Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Sirius, Russia, launched ‘AIM–Sirius Innovation Programme 3.0’– a 14-day virtual programme for Indian and Russian schoolchildren.

The first Indo-Russian bilateral youth innovation initiative, the AIM–Sirius programme seeks to develop technological solutions (both web- and mobile-based) for the two countries.

Highlights

    • Over a two-week programme, from 7–21 November 2020, 48 students and 16 educators and mentors will create 8 virtual products and mobile applications.

    • Such an attempt will address global challenges–– across a range of areas such as culture, distance education, applied cognitive science, health and well-being, sports, fitness, and games training, chemistry, artificial intelligence, and digital financial assets––in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic.

    • This is the first virtual bilateral student collaboration between India and Russia and shows immense commitment by both the Atal tinkering labs and Sirius teams.

    • Innovations developed by the student teams will leverage 21st-century technologies such as app development, artificial intelligence, blockchain, machine learning, data analytics and visualization, UI/UX, virtual reality, augmented reality, gamification, 3D design, and rapid prototyping, among others.

    • This year’s cohort comprises the best Russian students from the Sirius Centre and the best Indian students and ATL in-charges from the top 150 teams of the 2019 ATL Marathon.

    • Last year, an Indian delegation of 25 students and 5 teachers visited the Sirius Centre, Russia, for a 7-day research-based programme.

    • The teams created 8 different innovations in the areas of remote earth sensing, biological and genetic research, clean energy, data analytics and frontier technologies, and drones and robotics, which were then presented to Russian President Vladimir Putin on 5 December 2019. 

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)