Bengaluru boy bags US science prize, wins 2.9 cr

Samay Godika, a student of National Public School, Koramangala has emerged as the winner of Breakthrough Junior Challenge and bagged the Science Prize worth $400,000 (Rs 2.9 crore).

The cash prize received will be for Samay, his teacher and his school. Samay will receive $250,000 scholarship for his ninth and tenth grade. His science teacher, Pramila Menon, who encouraged his interest in life sciences and also tutored him after school will win a $50,000 prize. Additionally, his school will receive a state-of-the-art science lab valued at $100,000.

The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global science video competition designed to inspire creative thinking about fundamental concepts in life sciences, physics, and mathematics. Students between 13 and 18 years are invited to create original videos (up to three minutes) that illustrate a concept or theory in the physical or life sciences.

Samay submitted a video in the life sciences category, focussing on circadian rhythms. The 24-hour biological process that can affect simple daily experiences such as waking up for school or jet lag. Speaking to DH, Pramila Menon, Samay’s science teacher said, “He is so enthusiastic about science. Even otherwise he was interested in videos. Now because of the competition, he is getting interested in science videos. I just helped him to decide the topic and helped him go about it.”

Several attempts to reach Samay, who is in the US for the event, did not yield a response.