When curiosity meets the right learning environment, age becomes just a number. This was powerfully demonstrated by Maneesh (10th grade) and Ketana (6th grade)—siblings who came together as a team, trained at The STEM Makers, near D V Manor, Vijayawada, and went on to make the city proud at one of India’s most prestigious technology festivals.
From a Local Maker Space to a National Stage
Maneesh and Ketana participated in the Robo Sprint – Senior Category at Blixathon, held during Techfest IIT Bombay from 22nd to 24th December. Competing against 130+ teams from across the country, the siblings secured a position within the Top 32 teams and won a Category Award for Mechanism—a remarkable achievement, especially considering their age and background.
Learning Beyond Classrooms
Their journey began at The STEM Makers, where learning goes far beyond textbooks. Instead of memorizing concepts, students are encouraged to build, test, fail, fix, and innovate. Maneesh and Ketana spent weeks understanding mechanisms, experimenting with designs, and refining their robot through multiple iterations.
Working as siblings brought its own dynamics—shared ideas, healthy disagreements, and strong collaboration amidst sibling quabbles. This environment helped them develop not only technical skills but also teamwork, communication, and resilience.
Standing Out for Mechanism Design
In Robo Sprint, speed alone is not enough. Stability, control, and smart mechanical design play a crucial role. The siblings’ robot impressed the judges with its innovative and efficient mechanism, which locked the tennis ball from slipping, while the robot navigated to face the passage area and then quickly and precisely pushed the ball to the opponents area, earning them a special category award. Their success highlights the importance of strong fundamentals and thoughtful engineering, rather than just flashy performance.
Breaking Barriers of Age and City
Competing in a Senior Category at a national-level event like Techfest IIT Bombay is challenging even for older students. Maneesh and Ketana’s performance proves that with the right mentorship and access to hands-on learning, students from Vijayawada and other Tier-2 cities can compete confidently on national platforms.
The Role of The STEM Makers
At The STEM Makers, mentors focus on nurturing thinking rather than providing ready-made answers. Students are guided to ask why, how, and what next. This approach played a key role in preparing the siblings for high-pressure competition, helping them troubleshoot problems and adapt quickly during the event.
Inspiring Young Innovators
Maneesh and Ketana’s achievement is more than a competition result—it is a story of early exposure, experiential learning, and belief in young minds. Their journey serves as an inspiration to students, parents, and educators to embrace STEM learning that is hands-on, exploratory, and inclusive.
As The STEM Makers continue to build a strong STEM culture in Vijayawada, stories like this remind us of what is possible when curiosity is supported by the right ecosystem.
From a maker space near D V Manor, Vijayawada to competitive arenas at IIT Bombay—this is just the beginning.