Students showcase Design Thinking at Abhyudaya meet

Abhyudaya hosted its annual principals’ meeting, bringing together school leaders, educators, and partner organisations to strengthen collaboration and shape a shared vision for student development. The event welcomed nearly 50 principals and teachers from across 60 invited schools, creating a vibrant platform for dialogue and collective action.

Expanding Design Thinking across K-West ward schools

A key focus of the meeting centred on scaling the Design Thinking programme across more K-West ward schools. Arati Nagaraj, Director, Abhyudaya, opened the session by outlining Abhyudaya’s enhanced programme structure, which now includes weekly learning sessions, an upgraded Sitara attendance system, and a comprehensive roadmap for the 2025–2026 academic year. She emphasised the programme’s vision: “Our vision is to enable every Sitara to think creatively, engage deeply, and grow confidently into future-ready individuals.”

Dean Varun Nagaraj delivered the keynote address, emphasising how Design Thinking transforms learning by helping students to think innovatively, identify real-world problems, and cultivate creativity through hands-on teamwork.

Bringing ideas to life

The day’s highlight came when 40 students from 10 schools presented their phase 1 project prototypes. Schools represented included Adarsh Municipal MPS English High School, Farooq Sattar Oomerbhoy High School for Boys, Vidya Vikas Mandal Vidyalaya, SVKM’s Sheth M.A. High School, Anjuman-I-Islam Begum Jamila Haji Abdul High School, Madni High Urdu Boys School, Madni High Urdu Girls School, Vidyanidhi High School, St. Catherine’s High School, and S.C.D.B. High School.

Dean Nagaraj visited each stall, interacting with students and sharing thoughtful feedback. Anita ma’am, Facilitator at Curiosity Gym, along with the Sitara volunteers, guided the students through their preparation, ensuring they felt confident and ready to present their work.

Partners open new career pathways

Abhyudaya’s external partners also shared impactful initiatives. Arpan presented its mental health and safety programmes, Avanti Fellows outlined engineering career preparation, and Tech Mahindra introduced healthcare job pathways and skill development initiatives. Schools expressed keen interest in selecting programmes that best aligned with their students’ aspirations.

A networking lunch brought principals, teachers, and partners together to explore potential collaborations, and discuss fresh approaches to student development. The informal setting encouraged meaningful conversations and the exchange of new ideas.

Creating lasting impact

The meeting delivered significant outcomes. It strengthened relationships with participating schools, boosted awareness of how Design Thinking builds creativity and problem-solving skills, and gave 10 student teams invaluable confidence and visibility through their presentations. Direct engagement with partner organisations also opened new learning and career pathways for students.

Abhyudaya’s Ajay Zende concluded the programme with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all principals, teachers, partner organisations, student presenters, and volunteers, with special appreciation for Curiosity Gym’s continued support in nurturing innovation.

The discussions, showcases, and collaborations set a strong foundation for the coming year, reinforcing SPJIMR Abhyudaya’s commitment to holistic development and transformative learning for all Sitaras.