KUALA LUMPUR: SMK Vivekananda, Kuala Lumpur 's Hogwarts emerged as the state champion of the Shell NXplorers Malaysia 2026 Peninsular Malaysia Challenge, standing out for its innovative approach to tackling real-world food, water and energy challenges.
Hidronix from SMK Tengku Idris Shah, Selangor secured the first runner-up title. Both these teams will represent Peninsular Malaysia at the national Shell NXplorers Malaysia challenge, which will take place later this month.
Designed to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers, Shell NXplorers is a global education programme that enables students to address food, water and energy challenges through critical thinking and systems thinking.
The programme provides participants with the tools and frameworks needed to create innovative solutions for an increasingly complex world.
“Tomorrow’s breakthroughs will come from the young minds we inspire today. As the world navigates increasingly complex food, water and energy challenges, it is critical to equip young people with the skills, confidence and mindset to think differently and innovate,” said Shell shallow water and deep-water portfolio general manager (Malaysia) Jill Chieng.
“Through Shell NXplorers, students are exposed to critical thinking, engineering, digital technologies and automation, enabling them to turn ideas into practical solutions.
“By nurturing curiosity, creativity and systems thinking, we are helping develop the next generation of leaders who will shape a more sustainable future.”
Emerging as state champions, Vashnie Ramesh Kumar, Sakthivelan Kumaraguru and Meenal Muthiah of Hogwarts impressed judges with a creative solution, Smart BTI Bio-Sentinel. This is an automated dengue prevention system that detects stagnant water and monitors temperature using sensors connected to an Arduino UNO. When suitable mosquito-breeding conditions are detected, it automatically releases BTI solution to help control larvae, while providing real-time alerts through an LCD screen, buzzer and LED lights.
Thirumaghaal Magaswaran, Durka Kalidass and Tarunika Partheepan of Hidronix impressed judges with Auto Aqua Plant, a smart aquaponic system that automatically waters plants using water from a fish tank. By monitoring soil moisture and delivering water only when needed, it promotes healthier plant growth while reducing water waste and manual watering.
The Most Innovative Award was presented to Sea Shell from SMJK Chong Hwa, Kuala Lumpur for their Smart Fridge System invention. This is a smart system that tracks food stored in a refrigerator and updates users through a mobile app. By making it easier to keep track of food, it helps prevent spoilage and reduce unnecessary food waste.
This year’s participating schools were SMK Vivekananda, SMK Bandar Sunway, SMJK Chong Hwa, SMK Orkid Desa, SMK Tengku Idris Shah, SMK Taman Seri Rampai and SMK Aminuddin Baki.
Supported by the Education Ministry, Shell NXplorers Malaysia engaged over 600 students from 29 schools nationwide, including 213 participants from Peninsular Malaysia, while extending its impact to around 1,000 students through peer-to-peer learning.
To learn more on Shell NXplorers Malaysia, click here.
