Nagaland Student Shines in National Science Contest
Four inventive students from Nagaland showcased brilliant creations at a national science fair in New Delhi, with one project winning a top award.
Imagine designing a clever gadget in your classroom and taking it all the way to a grand stage in New Delhi! A creative school student from Nagaland named Latongkumla did just that. She secured an impressive place among the top 60 young innovators across India at the prestigious 12th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition under the INSPIRE-MANAK science competition.
The exciting national event took place at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from 12 to 14 October 2026. On 19 October 2026, celebrations spread across the state after the official results were announced. Latongkumla proudly received her award and citation directly from Dr. Jitendra Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.
What happened?
Latongkumla studies at Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) Tuli, located in the Mokokchung district of Nagaland. Her winning project was an innovative, eco-friendly foldable umbrella designed to be practical while protecting our planet. Her neat idea solved an everyday problem, helping her project stand out among entries from all over India.
She was not the only young inventor representing her state in the capital city. In fact, four school students from Nagaland travelled together to New Delhi to present their original scientific models:
- Ninile Tenenu from Mt. Hermon School in Kohima developed and presented an original multi-purpose pen.
- Wapanginla Imsong, who also studies at KV Tuli in Mokokchung, engineered an eco-friendly bamboo dustbin.
- B Sunga Phom from Azedon School in Kohima created an artificial intelligence-based maid-helper robot to assist with tasks.
Reaching this national stage took plenty of hard work and study. All four young makers qualified after passing a state-level exhibition and mentoring programme hosted by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in Kohima. Along the way, they were guided by teacher Suduvelu Rhakho and Daniel Thong Seb, who is the State Nodal Officer for INSPIRE-MANAK and the Vice-Principal of SCERT Nagaland.
The INSPIRE-MANAK initiative is organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) alongside the National Innovation Foundation–India. This nationwide programme fosters scientific curiosity in curious children studying in Classes 6 to 12. To help turn early ideas into reality, each shortlisted student received direct financial support of ₹10,000 to construct working prototypes and models of their inventions.
Why does it matter to you?
Have you ever spotted a small annoyance at home or in your school and thought of a clever way to fix it? This exciting achievement proves that simple ideas from young students can grow into recognized national inventions!
Whether it is building a cleaner bin from local bamboo or crafting a better pen, great science starts with watching the world closely. You do not have to wait until you are an adult to invent helpful tools. When you use your imagination and science lessons to help your community, your creations can make a big difference.
Words to know
- prototype: a first working model of an invention built to test how well an idea works
- eco-friendly: designed to cause little or no harm to the natural environment
- citation: an official statement or certificate that praises a person for doing something special
- artificial intelligence: computer systems programmed to perform tasks that normally need human thinking
Did you know?
Every student shortlisted for this competition received direct financial support of ₹10,000 to help buy supplies and build their working models!
Think about it
Look around your study desk or classroom today. What is one ordinary item you could redesign to make it more eco-friendly or easier for everyone to use?
Quick quiz
What eco-friendly invention earned Latongkumla a national award at the competition?
- An eco-friendly foldable umbrella
- An eco-friendly bamboo dustbin
- An artificial intelligence maid-helper robot
See the answer
An eco-friendly foldable umbrella
Sources
This story was prepared by the Kids Gazette news desk with the help of AI research and writing tools, using the sources listed above.
