11 students from Pune Zilla Parishad and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) schools are gearing up to showcase their talent on a global stage after being selected for Robotics International 2025, the world’s largest robotics festival. The event will take place on December 5 and 6 in Tallinn, Estonia, Europe.
Pune Zilla Parishad CEO Gajanan Patil said, "These students, most of them from modest backgrounds, have spent nearly a year building projects that address everyday challenges. Their work includes a firefighter robot, a device to assist people with disabilities, a battery health monitoring system, a recycling assistant, a girls’ firefighting robot, and a suicide alert system. They study in ZP Primary Schools at Hinjawadi and Lonikand, Nav Hind High School, Raja Bhiku Pathare School in Kharadi, Gurunanak School, and Dr Cyrus Poonawalla English Medium School."
"This achievement follows their strong performance at the Robitex India National Championship held at MIT University, where more than 5,000 students from across the country competed. Among over 1,000 participants from government schools, these 11 students stood out for their creativity, coding skills, teamwork and problem-solving ability," he added.
Over the past few years, Pune Zilla Parishad has introduced digital classrooms, robotics labs, and regular mentoring sessions to give rural students exposure to modern technology. Support from corporate CSR partners has helped set up labs, offer scholarships and bring in experts to guide the children.
Patil further added, "The success of these students reflects the determination of rural children and the belief that, with the right support, they can dream fearlessly and achieve at the highest level."
This initiative will help the students bridge the gap between urban and rural opportunities and inspire many first-generation learners to explore science and technology.
Among the selected students, Swara Bhatewara and Uday Gawai from ZP School Hinjawadi have built a system designed to help reduce road accidents. Another pair, Aarohi Ujagare and Saurabh Paddune, created a device for visually impaired people. Fitted with a camera and headphones, it alerts users about obstacles ahead while walking.
The students say they wanted visually impaired individuals to feel safer and more confident while moving around independently. Their projects reflect not just technical skill but also a deep understanding of real human needs.
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