FIRST Robotics Gujarat marks the launch of a new collaboration between RoboKnights, Ahmedabad University and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) to bring to the middle and high school students of Ahmedabad the exciting opportunity to learn not only about Robotics and Computer Science, but also about Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Shalin Shah, RoboKnights’ captain, from USA, started teaching Robotics in Ahmedabad 3 years ago, during his trip to Ahmedabad. Its coverage in The Times of India on Christmas Day, 2013, generated widespread interests from several schools. Over the next two years, Shalin taught these free workshops, ranging from few hours to 6 days, at Ahmedabad University and at several schools – including Delhi Public School, Satva Vikas, FD School, Tulip International School, etc. (Link to OneDrive Album with photos). The challenge has been to keep this exciting program running for the school children of Ahmedabad after Shalin goes back to USA. The challenge has finally been answered by the visionary leaders at Ahmedabad University and at IEEE.
Ahmedabad University recognized the value of inspiring the love of Science and Technology in the young generation of Ahmedabad, with this program that turns robotics into a competitive sport, “Sport for the Mind”. In December 2014, Prafullbhai Anubhai, then Chairman of the Board of Trustees, supported the vision to use robotics as a way to inspire innovative thinking and entrepreneurial teamwork in high school students of Ahmedabad, preparing them for success in college and in life. Ahmedabad University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ (SEAS) Prof. Ratnik Gandhi lent his support as well. And since then, Jaina Mehta, a faculty member of SEAS, has assumed the mantle of this robotics initiative at Ahmedabad University, and Dhruv Gupta of IEEE. Jaina Mehta and Dhruv Gupta’s leadership has inspired some of the best engineering students of SEAS to generously give their time to teach robotics to the high school and middle school students, and through robotics, pave the way for innovation and entrepreneurship. RoboKnights Captain, Shalin Shah, raised funding in USA to donate the expensive equipment to kick-start this initiative, and provided his curriculum, which will be now available, through the SEAS Engineering Student Coaches, to school students of Ahmedabad. Shalin designed that curriculum and trained 8 FIRST Lego League Robotics teams in California with that curriculum, 5 advanced to Regional Competitions, and 1 advanced all the way to the World Championship level.
This is an inspiring example of the generosity of Ahmedabad that brings World-Class opportunities to Ahmedabad. Most notable is the generosity of the Ahmedabad Universities’ engineering students, to commit their time to continue teaching this curriculum, as volunteers.
The robotics program, called FIRST (F.I.R.S.T. “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology”) is run all over the world by volunteers. The volunteers coach and mentor more than 22,000 teams across 80 countries. See "What is FIRST?" for more information.
More about RoboKnights:
Shalin Shah, RoboKnights’ captain, from USA, started teaching Robotics in Ahmedabad 3 years ago, during his trip to Ahmedabad. Its coverage in The Times of India on Christmas Day, 2013, generated widespread interests from several schools. Over the next two years, Shalin taught these free workshops, ranging from few hours to 6 days, at Ahmedabad University and at several schools – including Delhi Public School, Satva Vikas, FD School, Tulip International School, etc. (Link to OneDrive Album with photos). The challenge has been to keep this exciting program running for the school children of Ahmedabad after Shalin goes back to USA. The challenge has finally been answered by the visionary leaders at Ahmedabad University and at IEEE.
Ahmedabad University recognized the value of inspiring the love of Science and Technology in the young generation of Ahmedabad, with this program that turns robotics into a competitive sport, “Sport for the Mind”. In December 2014, Prafullbhai Anubhai, then Chairman of the Board of Trustees, supported the vision to use robotics as a way to inspire innovative thinking and entrepreneurial teamwork in high school students of Ahmedabad, preparing them for success in college and in life. Ahmedabad University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ (SEAS) Prof. Ratnik Gandhi lent his support as well. And since then, Jaina Mehta, a faculty member of SEAS, has assumed the mantle of this robotics initiative at Ahmedabad University, and Dhruv Gupta of IEEE. Jaina Mehta and Dhruv Gupta’s leadership has inspired some of the best engineering students of SEAS to generously give their time to teach robotics to the high school and middle school students, and through robotics, pave the way for innovation and entrepreneurship. RoboKnights Captain, Shalin Shah, raised funding in USA to donate the expensive equipment to kick-start this initiative, and provided his curriculum, which will be now available, through the SEAS Engineering Student Coaches, to school students of Ahmedabad. Shalin designed that curriculum and trained 8 FIRST Lego League Robotics teams in California with that curriculum, 5 advanced to Regional Competitions, and 1 advanced all the way to the World Championship level.
This is an inspiring example of the generosity of Ahmedabad that brings World-Class opportunities to Ahmedabad. Most notable is the generosity of the Ahmedabad Universities’ engineering students, to commit their time to continue teaching this curriculum, as volunteers.
The robotics program, called FIRST (F.I.R.S.T. “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology”) is run all over the world by volunteers. The volunteers coach and mentor more than 22,000 teams across 80 countries. See "What is FIRST?" for more information.
More about RoboKnights:
Last year RoboKnights was Event Semifinalist Alliance (1 of 4) at the prestigious 2016-2017 FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship in Houston, Texas, at which 128 teams, all winners of previous Regional and Super-Regional Championships across the world, competed for the title of World Champion. In addition to their endeavors in Gujarat, they have worked hard to spread robotics in their local community, including:
-Organizing an ongoing, school-wide FIRST Lego League robotics program at their Alma Mater primary school, Mission San Jose Elementary
-Inspiring young kids to take up robotics at The Tech Museum of Innovation
-Engaging aspiring roboteers to play/learn Robotics at Fremont Library
-Demonstrating their robot at the Intel Kids-to-Work Event
-Participating in the Maker Faire FTC Exhibition
They take great pleasure in introducing this amazing sport and awesome learning opportunity, not only about technology, but also about teamwork and gracious professionalism, to the next generation of Gujarat.
-Organizing an ongoing, school-wide FIRST Lego League robotics program at their Alma Mater primary school, Mission San Jose Elementary
-Inspiring young kids to take up robotics at The Tech Museum of Innovation
-Engaging aspiring roboteers to play/learn Robotics at Fremont Library
-Demonstrating their robot at the Intel Kids-to-Work Event
-Participating in the Maker Faire FTC Exhibition
They take great pleasure in introducing this amazing sport and awesome learning opportunity, not only about technology, but also about teamwork and gracious professionalism, to the next generation of Gujarat.