PUNE: Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited (MFRL) today announced The Bishop’s School, Pune, as the first Flagship Partner School under the Official F1® Sim Racing India Open Programme, a school-focused initiative aimed at introducing students to the world of sim racing and identifying emerging motorsport talent at an early stage.

Under the initiative, partner schools will receive simulator infrastructure, training support, and structured learning modules designed to introduce students to competitive sim racing and help identify emerging racing talent. Established in 1864, The Bishop’s School was chosen as MFRL’s first Flagship Partner School for its strong tradition of academic and sporting excellence, including recognition through the Commonwealth Youth Games Pune Award in 2008.

Pune makes an ideal starting point for the Flagship Partner School programme, given its strong connection with motorsport and automotive innovation in India. The city has produced generations of racing enthusiasts and competitors, supported by established motorsport infrastructure, a strong engineering culture, and an active grassroots community, which is an ideal environment to introduce structured sim racing programmes and identify students with the potential to pursue motorsport at a higher level.

Speaking at the event, Ameet Gadhoke, Managing Director, Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited, said, “One of the objectives behind bringing the F1® Sim Racing Programme to India is to make motorsport more accessible to young people across the country. Schools are an important part of that effort because they allow us to engage students and parents at an early stage and introduce them to a discipline that combines skill, focus, technology, and competition. We are delighted to welcome The Bishop’s School as the first Flagship Partner School and look forward to creating curiosity and opportunities for students who are interested in motorsports.”

Shayne McPherson, Principal and Honorary Secretary, The Bishop’s School, said, ”At The Bishop’s School, we have always believed in providing students with opportunities that extend beyond the traditional classroom and encourage them to explore emerging fields of interest. This partnership introduces our students to a globally recognised sport through a structured and educational format. Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited brings significant experience in developing young talent and competing at the highest levels of international motorsport, making them an ideal partner as we look to expose our students to new avenues for learning, competition, and personal growth.”

As the first school to join the programme, The Bishop’s School will work with MFRL to establish a sim racing environment within the school premises and provide students access to training and participation opportunities linked to the wider F1® India Programme. By partnering with schools, MFRL aims to introduce students to the sport in a safe, accessible, and educational setting while building awareness of emerging opportunities within motorsport.

The F1® Sim Racing India Open 2026 will span 10 cities across India, with participants competing on professional-grade simulators across Formula One circuits. Online qualifiers are currently open, and city-based simulator rounds will follow, culminating in a national final at the NSCI Dome, Mumbai, in November 2026.

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As part of the collaboration, Marwadi University has been empanelled as a preferred institution for talent acquisition, enabling HDFC Bank to engage with a high-quality pool of MBA students for internships and recruitment. Students selected through the process will be offered a compensation package of ₹5.75 lakh per annum along with performance-linked incentives and other employee benefits.

Dr Sanjeet Singh, Pro Vice Chancellor, Marwadi University, shared, “The partnership comes at a time when India’s banking sector is witnessing rapid transformation driven by digital banking, customer-centric innovation, data analytics, and financial inclusion initiatives. Our partnership represents a significant step towards aligning academic learning with industry expectations. This collaboration will strengthen career opportunities for our students while contributing to the development of skilled talent for the banking sector.”

With a workforce of approximately 2.11 lakh employees and a network of 9,689 branches across 4,175 cities and towns in India as of March 31, 2026, HDFC Bank continues to invest in building a strong talent ecosystem to support its growth and customer service excellence nationwide.

The university secured over 1,000 job offers from 500 companies, including 212 multinational corporations, with leading recruiters such as TCS, Deloitte, Adani Group, Axis Bank, Amazon, and Wipro participating in the placement process. Students received opportunities across sectors, including IT, consulting, BFSI, e-commerce, manufacturing, and healthcare, with the average package reaching ₹5.28 LPA.

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PUNE: The first anniversary of Pune-based SportsVista Foundation, established to provide financial assistance to needy and promising emerging table tennis players aged 10 to 16, was recently celebrated.

About a year ago, the SportsVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme was launched by awarding scholarships to two table tennis players from Kolkata — Ankolika Chakraborty and Sreosree Chakraborty. Within just one year, the number of scholarship recipients has increased to six players.

The new additions include M. Siddhant from Bengaluru, Titash Chatterjee from Kolkata, Rajvardhan Tiwari from Barshi in Solapur district, and Ariv Dutta from Kolkata. The anniversary event was recently held at Deccan Gymkhana.

Among those present at the event were Aniket Koparkar, Sujata, and Sunil Babras, Assistant Secretary of the Table Tennis Federation of India, Yatin Tipnis, and the supporters of the SportsVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme, including Rajendra Tapadia, Jai Shankar, Sameer Mali, Ashutosh Agashe, Malhar Patekar, Viraj Mulye, along with all scholarship-winning players and their coaches.

