vivo India has declared Dheyay Shah from RMG Maheshwari English School in Surat, Gujarat, the national winner of vivo Ignite 2026. The announcement took place at the initiative’s National Finale held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on October 28.
Now in its fourth edition, vivo Ignite is a nationwide innovation initiative designed for students in Grades 8 through 12. Shah secured the top position for his project, JALAAKAR – The Shape of Water: Predict, Alert, & Act, which integrates machine learning with historical groundwater data to forecast water availability and assist in resource management.
Scale and Participation
The 2026 edition saw widespread participation across India:
- Registrations: More than 38,000 students registered from over 12,000 schools.
- Submissions: Over 6,100 project ideas were submitted.
- Geographic Reach: Entries represented 705 districts across all 28 states and 8 Union Territories, spanning over 4,500 cities and including 92 Aspirational Districts.
- Scholarships and Awards: The program offered educational scholarships and rewards totaling up to INR 35 lakh.
The initiative was supported by knowledge partners including the IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation (Technology Innovation Hub of IIT Madras), the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF), and the UN Global Compact Network India (UNGCNI). Grant Thornton served as the process validator.
National Finale and Educator Recognition
The finale brought together student finalists, educators, and key institutional stakeholders. Dignitaries in attendance included Dr. Panneerselvam Madanagopal, CEO of MeitY Startup Hub; Shri Ratnesh Jha, Executive Director of UNGC NI; and Dr. M J Shankar Raman, CEO of IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation. The event was hosted by technology commentator Rajiv Makhni.
In addition to the student honors, vivo India recognized 10 educators under the National Teacher Innovation Fellowship (NTIF). Selected from a pool of more than 200 applicants across 14 states and 26 districts, the fellows were commended for developing practical, inclusive, and engaging instructional methods in STEM education.
Top 10 Student Innovations
A jury of academic and industry specialists evaluated the finalists based on scientific application, creativity, feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential societal impact. The final cohort comprised 13 students across eight individual and two group projects.