Smriti Irani interacts Bal Shakti Puraskar recipients

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Thursday interacted with children who were awarded the 2020 Bal Shakti Puraskar and asked them to form a Whatsapp group to stay in touch.

Seven students from Delhi won the award for achievements like launching a mobile-based scouting application, an app to predict floods, bringing laurels in archery and rendering social service in difficult terrains of Kedarnath.

The Union women and child development minister advised them to form a Whatsapp group to stay in touch and share knowledge.

Raghav Puri won the award for reconstructing broken parts of artifacts by using artificial intelligence, Irani said.

The minister said she would present their innovations to the Science and Technology Department for further developing them.

Parth Bansal built a utility stick for people suffering from Parkinson's disease after his grandmother was diagnosed with it, Irani said. He has been asked to send a proposal to the Women and Child Development Ministry.

The Bal Shakti Puraskar is given to children in the age group of five to 18 years in fields of innovation, social service, scholastic, sports, art and culture, and bravery. It carries a medal, a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, a certificate and a citation.