Interested people can apply by selecting 10 everyday things with a few lines for each topic before August 22. The object should be things that are used and seen every day with significance in Nepali history and society.Pavitra Gautam of Karkhana clarifies, "One example can be the corrugated sheets we use. It's been around for a long time and someone can research when it first came to be of use in Nepal, for what purposes it's used, etc. What we're trying to do is encourage research work."
The selected researcher will be provided with a grant of Rs 100,000 and will be mentored by Dr Yogesh Raj throughout the process. While conducting the study, the researcher will be working closely with artists so that the final products 'fit into an art exhibit.'
Yantra 4.0 includes three other components. It will maintain the annual robotics competition while also continuing with the art-tech factor by having artists and engineers collaborate on projects. The final component is a design challenge for which Karkhana will prepare school students by organizing a workshop on Paper Engineering.
Gautam says, "Since this is a new component, we will be focusing on the educational network in Bhaktapur District for this year. The art-tech collaboration will also be a bigger and better one this year. We're working towards quality development in terms of the projects. The artists and the engineers will be taking workshops together for three months so they will have a detailed project at hand."
Yantra 4.0 will be held in the last week of November at different locations. The winning works will however be exhibited at Nepal Art Council in Babarmahal.
Applicants for the research project should email their CV to nischal.oli@gmail.com along with a cover letter (500 words), research methodology, and selected objects with a few lines each.
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