From national athletics podiums to international business case competitions, VGWS students are excelling on every stage — supported by a 125-acre campus offering 50+ sports and co-curricular activities across the IB Continuum.
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], August 18: Vishwashanti Gurukul World School (VGWS), Pune, is marking a landmark two years — academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26 — of student achievement across sports, performing arts, and global competitions. From gold medals at national athletics championships to a Best-in-Country title at a prestigious international business case study challenge, VGWS students have represented the school across district, state, national and international platforms, reflecting the strength of a genuinely holistic co-curricular model.
“Every child who walks onto our campus finds a sport, a stage, or a discipline where they can excel. Our students’ achievements this year are proof that when you give young people real time, real coaching and real platforms, they rise to meet it,”
Said by, Dr. Vishukesh Kamal, Head of School, VGWS.
A Campus Built for Sports and Co-Curricular Excellence
Central to these achievements is the depth of infrastructure and time VGWS commits to student life beyond the classroom. Set on a 125-acre green campus, the school offers more than 50 indoor and outdoor sports and activities — including football, basketball, volleyball, lawn tennis, cricket, archery, athletics, swimming, gymnastics, badminton, billiards, table tennis, chess, carrom and fitness — supported by experienced coaches, trainers and mentors.
VGWS dedicates between 20 and 28 hours per week to sports and co-curricular activities across its entire IB Continuum — from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) through the Middle Years Programme (MYP) to the Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) — among the highest co-curricular time allocations of any IB school in India. Students also build creative and technical skills through classical and western dance, drama, vocal and instrumental music, visual arts, design technology, robotics, drone soccer, Formula 1 in Schools, STEM, AI & Machine Learning, and entrepreneurship.
Sports: Podiums Across District, National and International Levels
VGWS athletes delivered standout performances across archery, athletics, football, basketball and volleyball at the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO) championships:
Global Academic Competitions: World Scholar’s Cup 2025, Kuala Lumpur
VGWS Junior Division students delivered an outstanding performance at the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) Global Round 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, winning multiple Gold and Silver medals across Collaborative Writing, Team Debate, Scholar’s Bowl and Writing Champion events — a result reflecting strength in critical thinking, collaborative learning, communication and creativity on the global stage.
| Student Name | Collaborative Writing | Team Debate | Scholar’s Bowl | Writing Champion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vishvayanraj Amol Kotkar | Gold | Silver | Silver | Gold |
| Viaan Singh | Gold | Silver | Silver | Silver |
| Neyasa Ashok Bansode | Silver | Silver | Silver | Gold |
| Avika Vileen Mangeshkar | Gold | Silver | Silver | Silver |
| Dhiaan Ajay Mahadik | Silver | Silver | Silver | Gold |
| Kush Sachin Potey | Gold | Silver | Silver | Silver |
Junior Division Highlights — Students Representing: 6 | Gold Medals: 7 | Silver Medals: 17 | Events: Collaborative Writing, Team Debate, Scholar’s Bowl, Writing Champion.
Performing Arts: A Platform for Creativity and Confidence
The Performing Arts Department has emerged as a vibrant platform for creativity and expression. Students from PYP, MYP and DP showcased their talent through dance, drama and music at Independence Day, the Investiture Ceremony, French Day, Janmashtami, Navratri, Teachers’ Day, Children’s Day, the Literature Fest, Science Exhibition, TEDx events, graduations and annual productions. Signature productions such as Peter Pan and Wings to Dream highlighted collaboration, confidence and artistic excellence, while students earned recognition at Band It Fest, Sangam Fest and Art Journal Fest, and pursued Trinity College London and Suro Bharati certifications in music and dance — including 39 students recognised with the Excellent Performer Award at Suro Bharati Sangeet Kala Kendra.
Student Leadership and Global Citizenship
VGWS’s growing ecosystem of student-led clubs continues to build collaboration, communication and social responsibility, preparing students for global citizenship. Established clubs include TEDx, Rotary, Public Speaking, Environmental initiatives, the Heritage & Cultural Club, Financial Literacy Club, Physics Club, Mathematics Club, Editorial, Podcast, CAS, Dhol Tasha and language clubs. Three new student-led initiatives were inaugurated this year:
TEDx Student-Led Club
Students inaugurated a TEDx student-led club under the presidency of Miss.Avanti Narwade, giving students a platform to develop and share ideas worth spreading.
