Three Telangana Students Selected for Japan's Sakura Science Programme

Hyderabad:Three students from Telangana have been selected to travel to Japan this June under the Sakura Science High School programme, part of a collaboration between the Union department of science and technology, and Japan Science and Technology Agency. A. Shiva Reddy from TSWREIS, Damargidda, Narayanpet (Class XII), S. Sai Srivalli from Mancherial (Class XI), and Shubhasree Sahu from Karimnagar (Class XII) will participate in the programme from June 15 to 21. The trio was ranked among the top 60 at the national-level exhibition and project competition (NLEPC) under the Centre’s INSPIRE awards- MANAK scheme.

Srivalli developed the Shri Rythu Kit after observing her mother’s health struggles during menstruation. The kit includes a reusable cloth pad and a compact washing machine, designed to promote sustainable and safer menstrual hygiene.

Environmental concerns drove the innovation of TSWREIS student Shiva Reddy, who described the opportunity as “very exciting”. Disturbed by the long-term harm caused by plastic planting pots, he developed biodegradable containers made of coconut fibre. These pots naturally decompose in the soil, retain water more effectively, and allow roots to grow freely.

The journey that brought Shubhasree to this point began much earlier, in Class VIII. Her prototype, Kisan Mitra, is a portable, solar powered agro machine that performs four farming functions like threshing, winnowing, and more. It also offers an affordable mechanisation for marginal farmers. “Many farmers don’t have access to modern machines. I built something they could actually use,” she said. “I’m looking forward to meeting Nobel laureate Jin Akiyama. I want to learn from Japan’s academic and cultural discipline, whatever I can carry back,” she said.

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Telangana, congratulated the students on their achievement.