Shillong, Feb 15: A Class 9 student from Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district has earned accolades after winning a jury award at the North East Science Fair & Innovation Festival 2026 for developing a smart gas leak detection system.
James Donald Kharkongor, a student of Mawngap District Christian Multipurpose Higher Secondary School, received the recognition at the regional event organised by the National Science Centre Guwahati, a unit of the National Council of Science Museums.
Hailing from Laitpynter Synrangkaban village in East Khasi Hills, James developed the “Smart LPG Safety and Hazard Prevention System,” an innovative solution designed to enhance household safety by detecting gas leaks in real time and automatically initiating preventive measures.
The system employs advanced sensors to continuously monitor air quality. When gas concentrations exceed safe levels, it triggers an alarm and activates an exhaust fan to disperse the leaked gas, significantly reducing the risk of fire-related accidents.
Additionally, the project integrates IoT-based alert mechanisms and an automatic solenoid valve that instantly shuts off the gas supply upon detecting a leak.
The jury commended the innovation for its practical relevance, strong technical integration and potential for social impact.
James received mentoring and technical guidance from the Innovation Hub of the Shillong Science Centre during the development phase of his project.
The four-day North East Science Fair & Innovation Festival 2026, held from February 11 to 14 at the National Science Centre in Guwahati, brought together young innovators from across the region, with James emerging as one of the distinguished award recipients.