SportsVista Foundation was established by Shiv Chhatrapati Award winner, former international table tennis player and national coach Sunil Babras; former international table tennis player and member of the national table tennis team selection committee, and Shiv Chhatrapati Awardee Aniket Koparkar; and Shiv Chhatrapati Award winner and former international table tennis player Sujata Babras, to support needy and emerging table tennis players.

Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Babras said, “Under the scheme, financial assistance ranging from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month is provided for one to two years. Along with this, guidance and mentorship necessary for improving performance is also offered. Our primary focus is on helping players in the 10 to 16 age group, especially those who do not receive financial support from any source other than their parents.”

At the very beginning of the initiative, Ankolika Chakraborty joined the SportsVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme, and within one year, she jumped from 25th to 6th place in the international rankings in the Under 15 girls category. Aniket Koparkar informed that all scholarship recipients are currently ranked among the top five players in their respective categories at the national level.

In the national rankings, Ankolika Chakraborty holds the top position in the Under-15 girls category. Ariv Dutta is ranked first in the Under-13 boys category, Titash Chatterjee is ranked second in the Under-13 girls category, Rajvardhan Tiwari is ranked second in the Under-11 boys category, M. Siddhant is ranked third in the Under-13 boys category, while Sreosree Chakraborty is ranked fifth in the Under-13 girls category.

Sujata Babras said that the foundation aims to increase the number of scholarship recipients from the current six to twelve within the next year. Apart from the monthly scholarship scheme, with the support of Atul Bapat of Apex Sports, they will also provide free sports equipment to 24 needy players.

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MUMBAI: The Godrej Foundation, an independent philanthropic trust, today announced the launch of Tomorrow Makers, a national platform designed to identify and support high-potential students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Tomorrow Makers is built on the belief that while talent is widely distributed across India, access to opportunity is not. The platform will identify high-potential students – from Classes 6-12 as well as graduates – and connect them to organisations, educators, mentors, competitions, and peer communities that can help them realise their potential. 

Through programmes run by eight partner organisations, Tomorrow Makers offers four different pathways – STEM, Invention and Making, Arts and Defence –for high-potential students from different age groups. 

Omar Momin, Chief Executive Officer, Godrej Foundation, said, “India is home to one of the world’s largest school-going populations, yet access to structured mentorship, advanced learning opportunities, and talent acceleration ecosystems remains uneven, particularly for students from underserved communities. Through Tomorrow Makers, we aim to help bridge this gap by building pathways that identify and nurture high-potential young people from across regions and socio-economic backgrounds. Through this platform, we hope to build a pipeline of future innovators, researchers, artists, entrepreneurs, soldiers, and public leaders whose success can create multiplier effects by transforming families, strengthening communities, and contributing to India’s long-term leadership and progress.”

For those in Class 10-12 with a strong aptitude in science and mathematics, and who aspire to careers in engineering, medicine or technology, Tomorrow Makers has partnered with organisations Dakshana and Avanti Fellows, who provide free coaching for JEE and NEET preparation.  For younger students in Class 6-7, organisations like Genwise and MakerGhat offer summer camps and workshops for advanced learning in robotics, computing, and higher mathematics, as well as opportunities to compete in national and global robotics competitions. 

In the arts pathway, Tomorrow Makers has partnered with Slam Out Loud, which provides mentorship, skill development, and performance opportunities for children with an aptitude for music, drama, writing, and other forms of creative expression. 

Commenting on the launch, Jigyasa Labroo, founder of Slam Out Loud, said, “When we think of who the cultural curators of India are, we don’t think of what most of our country looks and lives like. There is no dearth of artistic talent in India, but the arts – particularly performing arts – are not an easy field to establish oneself or build a career in. Through our partnership with Tomorrow Makers, we have created a programme for gifted young artists from less privileged backgrounds across India to get the right kind of training, mentorship, and exposure. We’re excited to build the next generation of creative leaders and have their voices represent our country’s stories!“

For graduates, Tomorrow Makers supports two pathways: professional theatre training through Drama School Mumbai, and defence exam preparation through Delta Squad Foundation and Yuvatejas. Need-based scholarships are available for eligible candidates.

