Bilal Dar
Srinagar: The valley student incubate of GIAN/NIF Cell-JK , University of Kashmir brings laurels to valley to make it to the list of 56 awardees for Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE Award -2017. Iqrar Rashid Dev an 11th class student of Govt.Higher Secondary Beerwah Budgam received the award for his idea, “Advance Detection System in Vehicles for Speed Breakers”. The awards were given by former President of India Pranub Mukherjee at National Innovation Foundation-India Gujarat on 22nd December 2017.
56 students from across India were awarded for 29 ideas and innovations at the occasion. NIF had received a total 65000 submissions from across the country for IGNITE-2017. An exhibition showcasing award winning ideas was also held at the venue.
The 16 year old Kashmiri innovator, Iqrar Rashid, hails from Chewdara village of central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Iqrar believes not in duration of study but study with concentration and quality. For his innovative talent his parents especially his grandfather has been very supportive.
When asked about how the idea came to his mind he said, “In Kashmir there are frequent speed breakers which give trouble to the drivers while crossing them in speed as drivers are not aware of the speed breaker and sometimes there are no painted strips on most of the speed breakers. During emergency services (like ambulances) drivers have to haste to save the lives of the people but while crossing the speed breaker in speed troubles a lot to the patient, this made me to think about this problem”. I am much pleased to have received such a prestigious award for my idea, he added.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam IGNITE 2017 competition is a national competition of original technological ideas and innovations by children up to class 12 or those who are out of school up to the age of 17 years-is organised by National Innovation Foundation,Department of Sci &Technology Govt.of India to promote creativity and originality among children. The awards of IGNITE competition are announced every year on October 15th on the birthday of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam which is celebrated as Children’s creativity and Innovation Day by NIF.
The IGNITE-2017 awardee, Iqrar Rashid Dev, was scouted and supported by NIF/GIAN-Cell-JK, University of Kashmir. The Chairman GIAN Cell-JK, University of Kashmir, Prof. G.M Bhat, while appreciating the innovator said that there are many Kashmiri youth with innovative and indigenous technological ideas and that we need to scout and incubate such innovations. He said that the award of a Kashmiri innovator at the highest level is indicative of the fact that the Govt. of J&K should work out fruitful schemes for promoting technological innovations in Kashmir.
