Mumbai, \u2014 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\u201319, featuring over 600 high school robotics teams from nearly 30 countries.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In their award citation, judges described R Factor\u2019s influence:
\n\u201cThis team rises to the top through efforts and partnerships. Robotics is more than engineering. It\u2019s a sport, it\u2019s therapy, it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
A National Collaboration with Global Impact
\nComprising 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\u2014building, wiring, and programming their robot entirely on their own, without professional assistance.<\/p>\n
The team operates out of Mind Factory in Mumbai under the mentorship of Nilesh Shah and Parul Shah. This year\u2019s robot, affectionately named The Goldfish, has been central to their success in the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s roster includes:<\/p>\n
Oberoi International School, Mumbai: Samridhi Swarup, Rinaesa Dedhia, Prapti Doshi, Ridhan Dedhia, Saksham Gupta, Rachit Jain, Arjun Vashistha<\/p>\n
PACE Junior College, Mumbai: Aryan Warke<\/p>\n
DSB International School, Mumbai: Aditi Shah<\/p>\n
Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai: Arjun Manmohan<\/p>\n
Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune: Alisha Savant<\/p>\n
The Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai: Aarav Gupta, Arjun Kejriwal, Aryaman Kejriwal<\/p>\n
Witty International School, Mumbai: Neel Mistry<\/p>\n
Sharada Mandir School, Goa: Sai Pranav Gandhi<\/p>\n
Rajhans Vidyalaya, Mumbai: Saachi Bafna<\/p>\n
Singapore International School, Mumbai: Amaatra Narayan<\/p>\n
Global Academy at ASU Prep: Jahnavi Balaji<\/p>\n
Engineering Change in India
\nBeyond 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.<\/p>\n
A Trailblazing Track Record
\nR Factor\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
As India\u2019s 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 \u201cWinning Hearts with Winning Efforts\u201d continues to grow.<\/p>\n