Pimpri Chinchwad College Wins Inaugural NICMAR Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge 2026
Mumbai: The National Institute of Construction Management and Research (NICMAR) hosted the grand finale of the inaugural Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge 2026 at JW Marriott Mumbai, bringing together students, industry leaders, academicians and policymakers to showcase innovation in infrastructure and the built environment.
The event was attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, who participated as the chief guest.
Launched in December 2025, the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge is a nationwide innovation competition for students of Civil Engineering, Architecture and other core engineering disciplines. Supported by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the inaugural edition attracted participation from more than 20,000 students representing over 500 educational institutions across India.
Following college-level competitions, city rounds in 11 cities and three regional finals, the top three teams from IIT Delhi, Maturi Venkata Subba Rao Engineering College and Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering advanced to the national finale.
After evaluation by a jury comprising industry experts and academicians, Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering was declared the winner of the inaugural edition. The winning team received a Global Infrastructure Excellence Tour along with a share of the overall ₹30 lakh prize pool.
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted the importance of research-driven innovation in infrastructure development. He said engineering institutions should focus on need-based research aimed at reducing construction costs without compromising quality. He also emphasised the growing opportunities in areas such as precast construction technology and tunnelling to support India’s expanding infrastructure sector.
Speaking at the event, Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors of NICMAR, said the competition was designed to encourage students to develop practical solutions for real-world infrastructure challenges while strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.
Industry-Academia Conclave
Alongside the competition, NICMAR organised an Industry-Academia Conclave, where policymakers, academicians and industry professionals discussed the future of India’s infrastructure sector.
The discussions focused on strengthening industry-academia collaboration, promoting technology adoption, supporting sustainable infrastructure development and preparing a skilled workforce for the Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Project Management (CRIP) sector.
According to NICMAR, the Bharat Nav-Nirmaan Challenge aims to provide students with opportunities to work on practical infrastructure problems while interacting with industry experts, contributing to the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
