Lalita’s project of using Corn Cobs as water purifier received accolade by all. The method uses corn cobs to filter contaminants such as oxides of salts, detergents, suspended particles, dyes, oil and certain heavy metals out of water.
The award carries a cash prize of US$ 10,000. It was sponsored by Scientific American organisation. Lalita will also be supported for one year by the organisation to work on her pet project.
Lalita was accompanied by her Teacher and Mentor Pallavi Mohapatra. Earlier, Lalita made it to the final of 20 students after being selected from a pool of thousands of applications from kids in the age group of 13 to 18 from 100 countries.
List of Winners:
* Grand Prize – Olivia Hallisey, USA (16-18)
* Incubator Award – Eliott Sarrey, France (13-15)
* National Geographic Explorer Award – Deepika Kurup, USA (16-18)
* Virgin Galactic Pioneer Award – Pranav Sivakumar, USA (13-15)
* Community Impact Award – Lalita Prasida Sripada Srisai, India (13-15)
* Lego Education Builder Award – Anurudhu Ganesan, USA (13-15)
* Google Technologist Award – Girish Kumar, Singapore (16-18)
* Scientific American Innovator Award – Krtin Nithiyanandam, UK (13-15)
* Inspiring Educator Award – Ms. Aydan Meydan, Bosnia and Herzegovina.