Raipur: Two schoolgirls from Raipur represented Chhattisgarh at the BRICS 2026 platform with an innovative project on rainwater harvesting and sustainable urban water management, highlighting the role of school-level innovation in addressing environmental challenges.
Vartika Patil, a Class 7 student, and Umeshwari Sahu, a Class 8 student of P.G. Umathe Vidyalaya, presented their project titled “Building Sponge City Together.” The project is based on the concept of rainwater harvesting and sustainable management of urban water.
Chhattisgarh’s Only School Representation
The competition featured students from six states across India, with Vartika and Umeshwari representing Chhattisgarh. Their participation gave the students an opportunity to present their water-conservation idea on a platform associated with the BRICS 2026 programme.
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The project was also selected for the BRICS 2026 School Geospatial Project Showcase. According to a Chhattisgarh report, P.G. Umathe Vidyalaya was the state’s only selected school for the showcase, with the project presented under the guidance of teacher Rita Mandal. The showcase was held on July 22 at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Tirupati.
‘Building Sponge City Together’ Focuses on Rainwater
The students’ project draws on the “sponge city” concept, an urban planning approach that enables:
- Cities to absorb rainwater
- Retain and reuse rainwater through suitable infrastructure and green spaces.
The model addresses challenges associated with rainfall and urban water management while encouraging more sustainable use of water resources.
The project therefore combines rainwater harvesting, water conservation and sustainable urban planning in a school-level innovation.
Students Highlight Learning from BRICS Platform
Speaking to media, Umeshwari Sahu described the experience as an important learning opportunity.
She said the students represented Chhattisgarh at the BRICS 2026 competition, where students from six states participated. She also said their project focused on rainwater harvesting and expressed hope that they would be able to develop it further.
The students’ participation highlights how environmental issues such as water conservation are increasingly being addressed through school-level scientific and geospatial projects.
Focus on Sustainable Water Management
The sponge-city approach presented by the students is aimed at making urban areas better equipped to manage rainwater. Such approaches can support water conservation by helping cities retain and reuse rainfall rather than allowing water to be lost through surface runoff.
The project also reflects the broader importance of encouraging young students to develop practical solutions to environmental challenges.
With their participation at BRICS 2026, the Raipur students have brought a school-level water-conservation idea to an international platform while representing Chhattisgarh in the programme.
