Kohima: A student from Nagaland placed among the top 60 finalists at the 12th National Level Exhibition and Project Competition. The event took place at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi from October 12 to 14, 2026. Latongkumla, attending Kendriya Vidyalaya Tuli in Mokokchung, earned the honor for her innovative foldable umbrella design. She received an award and citation from Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh on October 14.
Four students represented Nagaland at the national stage. They earned their spots after competing in a state-level program run by the State Council of Educational Research and Training in Kohima. Ninile Tenenu from Mt Hermon School, Kohima, showcased a multipurpose pen. Wapanginla Imsong of KV Tuli developed an eco-friendly bamboo dustbin. B Sunga Phom from Azedon School, Kohima, built an artificial intelligence-based maid helper robot.
The Department of Science and Technology runs the INSPIRE-MANAK scheme to push students in classes 6 to 12 toward original research. The program works with the National Innovation Foundation-India. Participants receive 10,000 rupees to build their prototypes. Team Nagaland officials praised the students for their hard work. Daniel Thong Seb, the state nodal officer, noted, "Team Nagaland expressed appreciation for the participation of all four awardees and highlighted Latongkumla's achievement in securing a place among the top 60 at the national-level competition."
The team thanked the Ministry of Science and Technology and SCERT Nagaland Director Shohulo Rengma for their guidance. The effort aims to drive national progress through student innovation.
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