Guwahati, Nov 30: The Award function of the Meghalaya Chemistry Olympiad-2023 (MCO), an initiative of the Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), was 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.
Alexander Laloo Hek, Minister for Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Department, Meghalaya was the chief guest of the award ceremony. He handed over the awards in the presence of Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor USTM, Dr BK Das, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Pawan Kumar Agrawal Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Natural Product Communications and Former Scientist CSIR -CMAP, Dr Sarifuddin Gazi, HoD, Department of Chemistry USTM and others. The dignitaries also released the Brochure for the next MCO-2024 on the occasion.
Addressing a gathering of school students and teachers who have come from various parts of Meghalaya, and USTM faculty members and other officials, Minister AL Hek said, “USTM has embraced all knowledge seekers into its family—a true instance of the saying “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.
He said that the concept of the Chemistry Olympiad is very innovative, to catch the young minds of the children for a bright future. “I am excited and thank USTM and Chancellor M Hoque for his decision to expand this program all across the North East”, he added.
The Meghalaya Chemistry Olympiad is a flagship programme of the Chemistry department of USTM. The MCO-23 examination was held on 1st November 2023 in three different centers namely USTM, Shillong College and Don Bosco College, Tura. Around 456 participants across the state of Meghalaya appeared in the examination in three different standards. Students of classes VIII, IX, and XI of various schools in Meghalaya participated.
The 1st prize for class VIII went to Toteilakupar L Buhphang, Ramakrishna Mission HS School, Sohra, and Barisha Tiewmon, Synjuk Wahingdoh Secondary School. The 2nd prize to went Divarson Mairangthem from Ramakrishna Mission Higher Secondary School, Sohra and the 3rd prize went to Rinison Swer and Sujal Das, both from Ramakrishna Mission Higher Secondary School, Sohra.
For class IX, the 1st prize went to Suzan Karim, 2nd prize went to Sakchi Gupta while Dedoang R Marak got 3rd prize. All of them belong to Captain Williams School, Tura. For class XI, the 1st prize went to Samaira Mishra, Army Public School, Shillong, 2nd prize to Medhavi Kapoor, BSF Senior Secondary School and 3rd prize went to Jahnvi Shukla, Kendriya Vidyalaya (Happy Valley) Shillong. 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.