Innovation is born when perspectives evolve and this philosophy lays at the heart of the ATAL Innovation Conclave 2026, organised by Manav Sthali School, Rajendra Nagar, under the compelling theme “Mindset – Reset.” Held under the visionary leadership of Chairperson Mrs. Mamta V. Bhatnagar, the event embodied her unwavering commitment to holistic education—one that empowers learners to transcend conventional boundaries, embrace intellectual curiosity and address real-world challenges with creativity, resilience and conviction.
Organised under the aegis of the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL), an initiative of NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and the School Innovation Council (SIC) under the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, the conclave brought together young innovators from diverse schools to exchange ideas, showcase inventive solutions and cultivate essential 21st-century competencies, including design thinking, scientific temperament, problem-solving, collaboration and entrepreneurship.
The conclave featured an engaging and thought-provoking line-up of competitions, including “Trash to Treasure,” which challenged participants across the Junior and Senior categories to transform discarded materials into purposeful, functional creations, and “Pitch Deck,” a Senior Category competition that encouraged students to conceptualise and present entrepreneurial ideas centred on sustainability. The event witnessed an overwhelming response, with more than 25 schools participating in the online first round. Following a rigorous evaluation process, 15 schools were shortlisted for the final offline round, thereby raising the bar for innovation, ingenuity and creative problem-solving.
More than a competition, the conclave emerged as a vibrant celebration of purposeful innovation, where imagination was transformed into action and ideas into possibilities. The event culminated in the presence of Principal Dr. Dipti A Bhatnagar and a distinguished panel of judges comprising Dr. Murtaza Hasan, Professor, Division of Agricultural Engineering and Principal Scientist, Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology (CPCT), New Delhi; Dr. Tapan Khura, Principal Scientist, Division of Agricultural Engineering, ICAR-IARI and Mr. Gauri Dutt, Mechanical Engineer, Patentee, Ideator and passionate Innovator associated with the Atal Innovation Mission as a Regional Mentor of Change. The esteemed jury commended the participants for their ingenuity and enterprising spirit, recognising their efforts as a significant benchmark in experiential and innovation-driven learning.
The conclave concluded with a renewed pledge to nurture curiosity, foster creativity and empower young minds to think beyond the obvious and innovate with purpose.
Its resounding success was made possible through meticulous planning and the unwavering dedication of the organising team, led by Teacher In-charges Ms.Ruchi & Ms.Anushka supported by Ms. Arushi as the compere The Refreshment team comprising of Ms Mansi, Ms Poonam Sachdeva, Ms Priya and Ms Deeksha also coordinated well with the incharges for the event.
