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Government of India
Government of India
About the Event
The Grand Finale of the Student Thesis Competition (STC) – Season 5 concluded on a high note after two days of inspiring discussions, knowledge exchange, and youth-led innovation. Co-hosted by the Centre for Rural Development and Technology, IIT Delhi, STC continues to grow as a platform for future urban professionals.
It opened with an Inaugural Session graced by Shri Brijendra Swaroop, Executive Director (Projects), NMCG, Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director, NIUA, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Chief Advisor, Water & Environment vertical, NIUA, and Dr. Pankaj Gupta, CRDT, IIT Delhi. The UG and PG student finalists presented their final theses in front of an eminent jury panel comprising Shri S. Vishwanath, Dr. Nidhi Batra, and Dr. Anand Khatri. While undergraduate students pitched solutions to urban water challenges in cities such as Varanasi, Aizawl, Mirzapur, Chennai, and others, the postgraduate students tackled complex urban water challenges through rigorous research on estuaries, hill towns, marshlands, informal settlements, and more.
This season, the Competition also engaged a group of 100+ university students and early-career professionals with hands-on Certification Training Programmes on “Water Body Rejuvenation for Urban River Management” (with Shree Naik) and “Innovative Approaches to Urban Groundwater Management” (with Shri S. Vishwanath and Dr. Pankaj Gupta). A thought-provoking multidisciplinary Faculty Roundtable invited faculty members from 25+ universities across India, to mainstream river-sensitive thinking into academic curricula.
Day 2 of the Grand Finale of the Student Thesis Competition (STC) – Season 5 was also a resounding success, showcasing the creativity, rigour, and commitment of India’s next generation of urban water leaders. The day brought together vibrant student research, artistic engagement, and dialogue on youth-driven change. For the very first time, it featured “Jal Chitra” – an art competition where students from Classes 8–10 shared their imaginative take on “Reimagining Urban Rivers”. A Fireside Chat with Anshul Tewari, Founder and CEO, Youth Ki Awaaz, on the role of youth as catalysts of change, further highlighted the importance of empowering the next generation of river professionals.
The Valedictory Session was graced by Smt. Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director General, NMCG, Dr. Debolina Kundu, and Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra. The esteemed dignitaries expressed deep appreciation for the impact of STC and encouraged the students to continue working at the intersection of innovation and sustainability.
Key Speakers
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(+91-11) 24643284/ 24617517 (ext. 214)
urvers@niua.org
