Meghalaya class 9 student wins jury award for smart LPG gas leak detection system

A Class 9 student from Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district has brought laurels to the state by 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 aimed at enhancing household safety by detecting gas leaks in real time and automatically initiating preventive measures.

 

The system uses advanced sensors to continuously monitor air quality. When gas levels exceed safe limits, it triggers an alarm and activates an exhaust fan to disperse the leaked gas, thereby reducing the risk of fire accidents.

 

In addition, the project incorporates IoT-based alert mechanisms and an automatic solenoid valve that immediately cuts off the gas supply upon detecting a leak.

 

The innovation was praised by the jury for its practical relevance, strong technical integration, and potential social impact.

 

James received mentoring and technical support from the Innovation Hub of the Shillong Science Centre during the development of his project.

 

The four-day North East Science Fair and Innovation Festival 2026, held from February 11 to 14 at the National Science Centre in Guwahati, showcased innovations from across the region, with James emerging as one of the award winners.