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Nalandians Rakitha and Rananjaya win Gold at ISPRO 2015
View(s):Two Nalandians did the country proud when they won Gold medals at the International Science Project Olympiad (ISPRO) 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Rakitha Malewana and Rananjaya Subash, both senior students of Nalanda College, Colombo, won Gold for their scientific innovations.
Rakitha won for his use of nanotechnology and plant genes to prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infecting the cells of the immune system, while Subash won for his use of microorganisms in water to absorb impurities and consequently its purification.
This year, over 180 young Scientists from 31 countries participated at the 3rd ISPRO. The participating countries were Afghanistan, Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Croatia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey and Uganda.
Over 60 projects were presented in the fields of Environment, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Technology.
Last year, Rakitha won a Bronze medal at the ISPRO for his research findings on the use of the chemical, Catechin, extracted from Sri Lanka Green Tea, in the treatment of Leukemia using nanotechnology (catechin coated iron oxide nano-particles). This was considered the Best Medical Research in Sri Lanka last year, and was also selected as a finalist in Young Scientists’ New Research Forum in Los Angeles.
Rakitha, a Biology student, is attached to the Medical Research Institute (MRI) as a Scientific Researcher.
In 2012, both Rananjaya and Rakitha used cinnamon and tender jak extracts for treatment of dengue, by enhancing platelet levels in blood and were awarded Young Inventor of the Year. (NF)
- Samanthika Madhavi- Pix by Jayamal Chandrasiri