Top performers of Model Glider Competition 2026 rewarded

The finals of the 10th edition of the Model Glider Competition was held today at the Côte d’Or National Sports Complex, bringing together secondary school students of Grade 10 and 12 across Mauritius to demonstrate their creativity, engineering abilities, and enthusiasm for aeronautics.

Organised annually by the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre (RGSC) in collaboration with the Aeronautical Society of Mauritius (AeSM), the competition aims to inspire young minds to explore the fields of aeronautics, aviation, engineering, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The initiative also seeks to encourage more students to pursue careers in aviation and related sectors.

The Director of the RGSC, Dr Aman Kumar Maulloo; the President of the Institution of Engineers Mauritius, Mr Chandansing Chutoori; and other personalities were present on the occasion.

The competition was divided into two categories: Category 1 for Grade 10 students and Category 2 for Grade 12 students. Participants competed in teams of four under the supervision of a teacher. During the finals, each team was required to present and fly its model glider, with three attempts allowed per team. Awards were based on the maximum flight range achieved.

The preliminary evaluation sessions were held on 08 and 09 April 2026 at the RGSC. The preparatory phase included workshops conducted in March to train participants in the design, construction, and flight testing of model gliders. Some 95 teams from over 70 secondary schools registered for the competition out of which 44 teams qualified for the finals. The winners are as follows:

Winners – Category 1 (Grade 10)

Captain Richard Twomey’s First Prize of Rs 10,000 and Shield: Shrimati Indira Gandhi State Secondary SchoolSecond Prize of Rs 6,000 and Shield: Mahatma Gandhi Secondary School Nouvelle FranceThird Prize of Rs 4,000 and Shield: St Esprit College

Winners – Category 2 (Grade 12)

Captain Richard Twomey’s First Prize of Rs 10,000 and Shield: Frank Richard State Secondary SchoolSecond Prize of Rs 6,000 and Shield: London CollegeThird Prize of Rs 4,000 and Shield: Bikramsingh Ramlallah State Secondary School

Certificates of Participation were awarded to all teams that submitted their logbooks together with their model gliders during the preliminary stage.

In a statement, Dr Maulloo highlighted that the competition has empowered more than 5,000 secondary school students across Mauritius in the field of model glider construction over the past decade. He recalled that the initiative was launched in 2016 through a collaboration between RGSC and one of the founding members of AeSM, Captain Richard Twomey, who enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a Royal Air Force pilot and a commercial aviation pilot for more than 30 years.

He praised the enthusiasm and dedication shown by the students, along with the valuable support provided by teachers and school rectors in encouraging participation. He also underlined the broad range of opportunities available in the aviation and aeronautics sectors, urging young people to cultivate a strong interest in these promising fields.

Mr Chatoori, for his part, elaborated on the knowledge and hands-on experience students acquire through the design and construction of model gliders, noting that the activity involves significant creativity. He added that engaging in model gliding can open doors to various career paths, as the skills developed through the competition help students to innovate and tackle new challenges.

15 May 2026

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