Aishi Prisha Borah, a 14-year-old student innovator from Jorhat in Assam, has been conferred the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for excellence in Science and Technology, recognising her work on sustainable and practical scientific solutions in agriculture.
Her innovations aim to improve soil health, reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and provide cost-effective pest control solutions for farmers without harming the environment.
She says “My project uses newspaper and hay to create an eco-friendly mulching system that helps in pest control and improves agricultural productivity. Since it is not made of plastic, it does not harm the soil. I want my work to benefit farmers and contribute meaningfully to sustainable agriculture.”
She credited her success to the constant encouragement and support of her teachers, classmates and parents.
Aishi also has an impressive list of achievements to her credit. In 2025, she won the Dinanath Pandey Smart Idea Invention Award for projects such as a machine that produces pencils from used paper and a system designed for reusing greywater. She has also secured a Silver Medal at the North-East Innovation Festival held at the National Science Centre, Khanapara, in Guwahati
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