On Saturday, 28 February 2026, the team from Young Tinker Foundation had the opportunity to participate in Innovation Festival 2026 at the Regional Science Centre Bhubaneswar as invited exhibitors. The event was organized by the centre, a unit of the National Council of Science Museums, in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation–India, with support from ecosystem partners such as Startup Odisha and BCKIC Foundation. The festival served as a vibrant platform for innovation, experimentation, and the exchange of ideas, aligning with the celebrations of National Science Day. Representing the foundation, we showcased our flagship initiative Tinker on Wheels (TOW)—a mobile tinkering and innovation lab designed to bring hands-on STEM learning directly to students and communities. Our stall aimed to demonstrate how accessible technology and hardware can become powerful tools for experiential learning when placed in the hands of curious young minds.
Throughout the day, the TOW stall attracted a steady flow of students eager to explore real-world innovation. Many were fascinated by the idea that technology projects are not limited to advanced labs or professionals—students themselves can build, experiment, and create meaningful solutions. These conversations reflected the growing curiosity among young learners to move beyond textbooks and experience learning through making.
One of the most engaging moments of the day was our hands-on activity session, where students were introduced to coding using the Micro:bit. Through simple block-based programming, participants learned how to write basic code that could interact with hardware. For many students, it was their first time coding a device and immediately seeing the result. The excitement was visible as they watched their code trigger actions—lights blinking, responses changing, and devices reacting. Several students expressed amazement at how a few lines of code could bring an idea to life.
The interest extended well beyond the student community. Parents and school teachers visiting the stall showed significant enthusiasm for the hands-on approach to learning. Many shared their thoughts about the need for practical STEM exposure in schools and enquired about organizing similar sessions and workshops for their students. The day also allowed us to connect with educators and institutions interested in bringing experiential learning programs like TOW to their schools.
The festival concluded with a felicitation and closing ceremony attended by several distinguished guests, including Sibani Mohanty, Additional Secretary to the Government, Science and Technology Department, Government of Odisha; Mrutyunjay Suar, Chairman of BCKIC Foundation, Bhubaneswar; Kapil Jain, Project Coordinator at Regional Science Centre Bhubaneswar; and Vivek Kumar, Scientist at the National Innovation Foundation–India. Their presence highlighted the importance of fostering grassroots innovation and encouraging young learners to explore science and technology.
Overall, Innovation Festival 2026 was a dynamic gathering of students, innovators, startups, institutions, and visitors united by a shared passion for creativity and discovery. The vibrant atmosphere made it an ideal space to showcase the mission of Tinker on Wheels and engage with people who believe in the power of hands-on learning.
Experiences like these reaffirm the vision behind TOW—to make technology approachable, encourage experimentation, and inspire students to transform their ideas into tangible creations. When learners are given the opportunity to build, test, and explore, innovation naturally follows.
For schools, teachers, or parents interested in organizing hands-on coding workshops or learning more about Tinker on Wheels, we would be delighted to connect and collaborate. Together, we can create more spaces where curiosity leads to creativity, and ideas evolve into real-world innovations.