Igniting Young Minds in Tamil Nadu Robotics League Season 3

Igniting Young Minds — Tamil Nadu Robotics League Season 3

In a spectacular display of innovation and enthusiasm, Tamil Nadu Robotics League Season 3 (TRL-3) unfolded at National College, Trichy, drawing in over 5,000 students from 370 schools across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana. Organized by Propeller Technologies with support from Amazon Web Services (AWS), SASTRA University as the knowledge partner, and powered by Veranda Learning Solutions, TRL-3 set the stage for a thrilling exploration of robotics and STEM education.

Theme and Structure:

The theme for TRL-3 was Space Exploration, which encouraged participants to design and build robots capable of simulating space mission tasks. Students were grouped into Junior, Senior, and Super Senior divisions, allowing them to compete at levels suited to their age and experience. 

The challenges tested not only robotics design and programming skills but also ingenuity, teamwork, and problem-solving qualities that are vital for real engineering tasks.

Highlights & Impact

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  The turnout itself was remarkable: 5,000+ students from 370 schools participated, reflecting high interest in robotics and STEM fields.
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  The organizing team emphasized hands-on learning as the heart of the competition. As Aashik Rahman, CEO of Propeller Technologies, noted: “We’re not just teaching robotics; we’re empowering students to think critically, collaborate, and tackle real problems.”
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  In partnership with nearly 500 schools annually, Propeller Technologies is steadily building a network for nurturing STEM talent in the region.
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  Support from education stakeholders reinforced the vision: Subramanyam Kantheti of Veranda K-12 (which manages BVM Global Schools) highlighted how competitions like TRL provide critical experiential learning beyond textbooks.

Challenges & Takeaways

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  Scale & Logistics : Coordinating an event of this magnitude—with 5,000 students across multiple divisions—is no small feat. Venue preparation, scheduling, maintaining fairness in judging, and ensuring equipment readiness would have demanded meticulous planning.
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  Inclusivity vs. Skill Gap : With participants coming from many schools (some with strong robotics support, others without), balancing the playing field is always challenging. Designing challenges that are open-ended yet grounded helps ensure the competition rewards creativity, not just prior exposure.
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  Sustainability & Follow-up : An event like TRL should ideally spark long-term interest, not just a one-day showcase. Ensuring students continue their projects, join clubs, or get mentorship is essential for real impact.

Moving Forward Vision for Future Editions

1.Expand Reach

Bringing in more rural schools or districts that currently have less access to STEM outreach.

2.Mentorship

Pairing students with mentors from academia or industry to carry their projects beyond the competition.

3.Thematic Continuity

Enable longer cycles so students refine robot designs over months making TRL a lasting experience.

4.Industry Partnerships:

Partner with more sponsors to provide tools, resources, and judges for better quality and scale.

Tamil Nadu Robotics League Season 3 has firmly positioned itself as a marquee event for nurturing young innovators in robotics and STEM. With its broad participation, compelling theme, and collaborative spirit, TRL-3 is not just a competition—it’s a movement toward empowering the next generation of engineers, thinkers, and creators.

Propeller Technologies – Driving Robotics Innovation in India

Aashik Rahman: Revolutionizing Indian Classrooms with STEM Labs

In a country where rote learning still dominates, Aashik Rahman is changing the way students learn. His mission is simple yet powerful — to turn every classroom into a STEM innovation hub where students build, explore, and create instead of memorizing lessons.

From a small village to impacting over 470 schools across India, Aashik’s journey is a story of passion meeting purpose. His idea is shaping a generation of creators ready to lead the future of science and technology.

The Spark Behind the Mission

As a child, Aashik was curious about how machines worked. Without access to gadgets, he began experimenting with his bicycle, adding lights that glowed when he stopped. That spark of curiosity stayed with him and eventually grew into a lifelong mission to promote hands-on learning.  During his engineering studies, he noticed a common issue — students had knowledge, but no space or support to apply it. That’s when Aashik decided to bridge the gap between imagination and innovation through STEM labs. From a small village to impacting over 470 schools across India, Aashik’s journey is a story of passion meeting purpose. His idea is shaping a generation of creators ready to lead the future of science and technology.

The Power of STEM Labs

Launched in 2016, Aashik’s STEM Lab initiative gives students the tools to turn their ideas into reality. These labs are not just classrooms — they are innovation zones equipped with robotics kits, drones, 3D printers, AI modules, and coding systems.  Students use these resources to solve real-world problems. For instance:

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  Some created self-cleaning toilets for their schools.
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  Others built automated irrigation systems for farmers.
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  During COVID-19, his team developed service robots to help hospitals.

