• Vande Bharatam sees a strong surge in applications within days of a nationwide outreach campaign that engaged more than 50,000 students across leading colleges and universities in under 10 days
  • Outreach covered 48 campuses across eight cities – Lucknow, Kanpur, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Patna, Kochi, Bhopal and Indore – introducing thousands of young innovators to the initiative

Ahmedabad: Vande Bharatam, the initiative launched by Mr Gautam Adani to discover, nurture and empower India’s next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and changemakers, is seeing a strong and steady stream of applications following an extensive outreach programme across India’s premier educational institutions, including IITs, IIMs, NITs and leading universities. Conducted across 48 campuses in eight cities, the campaign engaged thousands of students, reflecting the growing entrepreneurial spirit among India’s youth and their eagerness to transform innovative ideas into impactful ventures. In under 10 days, the outreach engaged more than 50,000 students across the campuses visited, underlining the scale of interest the initiative has generated on ground.

Recognising that educational institutions are where entrepreneurial aspirations take shape, Vande Bharatam aims to provide young innovators with access to mentorship, industry exposure and opportunities to accelerate their growth. To bring this vision directly to students, the initiative conducted on-ground activations across campuses, featuring branded LED vans, promoter-led interactions, audiovisual showcases and QR-enabled registrations. The initiative has emerged as one of the most-registered entrepreneurship programmes at the campus level in recent months, with applications received from nearly every campus visited. The outreach created strong awareness about Vande Bharatam, with students registering directly at their institutions.

Speaking on the response, Mr. Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group, said “Educational institutions are where ideas are challenged, confidence is built and aspirations begin to take shape. They provide the ideal environment to encourage young minds to think differently, innovate fearlessly and believe that their ideas can make a difference. Through Vande Bharatam, we want to give every innovator, whether a student, entrepreneur or professional, a platform to learn, grow and turn ideas into meaningful solutions. The response we have received has been truly encouraging, and I hope many more aspiring innovators from across the country will come forward and be part of this journey.”

The applications received so far reflect the diversity of India’s innovation ecosystem, with participants representing a wide range of backgrounds and stages of innovation. Entries span sectors including technology and artificial intelligence, healthcare, agriculture, education, sustainability, manufacturing, retail and consumer solutions, highlighting the breadth of ideas emerging from across the country.

Open to individuals with innovative ideas, prototypes, early-stage ventures and established businesses, Vande Bharatam offers shortlisted participants mentorship, incubation support and opportunities to engage with industry leaders. Selected participants will advance to the national finale in Ahmedabad, where they will further refine their ideas and showcase them before an esteemed jury. Through this process, the initiative aims to strengthen India’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by helping promising ideas realise their full potential.