•               Visiting Students Were Participants of 16^th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme

                                                       (Photo: Students at Novel Materials and Interface Physics Laboratory)

New Delhi: The Bhagwan Birsa Munda Cell (BBMC) at IIT Delhi hosted an exposure visit for participants of the 16^th Tribal Youth Exchange Programme (TYEP). The TYEP, held from February 19 to 25, 2025, at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti, Rajghat, New Delhi, aims to provide tribal youth with immersive experiences and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

The visit to IIT Delhi on February 22 saw the participation of 200 tribal students from five states, including 50 from Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), 40 each from West Singhbhum (Jharkhand), Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh), and Kalahandi (Odisha), and 30 from Bijapur (Chhattisgarh). The itinerary included an orientation session, guided tours of various innovation labs and incubation centres, interactive student discussions, and cultural performances by the tribal youth.

                                                                        (Photo: Participants along with faculty members)

Prof. Vivek Kumar, Head, CRDT & Coordinator, BBMC, IIT Delhi, welcomed the participants and provided an overview of IIT Delhi’s academic and research initiatives. He also led discussions on cultural traditions (Lok Parampara) and introduced the students to BBMC’s AI/ML tribal language translation apps, developed in coordination with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. These applications aim to enhance understanding and learning for students from tribal communities by facilitating accurate translations between tribal languages and Hindi.

The event was further enriched by the presence of esteemed faculty members from IIT Delhi, including Prof. Sumitava Mukherjee (HUSS), Prof. Sandeep Kumar (Electrical Engineering), Prof. Rajendra S. Dhaka (Department of Physics), Prof. Sumer Singh (Department of Design), and Prof. S. P. Singh (Department of Management Studies). Their insights and discussions provided valuable academic and practical knowledge to the visiting students.

Invited guests Dr. Piyashi Dutta, from Tribal Research and Knowledge Centre, New Delhi, shared her expertise on media and communication, emphasizing the role of storytelling in preserving tribal heritage. Dr. Kriti Gupta, Assistant Professor at Jindal School of Psychology & Counselling, O. P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, provided insights on psychological well-being and the significance of cultural identity in fostering self-confidence and resilience among tribal youth.

Participating students had the opportunity to explore the following facilities at IIT Delhi and interact with faculties and students gaining valuable insights:

                                     (Photo: Participants interacting with faculty and students of IIT Delhi at Micro Model Complex)

1. Mahatma Gandhi Gramodaya Parisar (Micro Model Complex), CRDT: At Micro Model Complex, students learned about sustainable energy and environmental research. The visit began with the Biogas Lab, where students were informed about biogas production, its utilization, and its potential as a clean energy source. The Environmental Biotechnology Lab was then explored wherein they were introduced to research on food and nutrition, secondary plant metabolites, and their applications, including antibacterial and antifungal studies. Lastly at the Clean Energy Lab, students were exposed to the concept of clean cooking using renewable resources and improved technologies for enhanced thermal efficiency and biomass value addition.
2. Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), Research and Innovation (R&I) Park: Students here were informed about various aspects of innovation esp. Drone technology, its making, functioning and usage. 6 Startups were visited, namely, Drone Add, Dash Dynamic Pvt. Ltd., Mechanical Lab, Bionest Lab, Botlab Dynamics & Vikash Geosensing Pvt. Ltd.
3. Student Activity Center (SAC) & Mittal Sports Complex: Students visited various recreational facilities available at IIT Delhi. They were introduced to the Dance Room, Design Space and Music Room gaining firsthand experience of the creative and artistic opportunities available on campus. The participants expressed a highly positive response, noting that the visit expanded their awareness of recreational activities and inspired them to explore similar opportunities in their own communities.
4. Novel Materials and Interface Physics Laboratory (NMIPL), Dept. of Physics: It began with a discussion on the fundamental physics of superconductors accompanied by a live demonstration of magnetic levitation, followed by the working principle of particle accelerators using a miniaturized Van de Graaff generator. Students experienced static electricity firsthand. The working of a sodium-ion coin cell was also demonstrated including the various stages of its fabrication. These hands-on demonstrations helped students connect theoretical knowledge with real-world applications.
5. Makerspace: Students, at first, were provided guided tour of the Makerspace, a hands-on hub where ideas come to life. The working demo of 3D Printing, Laser cutting and CNC Routing was provided, explaining how each facility aids in rapid prototyping and innovation which ignited the desire to innovate and create among participants. Participants were also given exposure to electronics and PCB fabrication, and hands and power tool.

To maintain engagement, interactive quizzes were incorporated throughout the visit. The event concluded with a cultural evening, where tribal students showcased the artistic and cultural richness of their communities through vibrant performances.

                                                                                                Performance by Group from Kalahandi, Odisha

Sh. Shivendra Singh, District Officer, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), East Delhi, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, commended IIT Delhi’s efforts in organizing the visit and emphasized the need for continued collaboration in the future.

The event received enthusiastic responses, with participating students expressing inspiration and a renewed commitment to contributing to their communities. The success of the visit reaffirmed BBMC’s dedication to tribal empowerment and development.

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