This hands-on approach helps students understand that technology isn’t just about theory  it’s about creating change.

Kicked Technology: A Learning Revolution

To guide young innovators, Aashik introduced a unique curriculum called “Kicked Technology.” It encourages students to:

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  Identify a real problem.
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  Design and build a solution.
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  Test, improve, and share it.

This process builds critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, and communication — skills every 21st-century learner needs.

Empowering 470+ Schools and Counting

Today, Aashik Rahman’s STEM labs operate in more than 490 schools, reaching both urban and rural students. His initiative also includes special programs for visually impaired students, proving that innovation is for everyone. These labs have boosted engagement, attendance, and confidence among students. Many now compete in national-level robotics contests and dream of becoming engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs.

Shaping the Future of Indian Education

As India moves toward an AI-driven future, Aashik Rahman’s STEM labs are preparing students to think beyond textbooks. His model proves that with curiosity, creativity, and access to technology, any child can be an innovator. By merging education with innovation, Aashik Rahman is creating not just better students but better problem-solvers and leaders for tomorrow.

Building a Future-Ready India with AI and IoT: The Aashik Rahman Story

Building a Future-Ready India with AI and IoT: The Aashik Rahman Story

It all started with a simple question “Why can’t every child in India build something extraordinary?”
That question changed the life of Aashik Rahman, an engineer turned visionary educator who decided that the future of India shouldn’t just be written in books, but built by hand.

From Dreamer to Maker

Years ago, when Aashik Rahman visited a school to give a guest lecture, he noticed something that troubled him deeply. The students were bright, full of curiosity — but their classrooms lacked one thing: experience.

They could memorize definitions of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things, but few had ever seen a robot or coded a sensor.  That moment became the spark. Aashik realized that the next generation of innovators couldn’t be created through rote learning they needed labs, not just lessons. And that’s how Propeller Technologies was born with a mission to empower students across India to learn AI, IoT, Robotics, and 3D Printing through hands-on experiences.

The Propeller Revolution

Propeller Technologies didn’t start big — it started in a small lab with a handful of students and an even bigger dream.
Aashik and his team began designing simple robotics and IoT kits that could turn classrooms into innovation labs. The first few schools were skeptical. But once students started building robots that moved, drones that flew, and sensors that responded, everything changed.

The excitement was infectious. Students who once feared science started staying after class to tinker with circuits. Teachers saw concepts come alive before their eyes. Parents watched their children transform from learners into creators. Aashik called it the “maker mindset.”

AI and IoT: From Textbook to Real World

Under his leadership, Propeller’s STEM Labs became the bridge between education and innovation. Children as young as 10 began experimenting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) — training simple algorithms to recognize patterns or objects. Others explored Internet of Things (IoT) projects — creating smart lights, automated plant-waterers, and even mini security systems.

One student in Tamil Nadu built a mini smart irrigation system using IoT sensors — a project that later won a national innovation award. For Aashik, that wasn’t just a win; it was proof that access and exposure can turn curiosity into invention.

Empowering India’s Next-Gen Innovators

Today, Propeller Technologies has transformed the way over 490 schools teach STEM. Thousands of young learners have built projects that once seemed impossible — all under Aashik’s belief that innovation starts when you give a child the tools to explore.

And he’s not stopping there. Aashik’s vision for the next decade is bold: to make every school in India a “Future Lab” — a place where children learn AI, robotics, and IoT through creation and collaboration.

The Bigger Picture

In a country with millions of young minds, Aashik Rahman’s story is a reminder that the real wealth of India isn’t its technology — it’s its students. By bringing AI and IoT education into schools, he’s not just teaching science; he’s building a movement that bridges imagination and innovation.

Each robot built, each sensor coded, each project completed is a step toward a smarter, future-ready India

The Legacy in the Making

From a single idea to a nationwide impact, Aashik Rahman’s journey is proof that change doesn’t always begin in boardrooms or policy papers sometimes, it starts with a small lab, a handful of students, and a dream big enough to power a nation.

As the world rushes toward the age of automation and AI, one thing is certain: India’s future innovators are already getting their hands dirty, thanks to a man who believes in learning by doing.

Because for Aashik Rahman, the future isn’t just being imagined  it’s being built, one student at a time