The three-day WRO India National Championship 2026 concluded at the GMR Arena in GMR Aerocity, Hyderabad. The event brought together over 300 young innovator teams who competed across categories including Future Innovators, RoboMission, RoboSports, and Future Engineers.
The national winners emerged following a nationwide qualification process that included regional competitions held across multiple cities in India. Future Innovators progressed through a Virtual Championship and ten Regional Championships, while other categories followed distinct qualification pathways. Winning teams have now qualified to represent India at the global WRO Championship 2026 in Puerto Rico, USA.
Organised jointly by the India STEM Foundation (ISF) and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the championship focused on evaluating technical execution, coding, engineering, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Sudhanshu Sharma, Founder of India STEM Foundation, stated that the competition highlights the importance of experiential learning and allowing students to build, experiment, and solve real-world problems. Shri K. S. Murali, Director General of NCSM, noted the high quality and diversity of solutions presented by students, emphasizing the role of science museums and Innovation Hubs in nurturing scientific temper from an early age.
GMR Aerocity Hyderabad served as the venue partner and gold sponsor for the event. Aman Kapoor, CEO of Airport Land Development at GMR, highlighted the venue's objective to support initiatives that inspire collaboration and future-ready thinking within India's innovation landscape.
The World Robot Olympiad is a global robotics education programme designed to develop creativity and problem-solving skills among young people. ISF, operational since 2006, has engaged over 5.3 lakh students and teachers and partnered with more than 2,000 schools across India through its flagship WRO India programme. NCSM operates a nationwide network of science museums and centres to promote hands-on engagement with science and technology.
"The expansion of experiential STEM learning platforms like the WRO India National Championship plays an important role in building a technically proficient young workforce. By focusing on practical engineering, coding, and problem-solving early on, these initiatives help bridge the gap between traditional classroom education and the demands of an increasingly automated global economy." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes
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