Wheelchair on Power, a PowerPoint presentation showcasing an innovative and affordable robotic wheelchair for the physically challenged, has bagged Kolkata-based Shramona Chakraborty (22) — a final year computer engineering student at the M.C. Kejriwal Vidyapeeth Institute of Engineering, Howrah — the top prize of the IET South Asia Present Around The World (PATW) 2016 competition. By besting nine student competitors in the South Asia finals staged in Kolkata on August 21, Shramona won a cash prize of £400 (Rs.36,000) and an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the global finals scheduled to be staged in London on November 15.
The Stevenage, Hertfordshire (UK)-based Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET, estb.1871), which has over 163,000 members in 127 countries, hosts the annual PATW competition — open to students, graduates and young professionals in the 18-30 age group — to encourage engineers to use their communication and technical skills to solve social problems.
In early January, Shramona, who teamed up with college juniors Sumanta Laha and Debdeep Chatterjee to build the prototype of a robotic wheelchair, was awarded the Best Project Award at the National Science and Engineering Fair hosted by the city’s Birla Industrial and Technological Museum. “Initially, we invested our personal savings. Later on, my college provided additional financial and infrastructure support for which I am very grateful. I also owe my gratitude to Prof. Suvanjan Bhattacharyya for his guidance without which our prototype would never have been completed. My two PATW regional round presentations were based on this project which we began early last year,” says Shramona.
The only child of Swapan Chakraborty, a Central government employee of the Silk Board, and homemaker Mousumi, Shramona is excited about her first overseas trip and is currently fine-tuning her PowerPoint presentation based on the jury’s observations. The robotic wheelchair — comprising a variety of sensors and a micro controller — has caterpillar wheels, which enables it to climb stairs.
Going forward, Shramona has plans to enroll in a Masters programme in computer engineering and engage in robotics research. “In the long term, I wish to contribute to society and plan to design innovative robots to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities,” she enthuses.
Way to go, sister!
Baishali Mukherjee (Kolkata)
Raunaq Anand
Against the backdrop of India’s poor representation in international equestrian events (except for Inderjeet Singh Lamba’s participation in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics), if Noida-based Raunaq Anand (16) is given the encouragement and support he deserves, India can expect him to bring home an equestrian Olympic medal in the near future. This skilled horseman finished the last season (April 2016) with another gold medal at the 29th Delhi Horse Show of the Army Polo & Riding Club.
Still in his early teens, Raunaq has acquired a wealth of equestrian show-jumping experience having participated in 85 national and state equestrian events, including several organised by the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), affiliated with the Switzerland-based International Federation of Equestrian Sports — the governing body for all Olympic equestrian disciplines — with an impressive tally of 90 medals including 34 gold.
“My first horse-back experience was at age three. But it was only when I enrolled in the Lotus Valley International School, Noida, four year later that I was formally introduced to equestrian sports. The following year I competed and won my first gold,” recalls Raunaq, currently a class XII (commerce) student.
The only child of Sundar Anand, vice president of the Noida-based freight service provider C.P. World Lines Pvt. Ltd and homemaker Shefali, Raunaq has the advantage of owning three ponies with good bloodlines, specifically bred and trained for competitive equestrian sports. “Equestrian sports are expensive. Unless you are training on horses rented from the armed forces, maintaining a single horse costs Rs.50,000 per month,” says this promising equestrian star, tacitly acknowledging huge parental support
Though currently focused on academics with his board exams round the corner, Raunaq is quite clear about his career choice. “I wish to become a world class rider and have my eyes set on the 2018 Asian Games (Indonesia), and 2020 Olympics (Tokyo). I plan to win in the critical EFI-sponsored Junior National Championships in December to qualify to compete in international events,” says this confident teen.
Ride on, Raunaq!
Swati Roy (Delhi)