North East Innovation Festival 2025 Concludes, Grassroots Innovators Honoured

The North East Innovation Festival 2025 concluded on Sunday at the National Science Centre, Khanapara, highlighting groundbreaking grassroots innovations from across the region. Organized by the National Science Centre under the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation, the two-day event provided a platform for young innovators to showcase their ideas and engage with industry experts.

A key highlight of the festival this year was the Dinanath Pandey Smart Idea Innovation Award, which marked its tenth anniversary this year. The prestigious award recognizes outstanding innovations that contribute to societal progress. The award ceremony, held on the final day, was attended by several eminent personalities.

This year’s Platinum Award was won by Anubhav Shivam Nath from Konwarpara in Assam's Mangaldoi, for his innovation, ‘Device for Oral Health Analysis, Early Detection, and History-based Machine Learning’. 

The Gold Award went to Ranjan Dhar from Agartala in Tripura, for his ‘Fever Monitoring Device’, which replicates the traditional practice of placing a wet cloth on the forehead to reduce fever.

Aishi Prisha Borah from Assam's Jorhat won the Silver Award for her ‘Pencil Making Machine from Waste Paper’, a device designed to convert discarded paper into eco-friendly pencils.

To commemorate a decade of the Dinanath Pandey Smart Idea Innovation Award, it was integrated into the festival this year to amplify its impact. The winners received cash prizes of Rs 10,001 (Platinum Award), Rs 5,001 (Gold Award), and Rs 3,001 (Silver Award).

Speaking at the event, Sailen Pandey, son of Dinanath Pandey, emphasized the importance of fostering scientific curiosity among young minds. He expressed hope that the award would inspire future generations to push the boundaries of technology and innovation.

The closing ceremony was attended by several notable dignitaries, including Kumud Chandra Bhattacharya, former director of the Northeastern Space Application Centre (NESAC), Pranab Kumar Sarmah, retired professor of skill development at IIE Guwahati, Nirud Boarh of the Assam Science Society, and journalist Nayan Pratim Kumar.

The festival, which was inaugurated on Saturday, featured more than 25 innovators from across the Northeast, showcasing their unique inventions. The event aimed to provide a robust platform for aspiring innovators, connecting them with experts and fostering a culture of scientific research and technological advancement in the region.