Students across India can apply through the website or WhatsApp bot and undergo assessments to identify potential in sciences, invention, arts, and endurance. Successful candidates will be placed in specialised programmes run by Godrej Foundation’s non-profit partners. Tomorrow Makers is part of the Godrej Foundation’s broader mission to promote economic growth, inclusion, innovation, and talent development in India

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Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said, “Golf has traditionally been perceived as a sport limited to the privileged few due to accessibility and resource constraints. The ‘Golf for Everyone’ program seeks to change this narrative by creating opportunities for talented young athletes regardless of their socio-economic background. By bringing golf to the doorsteps of underprivileged children, we hope to foster a truly community-driven sporting culture that celebrates diversity and equal opportunity. BMW India Foundation’s vision is to nurture projects that transcend socio-economic boundaries and become truly inclusive. We strongly believe projects like ‘Golf for Everyone’ hold that tremendous transformational power.”

As part of this endeavor, BMW India Foundation and The Golf Foundation are conducting India’s largest annual golf talent hunt for 2025-26. Through this extensive grassroots golf discovery program, the talent search will begin with in-school talent identification camps across government and low-income schools. To participate in the talent hunt, children can also WhatsApp “I am Talent” on +91 93106 92833.

Using portable hitting mats, nets, and putting kits, children undergo simple athletic evaluations such as throws, sprints, jumps, and coordination drills. This initial screening helps identify young athletes who show potential in physical agility and coordination.

Children shortlisted from these camps will progress to regional on-range golf camps, hosted at golf facilities across multiple Indian states. Here, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of golf and assessed for basic skills, creating a bridge between raw talent and formal training. Over 1,800 – 2,000 children are expected to be screened through these multi-stage processes, culminating in a National Talent Hunt that will select approximately 30 promising young golfers to receive advanced support.

The selected children will benefit from a comprehensive support framework that includes regular professional coaching, access to high-quality equipment, tournament exposure, mentorship, and financial assistance. This holistic development program aims to empower these young athletes to pursue golf professionally while also supporting their overall personal growth.

The ‘Golf for Everyone’ initiative not only aims to identify future champions but also strives to instill values of discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship among the youth. By democratizing access to golf, the program hopes to inspire a new generation of achievers who will carry forward the legacy of Indian sports on national and global platforms.

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Founded by three former international table tennis players and Shiv Chatrapati Awardee Sunil Babras, Aniket Koparkar, and Sujata Babras, the Foundation is committed to nurturing talent with a special focus on those from financially constrained backgrounds.

The SportVista Monthly Scholarship Scheme offers a monthly scholarship of between ₹15,000 and ₹25,000 per month for a period of one year, renewable annually. In addition to financial assistance, the program includes mentorship in tournament planning and access to sports science professionals.

They aim to support players between the ages of 10 and 16. To be eligible, a player should be ranked in the Top 8 in India in their age group for the current or upcoming season. However, the focus is more on financial need. Among these talented players, those from low to middle-income families will be given preference for the scholarship.

Player selection is based on national ranking data published by the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and on-ground observation by the founders. With their deep involvement in the sport, including frequent attendance at national tournaments, the founders can identify promising talent early. The Foundation also invites direct applications from athletes meeting the criteria.

Sportvista Foundation plans to support at least eight players every year, based on the funds raised through donations. The program is unique because it focuses only on players under 16 and is completely non-commercial. Since none of the founders are involved in coaching for money, the selection process is fair and without any bias.

The Foundation is already supporting two young players. Ankolika Chakraborty, India No. 1 and World Top 20 in U15 Girls, is from Naihati, Kolkata, and raised by a single mother. She will be supported to reach the World Top 5. Sreeosree Chakroborty, India No. 1 in U13 Girls, trains at DDSP Academy in Kolkata. She comes from a middle-income family and will be helped to improve her international ranking and join the India U15 team.

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MUMBAI: UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, one of India’s leading higher education institutions, to establish an academic-industry collaboration. The MoU was formally exchanged at UST’s Thiruvananthapuram Campus and outlines a multi-dimensional partnership between UST and BITS Pilani that will promote innovation, talent nurturing, and joint research to bridge academia and industry for creating solutions with real-world impact.

The partnership aims to focus on advanced research and co-creation in frontier domains such as Photonics, Quantum Computing, VLSI, Humanoid Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and MedTech. Through joint research programs, patents, Proof of Concept (PoCs) projects, and commercialization-ready products will be developed under the shared guidance of UST’s engineering experts and BITS Pilani’s academic leadership.

The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Alexander Varghese, Chief Operating Officer, UST; Gilroy Mathew, SVP & Global Head of Engineering, UST; Shilpa Menon, Center Head – Trivandrum; Sarath Raj, Senior Director & Head – HR BSE-APAC; Ashok G Nair, Bhavesh Sasirajan, Deepti Sujatha, and Nikitha Bahadur from UST. Prof. Sanket Goel, Dean (R&I), and Dr. Praloy Mondal, Program Manager, CREST, were present on behalf of BITS Pilani.

