GEF / UNDP SGP has been involved in show casing its results in a National level Congress among the scientists and researchers from National Institutions and young students. The GEF SGP Chair Mr. Hem Pande and SGP Country Program Manager of India Mr. P.S. Sodhi were invited to IRIS an INTEL initiative (Initiative for Research and Innovation in Science) as judge to evaluate the best field based projects in Environmental Sciences by the Students across country. IRIS has been on annual program by INTEL, Confederation of Indian Industry & GOI, Deptt. of Science & Technology.

On the request of INTEL & CII the GEF MoEF GOI instituted two awards for the 2 best project ideas for the students (Cost of award was sponsored by INTEL). Country Program Manager Mr Sodhi along with Ms Sonia Shrivastava, NSC member GEF SGP and from INTEL was also the judge at the venue in Chandigarh on the 18th Nov, 2011 and 2 best ideas were selected from 25 other project ideas in environment science portfolio. Links have been established with all the partners to take forward the ideas.

This whole initiative was the sincere and long term thinking of Ms. Sonia Srivastava, the GEF SGP National Steering Committee Member. This greatly influenced the audience from no less than 50 different research/academic institutes across India. The awards were given to 2 Biodiversity based project ideas as

Env Sc-14: Bio Pesticide For The Control Of Helopeltis antonii In Cocoa Plant. -Sindura Saraswathi; Vivekananda English Medium High School Mangalore, Karnataka

Env Sc-19: Larvicidal Activity Of Citrus Peel Oil - Santosh Banakar; SJSH School, Hubli, Karnataka