Odisha’s Rishita Samantaray Wins Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award; Know About Her Innovative Project

Bhubaneswar: Fourteen-year-old Rishita Samantaray from Odisha has won the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Ignited Mind Children Creativity and Innovation Award 2023-24 for her innovative project, ‘Pregnancy Safety Alert for Public Transport’.

She has developed a biometric device to ensure the safety of pregnant women at bus stops and stands.

“Only 13 ideas from 16,570 submissions across India were selected for the awards and she is the only one from Odisha to get it,” her mother Rohini Singh Deo, a resident of Chandrasekharpur, said.

Odisha Governor Raghubar Das met the Class IX student of KiiT International School, Bhubaneswar, and congratulated her on the success of her project. She was also felicitated by Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das at BMC headquarters on Thursday.

Earlier congratulating her on social media, KIIT and KISS founder Achyuta Samanta wrote that her innovative idea will greatly benefit pregnant women traveling by bus. “It’s a joy to witness their innovative spirit and the school’s unique approach in nurturing these beautiful kids,” he added.

Every year, these award are given on July 6 in honour of former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam jointly by the Honey Bee Network, Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI), and Gujarat-Grassroots Innovation Augmentation Network (GIAN).

Rishita is also a horse-riding prodigy and had won 2 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze medals at Delhi Horse Show at Army Polo & Riding Club in the national Capital in April.