MARIA'S PUBLIC SCHOOL

Maria’s Public School witnessed a vibrant celebration of creativity, critical thinking, and youthful vision as it hosted the second edition of ‘1 Million Founders’ Bootcamp from June 17 to 21, 2025.

Across these five days, students were taken on a journey of exploration and challenge learning to identify real-world problems, think beyond convention, and design impactful solutions. The finale on June 21 served not only as a platform for showcasing ideas, but also as a reflection of their growth, resilience, and courage to dream big.

The programme was led by Dr. Neha Raghav, Program Director- 1 Million Founders, who coordinated the entire bootcamp with inspiring energy and sharp vision. Dr Raghav along with her exceptional team comprising experts Pahul Singh, Ravi Singh, Shivani Dhiman and Aksh Sharma, mentored the young founders step-by-step through the process of building solutions with impact.

The success of this initiative was made possible with the unwavering leadership and support of Mrs. Nellie Ahmed, Founder and Managing Trustee of Maria’s Public School whose visionary approach to education continues to foster innovation and holistic growth. Alongside her, Mrs. Mausumi Mahanta, Principal of Maria’s Public School played a pivotal role in guiding students and ensuring that the program received the structure and encouragement it deserved.

The atmosphere on the final day was charged with excitement and pride as 27 teams comprising 114 students took the stage to present their ideas before an esteemed panel of judges. The panel included Prof. (Dr.) Dimpy Mahanta, a nationally recognized psychologist and Bharat Gaurav Puraskar awardee, celebrated for her work in emotional wellness and education, Mr. Kalyanjit Hatibaruah, Chairman of Flugelsoft Group and a pioneer in Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and Metaverse technologies, also known for mentoring startups at premier institutes like IITs and IIMs and Mr. Anup Sood, representing

Consat Orahi who joined as a special guest and supporter of student-driven innovation. They were joined by other Ms.Kedaarshree Phukan IT Faculty, Maria’s Public School and Ms. Moonmoon D. Chaliha, HOD, Science and ATL Coordinator.

Throughout the day, the student teams presented a wide array of inventive and impactful solutions — addressing challenges from sustainability and safety to education and social equality. Their presentations were marked by passion, clarity, and confidence, leaving the panel impressed and hopeful for the future.

Two standout teams — Nari Shakti and School Shield — were announced as the winners, receiving a grant of ₹20,000 to take their projects further beyond the classroom.

– A report by Pratyush Hazarika and Kenisha Kalita