The UniSustain Ideathon 2026, organised by UniSustain in collaboration with BVIEER and IQAC at Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), brought together 40 teams from over 20 colleges, engaging 140+ students in a dynamic platform for student-led sustainability innovation.
The ideathon demonstrated how sustainability moves from vision to action when students are supported with the right ecosystem. Participants engaged deeply with real-world challenges, applying sustainability perspectives within their disciplines and presenting practical, solution-oriented ideas. The presence of an eminent jury, including Rahula Bhakare and Vinit Phadnis, founders of Urdhvam Technologies and innovators in borewell charger solutions, along with experts from academia and government, enriched the process with diverse, practice-based insights.
The event was graced by the eminent presence of Mrs Swapnali Vishwajeet Kadam, Founder Covie and Chairperson, Rabindranath Tagore School of Excellence, Pune during the mentoring session on 12th January 2026 where she encouraged the students to participate and assured all support to innovation. On the 23rd January, 2026, the event was graced by Hon Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Vivek Saoji, who announced the winners and gave away the prizes.
Beyond the competition, the initiative fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthened critical and applied thinking, and built confidence among students to take ownership of sustainability challenges. It reinforced the idea that meaningful impact lies in participation, creativity, and the courage to propose solutions.
The First Prize of Rs. 25,000 was awarded to the School of Physiotherapy, BVDU, Sangli, the Second Prize of Rs. 15,000 to the Poona College of Pharmacy, Pune, and the Third Prize of Rs. 10,000 to the Bharati Vidyapeeth Dental College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai. A Special Recognition was also awarded to the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of IT & Biotechnology, Katraj, Pune for their promising sustainability solutions.