Excitement is building as Team Mauritius puts the finishing touches on its robot ahead of the FIRST Global Challenge 2024, which will take place next month in Athens, Greece. With their departure scheduled for 23 September 2024, the five talented students and their mentors are hard at work at the YUVA Training Room in Port Louis, ensuring that every component of their robot is fully operational and ready to compete on the international stage.

Under the guidance of mentors Dr Krishna Athal and Devesh Takoor, the team is making the final preparations for the robotics competition, where they will represent Mauritius among teams from over 190 countries. Over the past few months, these dedicated students— Shayaan Neetoo, Sohail Jugbandhan, Navneet Heerah, Yushmita Sinanun, and Tooshti Beesoony— have been working tirelessly to design, build, and test a robot capable of handling this year’s challenge, themed “Olympics of Robotics.”

As the team nears completion of the robot, the atmosphere is charged with anticipation. The young engineers can be seen meticulously assembling components, coding, and conducting final tests to ensure that the robot performs flawlessly during the competition. Each student plays a vital role, from programming to mechanical design, and their collective efforts are a testament to their teamwork, skill, and determination.

Mentor Devesh Takoor expressed his confidence in the team’s progress: “The students have shown incredible dedication and creativity throughout this process. We are now in the final stages, and the robot is almost ready to take on the challenges in Athens. It’s inspiring to see how far they’ve come, and I believe they will make Mauritius proud.”

The team’s departure on 23 September marks the culmination of months of hard work, countless hours of preparation, and strong community support. Earlier this week, the students’ parents even joined in on the action, helping to assemble parts of the robot in a special session, further solidifying the bond between the students and their families during this exciting journey.

Team Mauritius’s robot is being designed to compete in a series of challenges that test its ability to navigate, solve problems, and collaborate with robots from other teams. The competition, which focuses on addressing real-world issues like climate change and sustainability, will give the students the opportunity to showcase their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills on a global platform.

The team’s progress has not gone unnoticed by Dr Krishna Athal, Executive Director of YUVA Mauritius, who praised their efforts: “Watching this team come together and build something truly innovative has been amazing. They’ve faced every challenge with determination, and now they’re on the verge of achieving something great. As they head to Athens, they carry with them the hopes and support of the entire nation.”

Mauritians are encouraged to follow the team’s journey and cheer them on as they prepare to depart for Greece. Team Mauritius will spend the remaining days fine-tuning their robot and strategising for the competition, ensuring that they are fully prepared to represent the country in the FIRST Global Challenge from 25 to 29 September 2024.

With the robot nearly complete and the team’s travel date fast approaching, excitement continues to build. Team Mauritius is ready to take on the world in Athens, showcasing not only their technical expertise but also the spirit of innovation and teamwork that defines the youth of Mauritius.