Science Talent Award – Scholarship Program

The Chan Desaigoudar Foundation, in partnership with Deenabandhu Trust, launched the Science Talent Award Programme in the academic year 2017-18 to promote research and innovation in science. The program targets rural government high schools in the Chamarajanagara region, with an annual budget of Rs 1,50,000 for its implementation.

Participating schools are invited to submit project proposals, and 15 are selected to present their projects. Each chosen school allotted Rs 3,000 to develop their project, with funds distributed based on actual expenses. Any unused funds are used for consolation prizes. An exhibition is held to showcase the models, which are judged based on specific criteria. The judges include eminent scientists, professors and educationists. Two winners are chosen, with the first prize receiving Rs 55,000 and the second prize Rs 25,000. An award ceremony is held to distribute the prizes.

Past Years Award Winners

Award winners

The projects were evaluated based on five criteria: 1. Conceptual clarity
2. Creativity/Innovation 3.Effort and experimental skills 4. Functional aspect of the model and 5. Presentation. The details of the two winners are as below:

First Prize
Name of the School	Government High School, Heggotara
Name of the Project	Simple harvesting machine
Name of the Students	1. Rakesh. N 2. Sunil 3. Sinchana
Name of the Teacher	Nanjundaswamy. M
Description	Harvesting crops such as horse gram, groundnut, turmeric, ginger, and similar crops is labour-intensive. However, there is currently a shortage of agricultural labourers. The project’s aim was to tackle this issue by designing a simple harvesting machine. The students devised two devices. One device featured two wheels with a double blade-like apparatus attached to the front end. It includes a switch to activate the motor that rotates the blades. This device is suitable for cutting shorter crops like horse gram. Additionally, there is an option to attach a plough-like device at the rear end for harvesting underground crops such as turmeric and groundnuts. The other device consisted of a scissor-like mechanism mounted on a wheel, intended for cutting taller crops like maize. The judges expressed their opinion that the students approached their work with the dedication of scientists. They noted that the process had been thoroughly documented. The students spoke confidently during the presentation, and their sincerity was evident.
Prize money	Total: INR 55,000 To Students: INR 25,000 To Teacher: INR 10,000 To School: INR 20,000

Second Prize
Name of the School	Government High School, Yaraganahalli
Name of the Project	Novel natural method to repel mosquitoes
Name of the Students	1. Uma Maheshwari 2. Poorvitha
Name of the Teacher	Ravikumar
Description	Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases like dengue and malaria, leading to absenteeism among children from schools. Current preventive measures include chemical-based solutions like mosquito repellent incense sticks and bleaching powder, but these methods have drawbacks. The aim of the project is to create a mosquito repellent utilizing natural materials, thereby minimizing potential harmful effects often associated with chemical-based repellents. Plant-based materials such as nilgiri, neem leaves, garlic, lemon, guava leaves, mint leaves, and basil leaves were ground into a liquid and placed in a steel container. A device with a 60-watt light bulb was created to facilitate the evaporation of the liquid. The vapor emitted from the liquid acts as a deterrent to mosquitoes. The judges noted that this was a novel endeavour, and they appreciated how the students provided a detailed explanation of their experiment based on their experiences. The students’ deep involvement in the project was evident from their thorough explanations.
Prize money	Total: INR 25,000 To Students: INR 15,000 To Teacher: INR 5,000 To School: INR 5,000

S. No.	Project Title	School
1	Novel natural method to repel mosquitoes	Government High School, Yaraganahalli
2	Simple harvesting machine	Government High School, Heggotara
3	Specific pH value required for healthy growth of plants	Government High School, Megalahundi
4	Simple analysis regarding cardiac issues in young people	Karnataka Public School, Yelanduru
5	Alcoholic detection and speed limit controller	Adarsha Vidyalaya, Mudigundam, Kollegala
6	Research on ant species	Morarji Desai Residential School, R. S. Doddi, Hanuru
7	Medicinal plants	Government High School, Kesturu
8	Environmental friendly, low-cost weeder	Government High School, Kuratti Hosuru
9	Bicycle for health, Bicycle for Cleanliness	Sri. G. V. Gowda Government High School, Hanuru
10	Automatic street light	Government High School, Doddarayapete
11	Detecting objects on railway tracks	Government High School, Ellemala
12	Irrigation with help of solar energy	Government PU College (High School Section), Beguru
13	Causes of air and water pollution	Government High School, Ramapura
14	Stages in agriculture	Government High School, Sagade
15	Sustainable development is country’s development	Government High School, Doddinduvadi

Dr. K. S. Mallesh	Retd. Professor of Physics, Mysore University
Dr. Umesh G	Retd. Professor of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Karnataka
Sri. K. S. Murugesh	Retd. Science Lecturer, Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala, Mysore
Dr. Shashishekar Shivaswamy	Retd. Scientist and Head of Flight Physics, Airbus

Inspired by Kindness,
Empowering Students

Past Years Award Winners

Pre-meeting

Selection of project proposals

Exhibition

Award winners

Award ceremony

Contact us

+91-6360421077

+ 1 727 2388 0086

Inspired by Kindness, Empowering Students

Past Years Award Winners

Pre-meeting

Selection of project proposals

Exhibition

Award winners

Award ceremony

Contact us

+91-6360421077

+ 1 727 2388 0086

Inspired by Kindness,
Empowering Students