RNS: “Geotech Consultants” become the winner of Toycathon 2021 for their idea of a puzzle set based on Indian culture.
Geotech Consultants, a Dhanbad (Jharkhand) based Startup— on innovation, engineering, and technology; its “Team Sanskriti ” was listed among the top 24 winners in the industry professional or Startup in category (Track 3) in the country.
Toycathon 2021 is an initiative of the “Atmanirbhar Abhiyan ” under the aegis of PM Narendra Modi to promote the Indian toy industry. Around 1,32,969 participants with 14,132 teams all over India entered in this challenge for India’s innovative minds to conceptualize novel Toys and Games based on Bharatiya civilization, history, culture, mythology and ethos. There were three different categories, Track 1 for students, Track 2 for Colleges/Universities, and Track 3 for industry professionals or Startups.
Toycathon 2021 is jointly launched by the Ministry of Education, WCD Ministry, MSME Ministry, DPIIT, Textile Ministry, I&B Ministry and AICTE to crowd-source innovative toys and games ideas.
Prime Minister interacted with a few participants (on 24 June) before the power judging round to fuel enthusiasm for this great event.
Team Sanskriti had four toy ideas selected for the three-day Grand Finale. The winning idea is the “Cultural Map of India Puzzle Set”, an innovative sensory puzzle game that helps students explore the ethnic diversity of India. The puzzles have unique sensory features to support toddlers and Divyang players.
The team vision principally innovated by Manorama Sinha and Aakriti Sinha— “Bharat ko Janege to Bharat ko Manege or Behter Nagrik ban kar, Behatrin Bharat Banaege” (“If we know India, we will believe in India and become better citizens to make India the best”). The design philosophy evolved around inclusiveness, engrossing, eco-friendly and reducing the screen time of children.
“We have tried to make learning fun. We aim to convert the vast information base on India into a tangible, playable format. This encourages active participation instead of passive learning,” says Team leader Vishal Sinha.
The team was well supported by Team mentor Vijay Kumar Sinha, Professor, IIT-ISM Dhanbad and former Regional Director CMPDI (A subsidiary of Coal India Limited) and Prof. Piyush Kumar Sinha Professor, IIM Ahmedabad and Director, CRI Advisory and Research.
Geotech Consultants believes the education atmosphere of Dhanbad, with the great institute and many renowned PSU firms, and fairly better electricity condition, infrastructure than past, is having scope for innovation for youth. Also taking inspiration “The youth need to be enabled to become job generators from job seekers” A.P.J Abdul Kalam.
With the initiative of such magnitude from the Ministry of Education (Innovation Cell), Government of India, whose one major focus is to create a vibrant local innovation ecosystem in India, the team believes there, is lots of hope, scope and takeaway for youth residing in Tier 2 city like Dhanbad.
The company has planned to partner with schools and digital learning platforms to augment education for children of all ages. They have already started receiving interest from incubators and investors to convert their prototype into a marketable product.
