Bioinformatics project bags first place in Anveshana, research initiative that won Modi’s praise

Bengaluru: Anveshana 2026, the flagship student-led research initiative of Bengaluru-based nonprofit Prayoga Institute of Education Research, saw 61 students from Classes 9-12 present 20 independent research projects, highlighting the scope for scientific inquiry at the school level.

The five-month programme drew students from across India, including Leh. The initiative has gained national attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting Anveshana in his Mann Ki Baat address in March and praising Prayoga for making scientific research accessible to school students.

Led by educationist HS Nagaraja and supported by corporates including Zerodha, Deloitte, SBI Foundation and QuadraGen, Prayoga provides students hands-on research exposure across disciplines including chemistry, earth sciences and wellness.


The final stage of the programme began on Saturday at the Prayoga campus, with expert jury panels evaluating all 20 projects. Four top-performing projects were shortlisted for oral presentations on Sunday.

A multiscale computational study combining molecular docking, enhanced-sampling molecular dynamics and drug-like property analysis of bioactive compounds won the first prize.

A study on pesticide residues, harmful chemicals and metal contaminants in tea brands sold in India came second, while a project on converting kitchen waste into compost-like soil using a thermophilic microbial-enzyme system secured third place. A project on green coagulation of natural latex and sustainable composites using waste plant fibre won the fourth place.

Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development India CEO Manu Saale, Deloitte South Asia chief scientific officer Renata Jovanovic and SBI Foundation president Pratyush Mehrotra attended the event.

Surya said programmes such as Anveshana help students move beyond textbooks and develop research, experimentation and problem-solving skills. He said nurturing young scientific talent would be critical to India’s innovation and growth ambitions.

Saale said the quality of student research showed the potential for greater industry engagement with young researchers. He said several areas explored by the students had relevance to mobility and automotive technology.

Modi had earlier described Anveshana as an initiative that promotes research as a pedagogy, enabling students to pursue scientific inquiry beyond rigid curricula while developing critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

According to Nagaraja, Prayoga currently reaches about 16,000 government school students through science experiential learning programmes. “We are democratising access to research opportunities at the school level, free of cost,” he said.

Since its launch in 2022, Anveshana has supported student-led research projects under scientist mentorship, providing access to laboratory infrastructure and exposure to real-world scientific challenges, the organisation said.