Kush Garg wins IET India Scholarship for AI device aiding neurodivergent children

Kush Garg, a student at Delhi Technological University, received the 10th IET India Scholarship Award on October 9, 2026. Standing out from a field of 48,761 applicants, he secured the national title with an AI-enabled device built to help neurodivergent children navigate daily routines. The tool assists with tasks like ordering food at a cafe, shopping for groceries, or using public transport. The project reflects Garg's focus on practical solutions for neurodivergent individuals, blending technical skill with a clear understanding of human needs.

The IET India Scholarship Award is designed for undergraduate engineering students who pair academic success with the leadership needed to solve real-world problems. In 2026, the program reached a new milestone as the total prize pool doubled from ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh. Garg developed his device to address a specific challenge regarding the social integration of neurodivergent children. By combining AI and IoT technology, the system offers context-aware help, providing support tailored to a child's specific environment and preferences. For Garg, the process highlighted the necessity of learning directly from those the technology is meant to serve.

Creating the device required deep research and direct conversations with neurodivergent people to better understand their perspectives. This iterative approach allowed Garg to refine the tool, making it more effective for daily use. The scholarship's selection process was thorough, involving academic reviews, online testing, regional competitions, and finally the National Finals. Garg’s project distinguished itself through its immediate utility and potential for impact. The judges noted how the work balanced sophisticated technology with a clear grasp of human requirements, offering a model for how engineering can support social inclusion.

The impact of this work reaches into education, technology, and social policy. Tools that empower neurodivergent children often lead to greater personal independence and confidence. While these benefits are felt most clearly by the individuals themselves, such innovations also contribute to a society that accommodates a wider range of needs. Recognizing this project underscores the role of innovation in meeting social demands, potentially steering other young engineers toward work that addresses similar life-improving goals.

Garg’s success provides a path for other engineering students and inventors to follow. The IET India Scholarship Award remains a venue for identifying young talent and supporting projects that pair technical ability with a clear social purpose. As technology continues to change, the opportunities to build tools for neurodivergent people and other groups will likely grow. Engineering focused on human experience is a developing field, with the potential to improve the quality of life for many. Support from organizations like the IET remains a factor in encouraging this sense of social responsibility within the engineering profession.