Jayakumar was honoured today for his invention in Bengaluru at an event.
Jayakumar, 13, is a student. His mother works at a fireworks factory in Tamil Nadu's Sivakasi and was injured some years ago in a fire. The incident inspired the young boy to design a low-cost sensor for fire-cracker units that sets off a fire extinguisher.
"Fires are caused firstly because the owner does not take care. There is also rubbing between the crackers. This is a heat sensor that triggers a danger bulb and starts a motor to sprinkle water," said Jayakumar, explaining the way his design would work.
He was honoured today for his invention in Bengaluru at an event to mark the sixth anniversary of another fire.
In 2010, nine people were killed and many more injured on this day in a devastating fire at the Carlton Towers office complex in Bengaluru. The organisation, Beyond Carlton, was set up as a group by relatives and survivors to not just remember those who died but to work for fire safety. It honoured Jayakumar and his science teacher at school, who encouraged the boy to design the device.
Uday Vijayan, of Beyond Carlton, lost his son in the Carlton Towers fire and has been fighting ever since for fire safety. The group hopes to support Jayakumar's idea. "He has come up with an idea and we are trying to see if we can support him in any way," said Mr Vijayan.
Former Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice Santosh Hedge has joined the group's advisory board. "Throughout the year this association has been taking steps to prevent fire accidents and investigating whether these new buildings are properly equipped with fire-fighting equipment."
And, in what has become an annual tradition, fire-fighters were also honoured for their life-saving and courageous work.