Epic Public School celebrates a proud achievement as its young innovators win Gold at the Macmillan Budding Scientists Contest at IIT Guwahati, showcasing compassion-driven science, renewable energy innovation and real-world learning with a low-cost windmill project.
Winning, it appears, has quietly taken up permanent residence at Epic Public School. Hardly had the applause died down after the triumph at the Macmillan Budding Travellers Contest when the school went and did it again—this time at the prestigious Macmillan Budding Scientists Contest, held at IIT Guwahati. One might say success is becoming less of an event and more of a habit.
What makes this victory particularly heart-warming is that it did not begin in a laboratory, but in a forest.
True to the Epic ethos, compassion is not merely taught from textbooks but practised on the ground. While volunteering in Mendabari, a remote village tucked away in the dense forests of Jaldapara, Epic students encountered a rather stark reality: electricity is a luxury many families can only dream of. Once the sun sets, so do the children’s chances of studying.
Instead of wringing their hands and moving on, the students rolled up their sleeves—quite literally. Inspired to make a difference, they identified the problem and set about solving it with science, ingenuity and no small amount of elbow grease.
The result was an efficient, low-cost windmill, ingeniously designed using the Archimedes Spiral. Capable of rotating even in low wind and capturing air from multiple directions, the model was built using plywood, polycarbonate sheets and precise engineering techniques. Strong, waterproof and portable, it was designed with one goal in mind: to bring light—both literal and metaphorical—to village homes.
The young minds behind this impressive innovation are Korak Maitra (Class 8), Bedoparna Deb (Class 8) and Parnika Dutta (Class 7), whose project stood out not only for its technical merit but also for its social relevance.
Sharing his vision, Korak said, “Our mission is to install multiple low-cost windmills in Mendabari so that children there can study at night and dream without limits.” One could hardly ask for a clearer definition of education with purpose.
Speaking to Epic Words, Parnika Dutta reflected on the experience, saying, “It was wonderful to visit the advanced laboratories at IIT Guwahati as part of the programme.” The exposure to real research environments strengthened their scientific thinking and boosted their confidence ahead of the finals—proof, if any were needed, that learning flourishes when it steps outside the classroom.
During the event, Mr Somanjan Bandopadhyay from Macmillan India struck an inspiring chord by reminding students that science is not the only destination—there are many paths to excellence. On that note, he invited Shreejit Jha of Epic Public School to the stage to share his experience of winning the Macmillan Budding Travellers Contest in Delhi a few months earlier. It was a moment that perfectly summed up Epic’s belief: every talent deserves its time in the spotlight.
And spotlight it was. At the Finals of the Macmillan Budding Scientists Competition, jointly organised by Macmillan and IIT Guwahati, Epic students quite simply rocked the stage. With confident presentations, innovative thinking and impressive problem-solving skills, they emerged as Gold Medal winners, finishing among the Top 8 teams and securing Winner Certificates.
This achievement underscores the power of hands-on learning and real-world exposure at Epic Public School. More importantly, it shows that when young minds are guided with empathy and encouraged to think beyond themselves, remarkable things happen.
At Epic Public School, learning clearly has many paths—and every child, given the chance, can shine. And if this winning streak continues, Epic might soon need a bigger trophy cabinet… or at least a sturdier shelf.
