IET India Scholarship Award 2026: DTU’s Kush Garg wins top honor for AI device for neurodivergent children

Delhi Technological University (DTU) student Kush Garg has won the 10th IET India Scholarship Award for developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled device designed to help neurodivergent children navigate everyday situations independently, including ordering food at cafes, shopping for groceries, using public transportation, and following classroom conversations.

Garg was selected as the National Winner from 48,761 engineering students who applied for this year's scholarship program from across India. The selection process involved multiple stages of evaluation, including academic performance, an online assessment, regional rounds, and the National Finals.

Reflecting on the achievement, Garg said, “I'm honoured to have won the IET India Scholarship Award. Beyond the recognition, the experience changed how I approach building things. One of the biggest takeaways for me was the importance of interacting directly with the people affected by the problem, understanding what they actually need, and using their feedback to shape the solution rather than starting with assumptions. The rigorous evaluation rounds and the judges' feedback pushed me to continuously iterate on my ideas and by the end I was far more invested in the problem itself.”

His award-winning project is a compact, AI-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) device that offers real-time, context-aware assistance to neurodivergent children as they engage with their surroundings.

The device was developed in response to the challenge statement, ‘Technical Solutions for Integration of Neurodivergent Children into Society.’

The technology combines sensors and AI to assess various factors, including a child's activities, preferences, challenges, the context of an ongoing interaction, and social cues in the surrounding environment.

Based on this information, the device can provide assistance when required, helping children better understand situations, respond appropriately, and participate in everyday activities with greater independence.

The solution is intended to support children in a range of real-world settings, from social interactions and routine transactions to public transportation and classroom environments.

By providing assistance tailored to the immediate context, the device aims to help neurodivergent children engage more confidently with the world around them.

Omkar Jadhav of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology was named the first runner-up, while V Avinash of BIT Mesra secured the second runner-up position.

The National Finals concluded the 10th edition of the IET India Scholarship Award, which has doubled its total scholarship prize pool this year, from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh. The increase marks a major expansion of the program's financial support for undergraduate engineering students across India.

Over the past decade, the scholarship initiative has developed into one of the flagship programs of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for undergraduate engineering students in India.

It provides a platform for aspiring engineers to demonstrate not only academic achievement but also innovation, leadership, and the ability to apply engineering principles to practical challenges.

Ajay Salariya, India Awards & Scholarships Manager at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, highlighted the importance of identifying solutions that address real-world needs rather than focusing solely on technological complexity.

“Nearly 49,000 students entered the IET India Scholarship Award this year, but what ultimately distinguishes an exceptional engineer is not just the complexity of the technology they build – it is the problem they choose to solve and the difference their solution can make,” Salariya said.

“Kush’s project stood out because it brings sophisticated technologies such as AI and IoT into a very real, everyday human context. As we celebrate the 10th edition of the Scholarship Award, that is exactly the kind of engineering thinking we want this programme to encourage: technically strong, curious, empathetic and focused on creating meaningful impact. Kush is a very deserving national winner, and Omkar, Avinash and all our finalists should be immensely proud of what they have achieved,” Salariya added.

About the IET India Scholarship Award

The IET India Scholarship Award recognizes and supports undergraduate engineering students who demonstrate strong academic performance, innovation, leadership, and the ability to apply their engineering knowledge to real-world challenges.

The 2026 edition marked the 10th year of the program, with a total scholarship prize pool of ₹20 lakh. Candidates progressed through multiple stages of assessment, after which regional finalists presented their solutions to expert juries. The strongest candidates advanced to the National Finals, where the national winners and runners-up were selected.

About the Institution of Engineering and Technology

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) is one of the world's largest professional engineering organizations, with a global membership spanning more than 150 countries.

Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the IET works to inspire, inform, and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world.

In India, the organization has been active since 2006, collaborating with industry, academic institutions, and government bodies to advance engineering and technology. Its work includes thought leadership, professional development, skills initiatives, awards, and scholarships.

For more information about the IET in India, visit www.theiet.in.

For details about the IET India Scholarship Award, visit www.scholarships.theiet.in.