Mumbai-Based Student Robotics Team Makes History at World Championship

Mumbai, — In a landmark achievement for Indian STEM education and innovation, Team R Factor 6024, a student-led robotics team based in Mumbai, has become the first-ever Indian team to win the Engineering Inspiration Award at the FIRST Robotics World Championship. The global event was held in Houston, USA, from April 16–19, featuring over 600 high school robotics teams from nearly 30 countries.

The team earned this top Division-level honor in the Johnson Division, with judges praising their impactful outreach and dedication to spreading awareness of engineering and STEM among youth in India. The Engineering Inspiration Award is among the most coveted accolades in the competition, recognizing teams that advance appreciation and respect for engineering within their schools and communities.

In their award citation, judges described R Factor’s influence:
“This team rises to the top through efforts and partnerships. Robotics is more than engineering. It’s a sport, it’s therapy, it’s a lifeline for students in rural communities. They build. They code. They train and design. This team established the sustainable practices of FIRST in their state. This team does it all! They have the STARRRRR factor.”

A National Collaboration with Global Impact
Comprising 19 students from grades 8 to 12 across 8 schools in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Goa, Team R Factor 6024 stands apart not just for their technical excellence but for their grassroots spirit—building, wiring, and programming their robot entirely on their own, without professional assistance.

The team operates out of Mind Factory in Mumbai under the mentorship of Nilesh Shah and Parul Shah. This year’s robot, affectionately named The Goldfish, has been central to their success in the 2025 season.

The team’s roster includes:

Oberoi International School, Mumbai: Samridhi Swarup, Rinaesa Dedhia, Prapti Doshi, Ridhan Dedhia, Saksham Gupta, Rachit Jain, Arjun Vashistha

PACE Junior College, Mumbai: Aryan Warke

DSB International School, Mumbai: Aditi Shah

Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai: Arjun Manmohan

Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune: Alisha Savant

The Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai: Aarav Gupta, Arjun Kejriwal, Aryaman Kejriwal

Witty International School, Mumbai: Neel Mistry

Sharada Mandir School, Goa: Sai Pranav Gandhi

Rajhans Vidyalaya, Mumbai: Saachi Bafna

Singapore International School, Mumbai: Amaatra Narayan

Global Academy at ASU Prep: Jahnavi Balaji

Engineering Change in India
Beyond competition, R Factor has made major strides in STEM advocacy. Their efforts include lobbying the Goa government for integrating STEM into public education, conducting workshops across engineering college techfests, reaching 800 corporations through the Automation Expo, and collaborating with the InfinityX STEM Foundation to scale their outreach. Their work exemplifies how robotics can be a platform for widespread social and educational transformation.

A Trailblazing Track Record
R Factor’s 2025 season was marked by consistent excellence. They won the Imagery Award at the FIRST Long Island Regional and clinched the Engineering Inspiration Award at the Phantom Lakes Regional, which qualified them for the World Championship.

As India’s first-ever FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) team, R Factor has set benchmarks in international robotics for over a decade. With six World Championship appearances and four awards, their legacy of “Winning Hearts with Winning Efforts” continues to grow.

The team is currently looking to expand its industry and government partnerships. Those interested can reach out via email at nilesh.shah@mindfactory.org.in or connect on Instagram @team6024.