-Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)

L-R: Prisha, Anupriya & Vanalika

Team Udaan comprising Prisha Dubey, Anupriya Nayak and Vanalika Konwar — all class XII students of Amity International School, Saket, New Delhi — was adjudged winner of the inaugural Corporate Social Responsibility Program of Samsung (India) — Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2022 National Innovation Competition, for developing an eco-friendly, affordable and washable sanitary pad. At the grand finale staged in Andaz Hotel in New Delhi last November, the Top 3 teams received a grant of Rs.1 crore and a six-month incubation for their project at IIT-Delhi. On March 30, the team incorporated Menstrumate Pvt. Ltd.

An initiative of technology conglomerate Samsung (India), SFT 2022 attracted participation of 18,000 students in the 16-22 years age group who showcased their creative and innovative skills to solve real-world problems. The Top 10 teams qualified for the finals after six months of rigorous training and mentoring by experts from Samsung and knowledge partner Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT-Delhi.

The winning team attributes a large part of their achievement to school support. “We are immensely grateful to Vice Principal Dr. Alka Saxena without whose support we would never have been able to complete the project. We did the initial research in the Atal Tinkering Lab of our school, and our teachers helped us develop a preliminary business model,” says Team Udaan spokesperson Vanalika.

Currently focused on holding workshops for underprivileged girl children in partnership with ‘Amitasha’, a women-centric initiative of the Amity Group, Team Udaan has ambitious plans for the future. “We intend to introduce our product in the market and make it accessible in the remotest corners of the country. Once this is achieved, our prime goal is to transform our company into a women-centric innovation hub that not only facilitates healthcare through tech, but also raises social awareness around key issues,” says Vanalika.

Wind beneath your wings!