Indian teenage scientists to compete at 4m-dollar Intel Fair

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) Eight Indian teenage scientists, whose inventions include an easy long hand method to calculate the cube root, a communication device for the paralysed and an eco-friendly biopesticide, are to compete for the four million-dollar prize money at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in the US.

The winners from India, who come from places like Meerut, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanpur, Bhubaneswar and New Delhi, will be pitched against young scientists from 39 other countries.

As many as 1,500 school students from around the world will be presenting their projects at the fair, which began yesterday at Indianapolis, according to Intel India's Hemlata K. Varlani.

''All the winners are students in schools studying in Class IX-XII. They have been selected from the Intel Science and Discovery Fair held in Bangalore last December,'' she said.

The Indian contestants include Vakeel Ahmed and Amardeep of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Meerut, whose project is about a new technique to find out the cube root by the long hand method and Swati, a student of Christ Nagar Senior Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram, who is carrying a project titled 'fungal biopesticide for eco-friendly management of insect pests.' DAV School, Bhubaneswar's Apurv Mishra is contesting in the individual category with his project, which offers an advanced alternative and augmentative communication device for paralysed people.

The other participants include Kanishka Tiwary and Varun Mittal of Sanatan Dharam Public School, Delhi and Mukund Tiwari from Kanpur, who has invented a 'vehicle-device' to help children suffering from cerebral palsy.

''The students had the liberty to compete in subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Bio-chemistry, Biology, Earth/Space Science, Mathematics, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Engineering and Zoology,'' said Ms Varlani.

Engineering category tops the entries at the Intel Fair this year with 200 projects followed by Environmental Sciences (155) and Medicine and Health (125). The finalists are in the age group of 12-20 years.

The top Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award carries a prize money of 50,000 dollars with all prizes coming in scholarships. The fair concludes on May 13.

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