Speaking on the occasion, Gilroy Mathew, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Engineering, UST, said,

Prof. Sanket Goel, Dean – Research & Innovation, BITS Pilani, added,

As part of this collaboration, UST will co-develop research programs aligned to pressing industry problems, provide technical mentorship, enable prototyping infrastructure, and support commercialization of innovation outcomes. Areas of cooperation also include semiconductor testing, data-driven engineering, cloud computing, sustainable technologies, and AI-powered industrial solutions. UST will additionally engage with the BITS Pilani placement cell to recruit emerging talent while participating in curriculum design and faculty development efforts.

This collaboration also underscores UST’s commitment to advancing engineering R&D on a global scale. With deep expertise across semiconductor design, software-defined mobility, smart manufacturing, and immersive technologies, UST delivers AI-integrated solutions from chip to cloud. Together, these capabilities position UST as a global leader in delivering adaptive, next-generation engineering solutions.

UST, with expertise in AI/ML for semiconductor validation, automotive predictive maintenance, autonomous driving simulations, and robotic actuators, can drive applied research by sharing real-world datasets and industry challenges. This partnership will leverage BITS Pilani’s AI ecosystem to co-develop market-ready solutions, upskill talent, and advance India’s automotive and robotics sector.

The MoU is poised to drive lasting impact by embedding innovation, agility, and industry relevance into the academic ecosystem, empowering students and faculty to make meaningful contributions. This strategic collaboration with BITS Pilani marks yet another step in UST’s journey to shape the future of deep-tech innovation and India’s talent force.

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CHENNAI: Showing remarkable determination and racing spirit, the young riders of Honda Racing India put on an impressive show in Race 2 of the first round of 2025 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CB300F in Chennai, highlighting their talent and consistency on the track.

Adding to the excitement of Race 2, Solomon R put on a powerful display, showcasing impressive speed, precision, and competitive spirit on the track.

In the 8-lap race, Solomon R, gradually built his pace to gain momentum and take the lead. He maintained a consistent and commanding pace, eventually crossing the chequered flag in first position with a total race time of 17:03.481, while also clocking the fastest lap time of 2:05.892.

The contest for second and third place intensified as Deepak Kumar, Alshin Thomas and Swaroop Krishna went head-to-head, each pushing their boundaries in a gripping battle for the podium.

Showing strong control and consistent pace, Deepak Kumar secured second position, completing the race with a total time of 17:13.576. Right behind him, Swaroop Krishna P maintained steady focus to take third position on the podium with a total time of 17:24.441.

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CHENNAI: Demonstrating exceptional racing passion, the young riders of Honda Racing India delivered a strong performance in Race 1 of the first round of 2025 IDEMITSU Honda India Talent Cup CB300F in Chennai, showcasing their skill and high spirit on the track.

Adding to the thrill of Race 1, the rider Solomon R delivered a fierce performance on the track, setting a benchmark with his speed, control, and racing spirit.

In the 6-lap race, Solomon R made a strong start from 2nd on the grid, swiftly taking the lead in the opening lap. Maintaining a commanding pace, he stayed ahead throughout the race. He secured the first position by crossing the chequered flag first, completing the race in a total time of 12:50.322, while also clocking the fastest lap time of 2:06.934.

The fight for second and third place heated up as Ann Jenifer, Alshin Thomas, Bharath Balan, and Deepak Kumar battled closely, each rider pushing the limits for a spot on the podium.

Showing great control, Ann Jenifer maintained her pace to finish in second position, completing the race with a total time of 13:06.226. Following closely, Alshin Thomas displayed strong focus, securing the third position on the podium with a total time of 13:10.090.

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With the automotive industry experiencing a paradigm shift powered by software driving clean, smart and safe mobility, KPIT is deepening its engagement with academia for talent development. The Mobility Innovation Studio represents the next phase of this engagement making industry-aligned skilling more accessible to engineering students.

The studio aims to foster innovation and collaboration between academia and industry, providing a platform for students and faculty to work on cutting-edge mobility projects. The studio will focus on developing innovative solutions for the automotive and mobility industries, leveraging KPIT’s expertise in areas such as autonomous driving, connected vehicles, and electrification.

Sadhana Karsoliya, Chairperson, TIT Technocrats, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are delighted to host KPIT’s Mobility Innovation Studio at our campus. This collaboration will provide our students with valuable industry exposure and opportunities to work on real-world projects.”

The inauguration ceremony marked the beginning of a new era of collaboration between KPIT and TIT Technocrats, with both organizations committed to driving innovation and excellence in the mobility sector. The studio will offer a dedicated space where students can engage with eminent personalities and alumni working in the industry and continue developing their expertise in the mobility sector.

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