Cuddalore : From ideas born in classrooms to prototypes designed to address challenges of everyday life, young innovators from across educational levels brought their imagination, scientific curiosity and problem-solving skills to the forefront at the CREGU Young Scientist & Technology Expo 2026, organised by UNESCO CREGU with the CK Group of Educational Institutions, supported by the Sustainable Development Council (SDC) and hosted with CavinKare, at C.K. College of Engineering and Technology (CKCET), Cuddalore. The two-day expo culminated today which celebrated students for moving beyond textbook learning to explore how science and technology can create meaningful real-world impact.
One of the key highlights of the expo was the interaction between the Senior Scientist, ISRO and the participating students as he walked through the exhibits, heard students explain their prototypes and engaged with their approaches to solving real-world problems. The expo, held under the theme ‘Innovate • Discover • Transform’, brought together 35+ schools and 70+ colleges/universities and over 1200+ students and more than 400 innovative projects from across Cuddalore and neighbouring regions, with participants from Class VI through university level. The students presented original ideas, prototypes and models addressing practical challenges in day-to-day life. Projects were evaluated on innovation and originality, relevance and impact, technical execution, presentation and communication, and scalability and sustainability.
From Disaster Preparedness to Smart Living Energy, Mobility the expo showcased a diverse range of student-led innovations that demonstrated how young minds are using science and technology to find practical solutions to challenges around them. Among the notable project categories were Heath and Well-being, Public Safety and Food Security, each reflecting the students’ ability to combine curiosity, creativity and problem-solving.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms.Amudhavalli Ranganathan, UNESCO CREGU India Chairperson, Director – New Initiatives & E -Commerce, Cavinkare Executive Director CK Group of Educational Institutions Chairwomen , CII Indian Women Network (IWN) Tamilnadu Chairperson, Chairperson- India,Sustainable Development Council said, “The Young Scientist & Technology Expo reflects our belief that scientific learning must extend beyond classrooms. At a time when innovation and technology are increasingly shaping the way we address everyday challenges, it is important to give young learners the freedom to identify problems, explore possibilities and develop solutions of their own. More importantly, platforms like this give students the opportunity to articulate and defend their ideas before experienced evaluators, helping them build not only scientific thinking but also the confidence to take their ideas forward. The curiosity, creativity and willingness to experiment demonstrated by the participants are encouraging indicators of the potential that can emerge when young minds are given the right platform and encouragement.”
The expo also created a platform for students across age groups to learn from one another, observe different approaches to problem-solving and understand that innovation is not restricted to advanced laboratories or specialised institutions.
The open theme encouraged participants to identify challenges from their own surroundings and develop technology-based approaches that could potentially be adapted, scaled or further refined.Addressing the gathering as the Guest of Honour Senior Scientist, ISRO, said, “Innovation begins with the ability to look at an ordinary problem differently. What I saw here was the willingness among students to experiment, make their own observations and attempt solutions rather than simply look for ready-made answers. That curiosity is the foundation on which stronger scientific capabilities are built. If nurtured consistently, these early experiences can encourage students to pursue science and technology not merely as a career, but as a means of contributing to society.”
The valedictory ceremony was also presided over by Dr. Datchanamoorthy Ramu, Founder & President, Sustainable Development Council, and Director-General, UNESCO CREGU India; Mr. Gokulnath Mathiyazhagan, Secretary-General, Sustainable Development Council and UNESCO CREGU India; and Mr. Balaji, Former Director, Strategy & International Relations, Sustainable Development Council. By bringing school and university students onto a common platform, the expo also sought to nurture a culture of scientific inquiry, creative thinking and responsible innovation from an early stage.
The winners of the Young Scientist & Technology Expo 2026 were as follows;
SCHOOL CATEGORY
Category A
Third Prize – School Category
The Third Prize of the Category A along with a cash award of ₹5,000
Kanivarshini and Team, Sri Saraswathi Vidhyalaya CBSE School
Second Prize – School Category
Sanjith Kumar and Team, from Adithya Vidhyashram School, Puducherry
The Second Prize of the Category A along with a cash award of ₹7,500
First Prize – School Category
The First Prize of the Category A along with a cash award of ₹10,000
Nithishwaran and Team, from PSBB Millenium School, Cuddalore
Category B
Third Prize – School Category
The Third Prize of the Category B along with a cash award of ₹5,000
J. Ganesh and Team, from Kannan Matric Hr. Sec. School, Kullanchavadi
Second Prize – School Category
The Second Prize of the Category B along with a cash award of ₹7,500
D. Devaprachandh and Team, from Equitas Gurukul Mat. Hr. Sec. School, Cuddalore
First Prize – School Category
The First Prize of the Category B along with a cash award of ₹10,000
S. Yojith Renu and Team, from S.B.O.A. School and Junior College, Chennai
Category C
Third Prize – School Category
The Third Prize of the Category C along with a cash award of ₹5,000
Velmurugan and Team, from St. Joseph’s Hr. Sec. School, Manjakuppam
Second Prize – School Category
The Second Prize of the Category C along with a cash award of ₹7,500
K. S. Rajkumar and Team, from John Dewey Hr. Sec. School, Villupuram
First Prize – School Category
The First Prize of the Category C along with a cash award of ₹10,000
Krishnaraj and Team, from S.K.V Hr. Sec. School
COLLEGE CATEGORY
Young Scientist Emerging Innovator Award
Third Prize – College Category
The Third Prize of the Young Scientist Emerging Innovator Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹5,000
Ms. V. Buvana, from Veltech High Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engg. Collge, Avadi
Second Prize – College Category
The Second Prize of the Young Scientist Emerging Innovator Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹7,500
Mr. T. Bhuvaneshwaran, from IFET College of Engg., Villupuram
First Prize – College Category
The First Prize of the Young Scientist Emerging Innovator Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹10,000
Mr. Ahamed Thoughfe, from Annamalai University, Chidambaram
Young Scientist Promising Innovator Award
Third Prize – College Category
The Third Prize of the Young Scientist Promising Innovator Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹5,000
Mr. S. Ratchakan, from IFET College of Engg., Villupuram
Second Prize – College Category
The Second Prize of the Young Scientist Promising Innovator Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹7,500
Mr. J. Naveen, form IFET College of Engg., Villupuram
First Prize – College Category
The First Prize of the Young Scientist Promising Innovator Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹10,000
Mr. S. Darshaan, from Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College, Puducherry
Young Scientist Excellence Award
Third Prize – College Category
The Third Prize of the Young Scientist Excellence Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹10,000
Ms. Simra Roshini, Anand Institute of Higher Technology, Chennai
Second Prize – College Category
The Second Prize of the Young Scientist Excellence Award – College Category along with a cash award of ₹15,000
Mr. Mohamed Tharik, Sri Ragavendra Arts and Science College, Chidambaram
First Prize – College Category
The First Prize of the Young Scientist Excellence Award –College Category along with a cash award of ₹20,000.
Mr. V. Kalaiyarasu, M. Kumarasamy College of Engg., Karur