Over 2,500 Students Participated from 20 States
PUNE: Winners of the 2023 Brillio National STEM Challenge were announced in Pune on September 9, 2023. The competition, organized by Brillio, a leading digital transformation services and solutions provider, in collaboration with STEM Learning, a social enterprise focused on driving STEM education among school children, saw participation from more than 2,500 students from 20 states across India.
The National STEM Challenge is a year-long, one-of-its-kind national competition that provides a unique STEM learning platform to underserved students of government and government-aided schools across India as part of Brillio’s ongoing focus on skills development. The competition is designed to foster curiosity, innovation, and design thinking skills among students from grades 6 through 10, regardless of their background.
In the run-up to the finale, more than 2,500 students were trained in new-age technologies by volunteers from Brillio and STEM Learning. These students competed in over 70 clusters, zonal, and state-level rounds. The top 50 teams comprising more than 100 students from 13 states – Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Assam, Delhi, UP, Haryana, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, MP, Telangana, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu – made it to the national finale.
The finale marked the culmination of year-long STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) activities, including science and mathematics model competitions, technology quizzes, and engineering tinkering. The finale was attended by more than 130 students and 40 teachers from 20 schools across 13 states.
The contestants were judged and the winners were felicitated by eminent personalities from the worlds of science, education, and technology. They 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 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Pravin Chordia, Scientist at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Dr. Parag Kalkar, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Mr. Anil Rao Paila, Pro Vice Chancellor, Vijaybhoomi University, and Dr. Jitendra Sangwai, Professor, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras.
Anant Vishwanath Patki, former Deputy Director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), congratulated the winners, stating: “It’s inspiring to witness the outstanding achievements of these young minds. Their ingenious solutions showcase the potential of STEM education in India.“
Launched by Brillio and STEM Learning in 2019, the National STEM Challenge encompasses year-long activities, culminating with a national competition, where students tackle on-the-spot challenges, showcasing their problem-solving abilities within a limited timeframe. Outstanding projects are recognized in various categories. The competition aims to ignite a passion for STEM fields among young minds, providing dynamic learning experiences, nurturing critical skills, exposing students to STEM careers, and inspiring further education and innovation in these fields.
Brillio and STEM Learning have set up science labs and provided science kits for experiments and model-making in the schools that participated in the competition. The engagement activities over the year consist of weekly interaction sessions, where STEM ambassadors share their passion for STEM subjects, give practical tips and ideas, and demonstrate their value to make a difference. Experts from a vast range of STEM-related disciplines and careers are invited to these sessions. This year’s speakers included Prof. Abhishek Mani, Director, Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Simmi Anderson, STEM Ambassador, UK, Abha Dogra, Chief Information Officer at Schneider Electric, and Dr. Anupama Kulkarni, senior scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
In addition, more than 100 Brillio volunteers engaged with the participants weekly through online sessions on tech-related news, stories, and quizzes, while guiding students to build STEM models. The students also made science models such as laser security alarms, vacuum cleaners, and hydraulic bridges using Brillio Science DIY kits. The challenge has led to improved school attendance, active classroom and co-curricular participation, enhanced learning outcomes, digital literacy, and conceptual clarity in grade-specific subjects.
Brillio is one of the fastest-growing digital technology service providers and the partner of choice for many Fortune 1000 companies seeking to turn disruption into a competitive advantage through innovative digital adoption. With 17 locations across the U.S., the UK, Romania, Canada, Mexico, and India, Brillio’s growing global workforce of nearly 6,000 Brilliant applies its expertise in customer experience solutions, data analytics and AI, digital infrastructure and security, and platform and product engineering to help clients quickly innovate for growth, create digital products, build service platforms, and drive smarter, data-driven performance.
Winners:
National Science Model Making Awards:
1st: Pratik Narhari Jagdhane (Smt. S. D. Ganage Prashala Triveni Nagar, Pune) and Ashrivada Apppuni Patil, GMHPS Navage, Pune
2nd: Narayan Manjrekar (Malgaon English School, Mumbai) and Rudra Gurav (Kalsuli English School, Mumbai)
National Tinkering and Engineering Awards:
1st: Tanishq Sachin Chavan (Navonmesh Vidyamandir, Chakan) and Ganesh Babu Kamathe (Punarutthan Samarsata Gurukulam, Pune)
2nd: Amrutha (Rani Sarala Devi High School, Bangalore) and Chetan D (Rani Sarala Devi High School, Bangalore)
National Math & Tech Quiz Awards
1st: Kanishk Tandel (Gurukul English Medium School, Walkhad, Mumbai) and Hardika Patil (S.E Rave, Mumbai )
2nd: Manohar Mukund (Navonmesh Vidyamandir, Chakan, Pune) and Anup Mahadev Waghire
National STEM Master Maker 2023 Award
1st: Narayan Manjrekar (Malgaon English School, Mumbai)
2nd: Tanishk Chavan (Navonmesh Vidyamandir, Chakan, Pune)
The following teachers were awarded
- C Padmavathi, GHS Konnappa Agrahara, Bangalore (Karnataka)
- Mr. Ananta Sarkar, Jyangra Adarsha Vidyalaya, Kolkata (West Bengal)
- Md. Yasin Ansari, Netaji Hindi Vidyapeeth, Bongaingaon (Assam)
- Mr. Rameet Singh, Om Foundation School, Delhi
- Anil Kumar Panika, Government Middle School, Kanai (Madhya Pradesh)
