A growing groundwater crisis has inspired a schoolboy from Surat to explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence. By analysing borewell records, rainfall patterns and soil-related data, his machine-learning project aims to estimate groundwater availability.
The innovation has now won national recognition.He used AI to predict groundwater availability. Now, he's a national winner (AI generated image) At a time when groundwater depletion is emerging as a major concern, a school student from Surat is turning to artificial intelligence for a possible solution.
Dheyay Shah has developed a machine-learning-based project that estimates groundwater availability using borewell records, rainfall patterns and soil-related data. His innovation has now earned him national recognition.His project, JALAAKAR – The Shape of Water: Predict, Alert, and Act, won the national title at the fourth edition of vivo Ignite 2026, a nationwide technology and innovation challenge for school students.
At the national finale, held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on October 28, 2026, Shah's idea stood out among thousands of entries submitted by students from across the country.His achievement highlights how school students are moving beyond textbooks and using technology to develop innovative solutions to pressing real-world challenges.HOW CAN MACHINE LEARNING HELP PREDICT GROUNDWATER AVAILABILITY?JALAAKAR uses historical groundwater-related records, rainfall information and soil data to estimate water availability at the taluka level. By identifying patterns across these datasets, the model generates estimates that could help communities assess groundwater conditions and make informed decisions about water use.
Groundwater depletion remains a concern in several parts of India, particularly in areas where households and agricultural communities depend heavily on borewells. By bringing together different sources of historical data, Shah's project explores how technology could contribute to more informed groundwater management.However, the organisers have not disclosed the model's prediction accuracy, independent validation results or whether it has been deployed in real-world water management systems.WHAT DID OTHER STUDENTS DEVELOP?Shah was among 13 young innovators recognised for 10 projects at the national finale.
Their ideas addressed challenges ranging from water conservation and pollution to women's safety, road safety and assistive technology.The second-ranked project, JalRakshak, was developed by Vidyut Sundar and Shreyan Limaye of Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai. It uses borewell-specific time-series analysis to anticipate declining water levels by considering rainfall recharge and groundwater extraction.Another notable entry, HydroPlastiNet, was developed by Anish Srinivas, Achyutha Pranav V Subramanian and Akhilesh Ram R of Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School, Chennai.
The proposed filtration system combines mechanical filtration, bentonite and activated charcoal to trap microplastics and adsorb dissolved pollutants.Other shortlisted innovations included Project Unmuted, designed to guide women facing cybercrime; Project DrishtiBodh, a LiDAR-based safety collar for visually impaired people; and AquaSentinel AI, which aims to estimate fluoride concentrations in school drinking water.OVER 6,100 IDEAS, 705 DISTRICTS: THE SCALE OF THE CHALLENGEThe fourth edition of vivo Ignite attracted over 38,000 registrations, with students submitting more than 6,100 ideas from over 12,000 schools across 705 districts. The initiative saw participation from all 28 states and eight Union Territories, including 92 Aspirational Districts.Shortlisted projects were evaluated by a panel of academicians and industry experts on parameters such as creativity, scientific application, feasibility, cost-effectiveness and potential social impact.
The programme offers educational scholarships and rewards worth up to Rs 35 lakh, in accordance with its terms and conditions.Alongside the student awards, vivo Ignite also recognised 10 educators under its National Teacher Innovation Fellowship. The fellowship received more than 200 applications from 14 states and 26 districts.From groundwater prediction and water purification to women's safety and assistive technology, the projects demonstrate how school students are applying classroom learning to real-world challenges.
While some ideas may require further testing and development, they offer a glimpse into how young innovators are using science and technology to explore solutions to pressing social problems.- Ends