A journey from the Shanties to Sydney: Resource-challenged adolescents Clinch Victory in International Robotics Competition.

Salaam Bombay Foundation is delighted to share the incredible achievement of Sumit Yadav and Paras Pawade, trained under the expert guidance of The Innovation Story, who as part of Team Paraducks, have won the Asia Pacific Open Championship in Australia. The students were hand-picked from Salaam Bombay Foundation’s skills@school programme and belong to India’s urban slums.

Representing The Innovation Story and Salaam Bombay Foundation, Team Paraducks triumphed at the Asia Pacific Open Championship with their robot, Ducktator. Competing against strong teams like Sana Team from Kazakhstan, their focus on improving mosaics and set lines during practice paid off. Their teamwork and strategic planning were key to their success. Looking ahead, the team aims to create advanced robots that can seamlessly fit into everyday life, pushing the limits of artificial intelligence and robotics.

At SBF, our trainers and mentors conducted thorough grassroots scouting to identify promising talents like Paras and Sumit, envisioning a career continuum for them. We partnered with The Innovation Story to further support the career trajectories for these young individuals.

Sumit who studied in Guru Nanak Higher Secondary School, GTB Nagar, began his journey with the Foundation in 2021 when he joined the SBF’s skills@school’s mobile repair course in std. 7. Like his team mate Paras, they both went through a series of aptitude tests and personal interviews, they were selected for an advanced training programme by The Innovation Story. Here they received the opportunity to train under some of the best minds in robotics at their specialized centres. Inspired by his neighbour, a software engineer in the USA, Sumit dreams of following a similar path while staying connected to his roots in India. His love for mechatronics and the values taught by his father have fuelled his drive for success.

While Paras comes from a family of farmers, he dreams of becoming a tech innovator to help solve the challenges faced by India's agricultural community. While completing his education at Pal Rajendra School, Paras also joined Salaam Bombay Foundation's Robotics programme in 2021.

Under the expert guidance of The Innovation Story, through Salaam Bombay Foundation both Sumit and Paras had the opportunity to participate in The FIRST Tech Challenge in Pune and at the FIRST Global Challenge – the Olympics of the Robotics World in Geneva, Switzerland in 2022. This proved to be a truly a life-changing experience for each of them. From being unable to operate a laptop to being trained for over 300 hours in robotics, they became first-time international travellers and also the first ones in their families to even get their passports made!

The outstanding achievement of Sumit and Paras is a source of immense pride for all of us at Salaam Bombay Foundation. Their journey from local classrooms to an international stage is not only a testament to their determination but also to the opportunities provided by Salaam Bombay Foundation. It is a tale of perseverance that inspires us all. Since the STEM programme's launch in 2014, more than 19,000 students have been enrolled across cities including Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and Mysore, with 30% of these students being girls. SBF remains committed to empowering students with the skills and confidence needed to dream big and achieve their goals.

The Innovation Story, which supported Team Paraducks in competing in Australia, has been a driving force, offering young innovators a chance to showcase their talents on a global stage. The organization's dedication to excellence in robotics and STEM education has been vital in shaping the futures of Sumit and Paras.

Salaam Bombay Foundation has played a crucial role in discovering and nurturing the potential of Sumit and Paras. Through its programmes, the Foundation has provided them with opportunities to develop STEM skills, practice engineering principles, and learn the value of teamwork and innovation. This support has been essential in their journey to success.

The success of Sumit Yadav and Paras Pawade at the Asia Pacific Open Championship is more than just a personal victory; it's a source of inspiration and hope for young innovators across India.




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About The Innovation Story:

The Innovation Story is a team of passionate educators from globally acclaimed universities united in our goal to equip children with cutting edge skills for their future careers. We strive to inspire and transform children through experiential learning; seeing them change and grow as they create things with their own hands is our biggest motivator. We want to cultivate interdisciplinary intelligence and, in the process, inspire the values of curiosity, innovation, confidence and collaboration in children.

About Salaam Bombay Foundation:

A CHILD IN SCHOOL HAS A FUTURE

Salaam Bombay Foundation started in 2002 to work with 12- to 17-year-old adolescent children growing up in Mumbai’s slums. These children live in extreme poverty and in “at risk” environments. The municipal schools they go to do not have the resources to give them individual attention, career guidance or access to activities that stimulate the mind. Many are undernourished and face the risk

of substance abuse. They come from financially challenged homes and are pressured to drop out of secondary school and seek jobs to support their families. Given these ground realities, Salaam Bombay Foundation has harnessed the ability of child-friendly, innovative education tools to develop life skills and coping skills necessary to ensure that these adolescents develop into well rounded personalities, able to meet the challenges they face and take on leadership roles within their communities.

The Foundation keeps children in school by empowering them to make the right choices about their health, education and livelihood thereby ensuring that they can thrive with a bright future. In-school leadership and advocacy programmes equip "at-risk" adolescents with the life skills they need to lead change. The Sports, Arts and Media academies encourage them to express themselves and provide performance opportunities that build self-esteem. The skills@school programme broadens their career horizons and empowers them with vocational skills for sustainable careers. Through its DreamLab initiative, SBF, has provided for a continuum of skills training and market-based internships to youngsters in the age group of 14 and 18 years. Launched in July 2019, DreamLab, has been able to furnish stipend-based internships to 163 skills@school alumni across nine job sectors. DreamLab also creates a talent pool of grassroot entrepreneurial adolescents. Salaam Bombay initiatives increase confidence, give vulnerable adolescents the means to earn part-time and stay in school, and provide the tools to explore their full potential. For more information, please visit www.salaambombay.org