Nagaland's Latongkumla among top 60 at national INSPIRE-MANAK

A student from Nagaland's Mokokchung district has been placed among the top 60 at the national level of the INSPIRE-MANAK innovation competition, The Morung Express reported from Kohima on Monday, October 19.

Latongkumla of Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) Tuli in Mokokchung received an award and citation from Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh at the ceremony on October 14. Her project was an eco-friendly foldable umbrella.

Four from Nagaland

She was one of four students who represented Nagaland at the 12th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition (NLEPC) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from October 12 to 14, 2026. The others and their projects were:

• Ninile Tenenu, Mt Hermon School, Kohima: a multipurpose pen
• Wapanginla Imsong, KV Tuli, Mokokchung: an eco-friendly bamboo dustbin
• B. Sunga Phom, Azedon School, Kohima: an AI-based maid helper robot

Each student developed a working idea aimed at an everyday problem, from a pen that serves several purposes to a bamboo dustbin and a robot assistant built around artificial intelligence.

The four were picked after a state-level competition and mentoring programme run by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Nagaland, in Kohima. Guide teacher Suduvelu Rhakho worked with the students.

About INSPIRE-MANAK

INSPIRE-MANAK (Million Minds Augmenting National Aspirations and Knowledge) is run by the Department of Science and Technology with the National Innovation Foundation-India. It encourages students in Classes 6 to 12 to come up with original, science-based ideas and compete at district, state and national levels.

Selected students receive ₹10,000 in their bank accounts to build prototypes or projects for the next stages of the competition.

Thanks and recognition

Team Nagaland praised all four students and highlighted Latongkumla's place in the top 60. It thanked the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Department of Science and Technology, the National Innovation Foundation-India and SCERT Nagaland director Shohulo Rengma.

The information was issued by Daniel Thong Seb, State Nodal Officer for INSPIRE-MANAK and vice-principal of SCERT Nagaland.