Bhubaneswar: A Class 11 student of PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, CRPF Campus, Bhubaneswar, Shraavya Mishra, has been selected for the prestigious Sakura Science Exchange Programme 2026, a collaborative initiative between the Governments of India and Japan aimed at fostering young scientific talent and promoting international academic exchange.
Her selection has been attributed to the continuous guidance and encouragement provided by her school, teachers, and Principal D. P. Sharma.
Shraavya earned this recognition for her innovative assistive technology project, I-SRAVIA, designed to enable two-way communication between the deaf and mute community and the hearing population. The project uses an image-recognition neural network to interpret sign language and convert it into text or speech, while also translating spoken language into visual cues. With an easy-to-use and accessible interface, the system aims to break the “wall of silence” that often separates hearing-impaired individuals from the rest of society.
Her project received national recognition when she was awarded the INSPIRE-MANAK Award in 2024, an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology that encourages innovative ideas among school students. This recognition formed the basis of her selection for the Sakura Science Exchange Program.
Shraavya has also presented her research at the International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) 2025, hosted at Vellore Institute of Technology. Her work was well received by researchers and later resulted in a peer-reviewed publication in an international journal, marking an impressive milestone for a young student researcher.
In addition, she was selected for the Lodha Genius Programme at Ashoka University in Summer 2025 and has been invited back as a returning student for the 2026 cohort. She has also been selected for a Science Internship Program 2026 at the University of California, Santa Cruz, USA, gaining exposure to global research with international scientists.
Her accomplishments in artificial intelligence competitions include being the team leader of a zonal-winning and national Top 10 finalist team in AI Vidyasetu 1.0. She is also a zonal winner of the Rashtriya Stariya Bal Vaigyanik Pradarshini (RSBVP) 2023 for a project focusing on mental health awareness and solutions for students.
Apart from research and innovation, Shraavya scored 96 percent in her CBSE board examinations, achieved through quality education provided by her school and her own self-study. She has also won multiple gold medals in Olympiads in Science, Mathematics, and English. Her achievements reflect a strong commitment to interdisciplinary learning and socially impactful technology.
Her selection for the Sakura Science Exchange Program places her among a select group of young innovators representing India on a global scientific platform. She is the daughter of the founder of Bhubaneswar-based Prantae Solutions, Dr. Aseem Mishra, and Sumona Karjee Mishra, and the granddaughter of senior journalist Ajoy Misra.
