Azad Ali (extreme left) and Rajeev Kumar Singh (extreme right) felicitate Trisha Kaur Ahluwalia and Tiana Purohit from La Martiniere for Girls at the Shiv Nadar Think Challenge 2026 at Tollygunge Club Shiv Nadar University
A spirit of intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and healthy competition took centre stage as Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, hosted the second edition of its flagship East India inter-school event, Think Challenge 2026, at Tollygunge Club in Kolkata. Designed as a unique “triathlon of the mind,” the competition brought together some of the city’s most promising young thinkers for a day of rigorous challenges spanning leadership, quizzing, and debating.
The event attracted 48 students from 15 schools, selected through a competitive process that began with outreach to more than 180 schools across Kolkata and West Bengal. Following online preliminary rounds conducted on May 2, students from Classes IX to XII earned their place in the final showdown, where they competed across three distinct formats—Leadership Lab, Quiz, and Debate. Winners were rewarded with cash prizes, trophies, certificates, and an all-expenses-paid visit to Shiv Nadar University’s Delhi-NCR campus.
For the university, the initiative reflects a broader commitment to engaging with school students beyond traditional academic metrics. The competition was designed not merely to test knowledge, but also to evaluate critical thinking, communication skills, teamwork, confidence, and decision-making abilities.
Speaking on the occasion, Ananya Mukherjee, Vice-Chancellor of Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, highlighted the institution’s philosophy of nurturing thoughtful and collaborative learners. She remarked that the Think Challenge celebrates qualities such as clarity of thought, the ability to work effectively with others and the confidence to defend one’s ideas while remaining open to different perspectives. She also noted that the competition demonstrated the abundance of talent among young students across the country.
The day commenced with the Leadership Lab, an immersive case-study competition where teams of two stepped into the role of decision-makers facing real-world challenges. Participants tackled scenarios drawn from business, finance, crisis management, sports, and entertainment, requiring them to balance logic, creativity, strategic thinking, and leadership skills under pressure.
The winning team in this segment was Delhi Public School Ruby Park, represented by Avaneesh Mishra and Ayush Abhinandan Chowdhury, who successfully addressed a complex challenge centred on a youth climate summit. Reflecting on the experience, Avaneesh described the competition as an opportunity to expand his perspective as a commerce student while gaining practical exposure to crisis management. Ayush praised the thoughtfully designed cases and the intellectually stimulating environment created by the organisers.
The runners-up in the Leadership Lab were Shreyan Chatterjee and Satakshi Ghosh from Mahadevi Birla World Academy, whose case focused on managing complications surrounding a high-profile influencer visit. The competition was judged by an accomplished panel comprising AI entrepreneur Chand T. Mazumdar, journalist Dipanjan Sinha, and academic and content creator Rajita Banerjee.
The momentum continued with an engaging Quiz Competition conducted by veteran quizmaster Arijit Sen. Covering a diverse range of topics including science, technology and current affairs, the contest challenged participants to think quickly and accurately while keeping the audience thoroughly engaged.
Emerging victorious in the quiz segment were Hitansh Kedia and Zasha Lahiri from The Heritage School, who demonstrated impressive knowledge and composure throughout the rounds. The runners-up were Srideep Bhadra and Dripto De of Delhi Public School Ruby Park, who had previously won the inaugural edition of the competition.
The final and perhaps most thought-provoking segment of the event was the Debate Competition, moderated by academic and seasoned debater Aastha Agarwal. Students engaged with the contemporary motion: “This House believes that in today’s AI-driven world, purpose will follow productivity.” The debate challenged participants to examine one of the defining issues of their generation, exploring the evolving relationship between technology, human ambition and meaningful work.
The debate was adjudicated by a distinguished panel comprising Sujata Sen, CEO of Future Hope; Pradeep Gooptu, senior journalist and co-founder of the Calcutta Debating Circle; and Rahul Datta, academic and debater. The contest proved to be exceptionally competitive, ultimately requiring a tiebreaker to determine the winner.
La Martiniere for Girls, represented by Trisha Kaur Ahluwalia and Tiana Purohit, secured the championship title with their compelling arguments and persuasive delivery. Upamanyu Mukherjee and Prisha Moitra from Indus Valley World School finished as runners-up. Adding to the school’s success, Tiana Purohit was also recognised as the Best Speaker of the competition.
As the curtains came down on Think Challenge 2026, the event reinforced its reputation as a platform that goes beyond conventional academic contests. By encouraging students to analyse complex issues, defend ideas, collaborate with peers, and think creatively under pressure, the competition provided participants with valuable experiences that mirror real-world challenges.
Through initiatives such as Think Challenge, Shiv Nadar University continues to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, leadership, and innovation, while creating meaningful opportunities for school students to showcase their talents and prepare for the demands of an increasingly dynamic future.