Guwahati, March 18: The Award function of the Meghalaya Chemistry Olympiad-2022, an initiative of the Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), has been held today at the NKC Auditorium of the University where the first three rank holders of all three categories of the event were awarded cash prizes worth Rs 1 lakh. Prof Donkupar Syiem, Department of Biochemistry, NEHU Shillong, the chief guest of the award ceremony, handed over the awards in the presence of Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor, Prof GD Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Prof Enamul Karim, Dean, School of Applied Sciences, USTM, Prof JN Ganguly, Dr Sarifuddin Gazi and others.
The Meghalaya Chemistry Olympiad is a flagship programme of the Chemistry department of USTM. The event was conducted in phases from September to November 2022, where students of classes VIII, IX, and XI of various schools in Meghalaya participated. The 1st prize for class VIII went to Adorbha Khongngain, Ramakrishna Mission HS School, Sohra, 2nd prize to Aditi Shen, Army Public School, Shillong, and the 3rd prize went to Banehskhem Rynjah, Fourth Lucky Star Lyngskor, Winrison Kharshandi, all three from Ramakrishna Mission HS School, Sohra. For class IX, the 1st prize went to Krishna Koirala, Little Star Senior Secondary School, 2nd prize went to Suchirayush Panda, Army Public School, Shillong, while P. Dakerhime Lyngdoh from Ramakrishna Mission HS School, Sohra got 3rd prize. For class XI, the 1st prize went to Krrish Kumar Chaudhary, Army Public School, Shillong, 2nd prize to Abigail Lyngdoh Mawphlang, Ramakrishna Mission HS School, Sohra and 3rd prize went to L Nithiya Kalyaani, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Shillong (Laitkor Peak). Several other children got consolation prizes too.
The Meghalaya Chemistry Olympiad (MCO) is an annual competition held to hunt the state’s most talented students at the secondary and higher secondary school level. This was the first MCO eyeing the participants from schools in Meghalaya. Participants from other northeastern states will join the program subsequently.
The Chemistry Olympiads provide an encouragement to begin a career in science, particularly in chemistry, to undertake a lifelong journey into the realms of exciting intellectual challenges. The Olympiads are not merely a competition, but a meeting place of the brightest young minds of the state, and many friendships forged at the Olympiads form the seeds of scientific collaboration later in life. Like in the Olympics in sports, the Olympiads are a celebration of the very best in school-level science and chemistry.