An idea can change lives. And two of them together certainly deserve a prize.
Jamshedpur girl Rajashree Choudhury's twin and unique ideas to prevent house break-ins and road accidents have made her a winner of IGNITE 2012, an award instituted by former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Overall 14,889 submissions of students from 282 districts of 30 states and Union Territories of the country were received during the competition, which ran from September 11, 2011, to August 31, 2012.
The Class V student of Little Flower School is among 31 "ignited minds" across the country whose path-breaking concepts were selected by Ahmedabad-based National Innovation Foundation (NIF) ' an autonomous body of the Centre's department of science and technology ' for the annual honour. The award ceremony will be held at IIM-Ahmedabad on November 10.
Rajashree's first innovative idea is of a doorbell with a user code.
"There will be a number pad and a voice sensor. Once can punch in a PIN, like one does in an ATM, and record voices. For instance, 'I am papa' is fed against the number 5102. So, if a child is alone at home and the doorbell rings to say 'I am Papa', he or she can safely open the door," the 11-year-old explained.
The schoolgirl's second concept is of greater consequence and can check the frequent bloodspill on Jharkhand's rogue roads to a considerable extent.
"Speaking on mobile phones while driving is a bad idea, which is often unconsciously ignored. My idea is to connect the handset to the ignition in such a way that whenever the phone is answered, the vehicle automatically stops," Rajashree said.
IGNITE 2012 is one of the best platforms for children who think differently because it even patents viable ideas. Last year, there were 4,104 entries in various categories like energy, environment, transport and general household. This year, Rajashree is among the 14 selected in below Class VIII category.
The Class V student works extensively in the field of environment in her school and her Ghorabandha neighbourhood. She is a part of Paryavaran Mitra's Power Count Challenge, where individuals commit to save units of electricity for two months and make them count.
Rajashree has also been invited to the International Peace Conference being organised by US-based Peace Pal International in Lucknow from November 8 to 11.
Do you know any other young talent? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com