I’m excited to share that this Sunday, January 26th (India’s Republic Day), I had the incredible opportunity to showcase my Ecodrifter project at the Young Creators League 2025 Grand Exhibition at Plaksha University!

YCL is an innovative tech challenge designed to inspire young innovators to develop solutions for real-world problems. Being selected as one of just 30 projects from thousands of submissions nationwide was truly an honor.

The exhibition space was buzzing with talented students showcasing their tech innovations. Despite the time crunch, we successfully set up our demonstration area, complete with an inflatable pool and informational displays. While I started the day with some nerves, I quickly found my rhythm. Having my project partner there made the experience both productive and enjoyable.

Though we didn’t win an award, the preparation and presentation experience was incredibly valuable. Presenting to Plaksha University’s faculty and students proved to be an enriching experience. The feedback and questions I received were thought-provoking and will definitely inform future iterations of the project. Some key questions included:

1. What’s the disposal process for collected plastic?
2. How does this compare to existing marine waste collection methods?
3. How would the system scale to cover larger areas (e.g., 200 acres), including waste storage solutions?
4. What measures are in place to protect aquatic life?
5. Where would the collected trash be kept?

While the current prototype has certain limitations due to its size, I’m already developing Version 2 to address the scaling challenge. I’m also working on incorporating additional safeguards for aquatic life protection. I’ll be sharing updates on these improvements soon!

I would like to share some photos and videos of the event with you all.

What an amazing first exhibition experience! Looking forward to building on this momentum.