Mehar Raj Pradhan 

Founder Droksha | Space & Robotics Enthusiast | Researcher

I am Mehar Raj Pradhan, a passionate Mechanical Engineering student at Vellore Institute of Technology VIT and the founder of Droksha, a startup developing Landslide Alert and Rescue Systems using drones. Growing up in a small village in Sikkim, I faced resource limitations, but my curiosity and drive for knowledge have been boundless.

My journey into engineering began during the COVID pandemic when I creatively transformed an old water dispenser into a touchless hand sanitizer machine—an endeavor I undertook without any guidance. This initial project ignited my fascination with robotics, leading me to create line-following robots, obstacle-avoiding robots, landmine detectors, and drones, all through self-directed learning and experimentation.

Throughout my journey, I have been fortunate to receive several accolades, including the CSIR Innovation Award in 2022, 1st Prize at the Technoxian World Robotics Championship (Drone Rescue 2024), and the State Award at the Youth Ideathon at IIT Delhi. I was also recognized as a NASA Citizen Scientist for my contributions to asteroid and near-Earth object detection.

Currently, I am exploring the realms of Robotics, Aeromodelling, and Space research, with a vision to contribute to the evolution of autonomous systems and planetary exploration. I believe that true innovation emerges when we start from scratch, stay curious, and continually seek knowledge—no matter the limitations we face.