Odisha’s ‘Innovation Mentor’ Anil Pradhan Conferred National Youth Award 2021

New Delhi: Odisha educationist Anil Pradhan has been conferred the National Youth Award 2021. Union Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Thakur gave away the award to Pradhan for his notable contribution in the field of education. Pradhan is known for setting up a school of innovation in rural Cuttack.

Sharing the news, a proud Pradhan tweeted, “I’ll be receiving the NATIONAL YOUTH AWARD this year, for my contribution in the field of Education, Science and technology towards nation-building.”

The son of former Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and former principal of a CRPF Montessori school, Pradhan established the International Public School for Rural Innovation (IPSRI) in Baral village to teach science, technology and innovation to young rural students for free.

He studies civil engineering at the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Sambalpur, where he became an active member of the robotics society. Pradhan was part of the VSSUT Student Satellite team that constructed a satellite to monitor the Hirakud Dam. He was also part of the team that designed a robot with the ability to climb electric poles and fix basic problems.

His device to reduce the amount of electricity consumed by factories and residential buildings by 60% was listed by infrastructure major L&T as among the top seven student projects.

His achievements, including the establishment of IPSRI, earned him the 2018 National Youth Icon Award from the Government of India. He is also a “Mentor for Change” at Atal Tinkering Labs.

The National Council of Science Museums appointed him “Innovation Mentor” at the Regional Science Centre in Bhubaneshwar, the youngest one with this title.