10/02/2025
The NIST Science Talent Search 2024, an annual national-level competition organized by NIST Incubation Foundation (NIST Incubator) in collaboration with Protonix Global Foundation, successfully concluded after months of rigorous evaluation. The competition, which began on August 15, 2024, aimed to foster a scientific mindset among school students by encouraging them to develop solutions for local challenges based on the United Nations Development Programme ( ) Sustainable Development Goals ( ). Participating teams, consisting of students and a teacher, pitched innovative ideas addressing real-world issues in their communities. The final evaluation took place on February 7-8, 2025, featuring science-based proposals from 11 states, reviewed by a distinguished panel comprising Dr. Saroj Kumar Patel and Dr. Anil Kumar Singh from NIT Rourkela, Dr. Devi Shankar Suman from the Zoological Survey of India, and Dr. Rameshwar Prasad Saha from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. To facilitate the practical implementation of these innovative ideas, the winning teams were awarded financial assistance, with ₹1,00,000 for first place, ₹50,000 for second place, and ₹25,000 for third place. The award distribution ceremony was graced by Dr. Debapriya Dutta (Chief Guest, Former Advisor, DST), DrSukant K. Mohapatra (Founder & President, NIST University), Dr. Priyadarsan Patra (Vice Chancellor), and Dr. Bishnukar Nayak (Registrar I/C).
The first prize was secured by Ayushman Sahu, Adarsh Kumar Panda, and Vishnu Charan Swain (Teacher) from DAV Kalinga Nagar, Bhubaneswar for their project on a low-cost electric bicycle that assists with daily commuting while promoting health protection. The second prize was awarded to Surya Kant Lenka, Somesh Mishra, and Tanmaya Kumar Nayak (Teacher) from DAV Unit-8, Bhubaneswar for their project on an advanced and easily accessible device designed to enhance the learning speed of visually impaired individuals. The third prize went to Siddharth Reddy, K. Prajeet Bardhan, Dushyant Reddy, and Kishore Kumar P. (Teacher) from DPS Miyapur, Telangana, for their project proposing various measures to mitigate urban air pollution and improve the quality of life. The projects were widely appreciated for their innovation, uniqueness, and clarity, reflecting the young participants' potential in scientific problem-solving and their commitment to making a positive impact on society.