle key with finger-print sensor lock to prevent minors from driving of bikes and vehicles and curb car theft another 10th class students Mehvish Reyaz of government high school, Akhran Kulgam in Anathnag district who innovated lid opener of bottles in laboratories also begged the award.
Shahida feels elated to be part of five days online 8th NLEPC-2021 for Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research’ (INSPIRE) scheme which one of the flagship programmes of Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India.
“I am highly thankful to Chief Education Officer Baramulla,(Principal DIET SoporeVice Principal DIET Sopore, District Nodal Officer (DNO) DIET Sopore Dr. Parvaiz Maqbool Lone, Sajad Akbar (In charge ICT), ZEO Fathegrah Ghulam Ahmad Pinto for their love and support,” said Shahida after signing off the virtual award ceremony of 8th NLEPC-2021.
The INSPIRE Awards – MANAK (MillionMinds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge), being executed by DST with National Innovation Foundation – India (NIF), an autonomous body of DST, aims to motivate students in studying in classes 6 to 10.
The objective of the scheme is to target one million original ideas/innovations rooted in science and societal applications to foster a culture of creativity and innovative thinking among school children
She expressed gratitude to her guide teacher Reyaz Ahmad Ganai, Headmaster BMS Sheeri Hafeeza Bano, staff, Head of Department of Electronics Engineering, Institute of Technology and Director of the Institute of Technology, University of Kashmir (KU), and NIF for the guidance and mentoring.
Innovation Fellow Sahreen Shakeel of National Innovation Foundation India (NIF) informed that the aim of INSPIRE award MANAK is to foster a culture of creative and innovative ideas among students to address the problems of the society through Science and Technology. We have to create scientific temperament among students by getting new and creative ideas from them.
“One thousand students are finally selected to showcase their innovative projects at the National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC. Finally top Sixty (60) innovative projects are incubated (patent filing, value addition in technology and product development etc.) by NIF and displayed at annual Festival of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (FINE),” said he added.

Reader correspondent