S.P. Mandali's WeSchool hosts the first ever virtual NASA Space Apps Challenge 2020, 2 October to 4 October

S.P. Mandali's WeSchool is proud to collaborate with NASA International Space Apps Challenge, an international competition taking place simultaneously in over 170 locations around the world. With the hacakthon conducted across 29 states in India, WeSchool is the host centre for Maharashtra. The inaugural was virtually hosted by WeSchool for over 800 participating students from Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana along with the respective host institutes in Karnataka and Telangana.

Technology made it possible to have Anima Patil-Sabale as the Chief Guest. Currently working as Orion Spacecraft Simulations Lab Manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston Anima shared her insights, experience on current projects, and unravelled the role of technology at space mission.

Present at the inaugural and joined by WeSchool, Group Director, Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe were, Sanjay Bellawal, Associate Director, Lady Hospital; Director, Business Development at Cinnamon Ventures, Voice Pace ( VoIP), Sprim, Bell Heathcare Management, Bell Technologies & Consultancy Services, Amatra Gadgets, Elixir Management; Founder & CEO of Belawal Foundation, Treasurer for ADAOA Bengaluru Dr. Sangeeta G. Kamath Ph.D, Director, Operations, Maxplore (Creating Business Leaders at Schools) Kishor Jagirdar, Chairman & Managing Director - Infopace Management Pvt Ltd Arvind Kumar, IES Officer Ministry of Defence, DRDO, Delhi Sandeep Ravikanti, Technical Lead for NASA spaceapps India Engineering & Technology

Prof Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, S.P. Mandali's WeSchool addressing his thoughts with the students, said " Today is a significant day to inaugurate the hackathon. WeSchool is delighted to host the NASA Space App hackathon which invites you - tech and non tech students to create, inform, connect and inspire others to make a difference. Through this open innovation platform, WeSchool aims to advocate technology related hackathons among student community to promote innovative use of data to solve real time problems on earth and in space. The learning outcome of this initiative will drive functional knowledge enhancing your competencies. This will give you competitive advantage. We believe in WE and we believe in sharing platforms for co creation. The hackathon looks at creating job creators.

Emerging technology is not only going to be an enabler but a game changer. If you get into the creative mindset, you co-produce a beautiful future. Always remember that learning from failures is infinite. Here's wishing you all the best!"

Addressing the virtual audience, Dr. Sangeeta G. Kamath Ph.D, Director, Operations, Maxplore (Creating Business Leaders at Schools) said, "I congratulate all the participants in the NASA App Challenge. As an educationist, I wish to share that this is rightest moment to harness intellectual capital. Today, R&D teams are seeking resources from the outside through open innovation platforms. Innovation is on the rise as technology is democratised. One has the power to stay connected with people who influence your lives. We are moving from infrastructure focused to knowledge focused innovation. A report in National knowledge Commission has mentioned that nearly 37% of Indian companies brought in radical innovations; while 77% is a result of incremental innovations. People are looking at innovators like you and this is best time to analyse and acquire new learning."

Sharing on the critical components of innovation and how and innovation and MSMes are co-related, Kishor Jagirdar, Chairman & Managing Director - Infopace Management Pvt Ltd said, "The unnatural changes in nature, we see today is the by-product of industrial mass production. It's time we correct the course of nature by sustaining biodiversity and each element that is influencing the human quality of life. India is likely to have the world's largest workforce by 2027, with a billion people aged between 15 and 64. To grapple with future needs, we need to create exponential change which will lead to circular economy. We can look at up-cycling waste and pave way for businesses giving employment to people. That's how, MSME can become a breeding ground for innovation increasing job creation through entrepreneurship. Applying a homogeneous approach for finding solution can touch someone's life. E.g. coming up with local cold storage solutions for local vegetable vendor can make a huge difference through a small, and affordable way."

Sanjay Bellawal, Associate Director, Lady Hospital; Director, Business Development at Cinnamon Ventures, Voice Pace ( VoIP), Sprim, Bell Heathcare Management, Bell Technologies & Consultancy Services, Amatra Gadgets, Elixir Management; Founder & CEO of Belawal Foundation, Treasurer for ADAOA Bengaluru, said "This country has tremendous potential to innovate. By 2025, India would be known for its' innovation. This is possible with people from diverse backgrounds - technical and creative minds coming together to create sustainable solutions."