KUSHAGRA 2026 Attracts Participation from Over 50 Colleges, with More Than 650 Students
KUSHAGRA 2026, the intercollege management festival organised by Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha’s Smt. Hiraben Nanavati Institute of Management & Research (HNIMR), Pune, received an enthusiastic response from students across Pune and surrounding areas. The festival witnessed participation from over 50 colleges, with over 175 entries registered across six competitions and more than 650 students taking part in the various events.
Organised around the theme “YuvaOne – AI Provides a Power, HI Provides a Purpose,” the festival highlighted the importance of combining the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Human Intelligence (HI), creativity, critical thinking, decision-making and practical skills. Students from diverse academic disciplines, including Management, Engineering, Law, Arts, Commerce, Science, Fashion Technology, Nursing and Architecture, came together on a common platform to exchange ideas, collaborate across disciplines and demonstrate their managerial and problem-solving abilities.
Six Competitions, One Platform for Excellence
KUSHAGRA 2026 featured six exciting competitions: Mind Your Bizz, Mystery Masters, Pitch Tank, One Shot 60, Captura and The Trading League. Each competition was designed to challenge participants’ business acumen, creativity, teamwork, analytical thinking, investment-related decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Winners and Runners-up
- Captura
- Winner: Aditya Jadhav – MIT-ADT
- Runner-up: Neha Kondhalkar – S. P. College
- Mind Your Bizz
- Winners: Prasann Bharshankar and Sahil Patil – Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Management Studies
- Runners-up: Prathamesh Chandak and Dipali Pal – Dr. D. Y. Patil Institute of Management Studies
- One Shot 60
- Winner: Samrat Shirole – AISSMS Institute of Management
- Runner-up: Yash Aher – JSPM University, Wagholi
- Pitch Tank
- Winners – Team No. 2: Marathwada Mitra Mandal College, Pune
Team members: Gaurav Paygude, Pushkaraj Bansalsi, Preeti Bhokare and Palak Singla. - Runners-up – Team No. 12: IMERT, under Marathwada Mitra Mandal
Team members: Achal Chaudhary, Neha Chaudhary, Siddhi Sawant, Siddhi Bait and Vaishnavi Bhad.
- The Trading League
- Winners: Manmohan Bhat and Neha Chaudhary – IMERT, under Marathwada Mitra Mandal
- Runners-up: Sarthak Kannawar and Rajveer Muley – SKNCOE
- Mystery Masters
- Winners – Team No. 33: S. B. Patil Institute of Management
Team members: Suraj Patil, Sakshi Shinde, Shravani Kanore, Jidnesh Baviskar and Jaydeep Khedekar. The team completed the competition in 3 minutes and 48 seconds. - Runners-up – Team No. 14: PUMBA, Savitribai Phule Pune University
Team members: Sahil Mhaske, Amitabh Shah and Atharva Chavan. The team completed the competition in 4 minutes and 14 seconds.
Promoting Skill Development and Industry-Oriented Learning
KUSHAGRA 2026 was more than a competitive event; it provided students with an opportunity to connect classroom learning with practical business situations. Through experiential challenges, participants explored business problem-solving, pitching innovative ideas, understanding market dynamics, collaborative decision-making and the effective application of technology.
In keeping with the educational and social mission of Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha, HNIMR remains committed to nurturing leadership, entrepreneurship, innovation and industry-relevant competencies among students. The enthusiastic participation and interdisciplinary engagement at KUSHAGRA 2026 reinforced the institute’s commitment to experiential learning and the holistic development of future management professionals.
Inauguration and Leadership
The inaugural ceremony of KUSHAGRA 2026 was graced by Dr. P. V. S. Shastry, Secretary of Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha, as the Chief Guest. His presence encouraged and motivated the participating students.
The festival was organised under the guidance of Dr. Priyanka Singh, Director, HNIMR, with the dedicated efforts of Dr. Ashok Pawar, Dr. Suvarna Dhamdhere, and student representatives Kalyani Kondhare, Veda Deshpande and Shravani Darange.
The teaching and non-teaching staff, event coordinators and student volunteers played an instrumental role in planning and executing the festival. Their collective efforts, together with the enthusiastic participation of students from diverse institutions, contributed significantly to the successful conduct of KUSHAGRA 2026.
Acknowledgement of Sponsors
HNIMR gratefully acknowledges the valuable support of its sponsors—Venky’s, TJSB Bank, Lokmanya Multipurpose Co-operative Society and Kaddle Nest—for KUSHAGRA 2026. Their support contributed to the successful organisation of the intercollegiate management festival.
The institute extends its sincere gratitude to all the sponsors, participating colleges, faculty members, student coordinators and volunteers whose support and collaboration helped make KUSHAGRA 2026 a memorable and successful event.
