State award in 7th National Biennial Competition and IGNITE 2009 award  

What’s the Big Idea?

It’s a suitcase or a strolley with an attached, foldable seat. 

So, if you are at the railway station or the bus stop, you can just pull out the seat to wait comfortably.  

Interestingly, this idea was inspired by super star Shah Rukh Khan. On the way to her grandmother’s home, Nisha saw a huge roadside advertisement for travelling bags that showed Shah Rukh Khan sitting on the floor beside them.  She is a die-hard fan of Shah Rukh’s and thought that he should at least have had a chair to sit on.

“Of course, I knew that he chose to sit on the floor.  But I also realized that standing while at a bus stop or railway station was a common problem.  A pull-out seat attached to a strolley would be very handy while people were waiting,” Nisha shares.  With help of her parents, Nisha created a basic prototype of her idea.     

Support from Family

“My parents are my biggest support system as they motivate me to keep on trying no matter what happens.  They advise, suggest, question and console – dependent on what I’m feeling at the time,” she says.

However, with a younger brother and sister, things do get a bit unruly.  She admits, “My younger brother is in 4th and he’s fine, but my sister, who is in 10th, does get a bit too much to handle at times. We seem to fight about everything.  But we also make up quickly.” 

Interests

She is a budding writer, equally interested in poetry and prose.  Her writing skills won her an essay competition and she got a scholarship to visit China on an educational tour. 

She has also worked as a student on Times of India editorial team for a week where she collected ideas from students for publication and also got to write her own pieces.

She is also a good artist and likes to sketch portraits whenever she gets the time.

Solitude

 I never came to know 

When I started loving solitude, 

the pleasure of being in dark wood

No matter that the birds chirp

I was busy in a curb

Tried to stop my steps, But it was a memory lapse

Kept on going inside the cave

Where there was no life, no wave

Darkness inside appealed me

Curiosity of mine wanted to see

There was no looking back

Maybe I was a wack, But when I looked

I found a long way that I covered

No way to go back

I was stuck in a sack

But now I have started loving it all, For I have a world of my own to call

Hopes and Dreams

She has opted for B.Tech after school to get technical knowledge that will help in implementing new ideas.  After B.Tech, she wants to join NIF because “I like to explore new things and do something different, and what better way than to join an organisation that works on innovation,” she explains.

Note:  Nisha won IGNITE in 2009 when she was in class 10.  She made a basic prototype of her idea.  NIF later engaged multiple design firms for creating an aesthetic and marketable product.  After making six prototypes, the final version is now ready.  NIF filed a patent application (256/DEL/2010) along with an application for design registration (226179), both in her name. In March 2013, Nisha received the State award in the 7th Biennial Awards for Grassroots Innovation and Outstanding Traditional Knowledge organised by NIF.  The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, gave away the awards at a function held in Rashtrapati Bhavan.