Vox Veritas Club
Under the presidency of Mr.Siddhant Nande, Vice President is Miss.Chandni Bhatia the Vox Veritas Club runs debate and Gurukul flagship debating platform for delegate engagement Debates & Discussions across five student-directed committees, which will support the development of students interaction skills, drafting of policies, critical thinking, Public speaking skills, Leadership skills & builds the Confidence
| Committee | Student Director |
|---|---|
| Youth Parliament | Aryan Akkalwade |
| International Security Council | Gia Paigude |
| Joint Crisis Committee | Chiransh Thakur |
| World Economic & Social Council | Ancika Vachhani |
| Vox Media | Hussain Shaherwala |
Gurukulians Interact Club
VGWS students also inaugurated the Gurukulians Interact Club, a student-led club under the Rotary Club of Pune, led by student president Saanvi Grover with guidance from teacher-in-charge Alka Chaturvedi. The club has already conducted a He4She session on gender equality, organised a donation drive, and led fundraising for community service at Lui Braille Blind School.
Academic Innovation and Real-World Exposure
VGWS has launched “Why Cosmos,” a dedicated Astrophysics programme introduced as part of the school’s Practical Studies curriculum, giving students hands-on exposure to space science, cosmology and applied astrophysics.
Students also undertook educational visits to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune; the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai; and CSIR–National Chemical Laboratory (NCL), Pune — providing valuable exposure to cutting-edge scientific research, innovation and higher education.
Academic and Global Competition Recognition
Students have also excelled on the global competition stage, earning individual and team recognition across business, coding, entrepreneurship, science and mathematics competitions:
| Student(s) | Achievement |
|---|---|
| Kavish Bansal | Won the Best Delegate (AIPPM) at IIMUN, Pune 2026. |
| Om Vadkhalkar | Won the High Commendation (DISEC) at IIMUN, Pune 2026 |
| Om Vadkhalkar | Historical Crisis Committee, was awarded special mention |
| Ayira Kamath | In International Press got the best delegate award and received a 5000 cash prize |
| Devam Ambaliya, Rohan George, Pratyush Anand, Shreya Kataria | Best-in-Country Award — ANU (Australian National University) Business Case Study Challenge |
| VGWS Team | Regional Finalists — World Economic Cup 2024 |
| Ketul Borda & Sanvi Chavan | Top West Zone Ranks — ICode India Zonal Finals (world’s largest student coding competition) |
| Ketul Borda | Finalist — I Code Global Hackathon |
| Rucha Bagade, Shriya Rajesh, Jennifer Leslie, Tanvi Patodia, Naksh Bablani, Kashish Khattar | Finalists — Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC) 2025 |
| Devansh Indalkar | Asian Honourable Mention — USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) 2025 |
| Avneesh Prabhu (Team Hyper Glide) | Qualified — F1 in Schools National Championship 2025 |
| Jayachanthiran Sankar | Distinction — International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ), Royal Australian Chemical Institute |
| Sushant Mane | Selected for All-Asia Level ICQ, China 2026 |
| Arnav Kathale | Final Certificate of Distinction — International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ), AY 2025 |
| Aditya Kumar | Final Certificate of Distinction — International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ), AY 2025 |
| Sushant Sanjay Mane | Final Certificate of Distinction — International Chemistry Quiz (ICQ), AY 2025 |
| Rishi Agarwal | AI Course Project Published — Times of India |
| Taran Parikh | 1st in School Category — Mental Math World Cup 2024 Grade Finale |
| Class of 2026 (IB Diploma) | Top score of 42/45 IB points; placements at Top 200 QS-ranked universities, several with scholarship offers |
| Arnav Kathale | Final Certificate of Distinction — ICQ (International Chemistry Quiz) AY 2025 |
| Aditya Kumar | Final Certificate of Distinction — ICQ (International Chemistry Quiz) AY 2025 |
| Sushant Sanjay Mane | Final Certificate of Distinction — ICQ (International Chemistry Quiz) AY 2025 |
About Vishwashanti Gurukul World School
Vishwashanti Gurukul World School (VGWS), part of the MAEER MIT Group, is a premier IB Continuum boarding school set on a 125-acre campus in Pune. Offering the Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme, Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme, VGWS pairs rigorous academics with more than 50 sports and co-curricular pursuits and dedicates up to 28 hours a week to student development beyond the classroom — nurturing confident, compassionate and future-ready global citizens. For more information, visit www.mitgurukul.com
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