FIRST Tech Challenge India Championship 2024-25
Vishwakarma University Presents FIRST Tech Challenge India Championship 2024-25
Pune : Vishwakarma University is set to host the FIRST Tech Challenge India Championship 2024-25, the largest robotics
competition for school and junior college students, at the Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Boxing Stadium, Mhalunge – Pune, from February 28 to March 2, 2025. The championship will witness the participation of 60 teams from across India, including Pune, Mumbai, Goa, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Chennai, alongside six international teams from Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, and the UAE.
Vishwakarma University Presents FIRST Tech Challenge is supported by Qualcomm as Presenting Partner and RTX along with support by Circana, PTC, John Deere, BVG India, Bechtel, DOW, Carrier, Bajaj Auto Ltd, and other corporates joining the event along with endorsements by ARAI, STPI, SEAP, SAE India, COEP Technological University, and Savitribai Phule Pune University.
Inauguration and Key Highlights
The championship will be inaugurated on February 28, 2025, by Hon’ble Minister of Aviation Govt. Of India Shri. Murlidhar Mohol, Shri. B.B. Patil, former member of Parliament, Prof. Dr. Siddharth Jabade, Vice Chancellor, Vishwakarma University and distinguished dignitaries from academia and industries.
The semi-finals, final round, and the award ceremony will take place on March 2, 2025. The top three teams will earn the prestigious opportunity to represent India at the FIRST World Championship in Houston, USA, from April 15 to 19, 2025.
About FIRST Tech Challenge
The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is a globally renowned robotics competition founded by Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers in 1989 under FIRST, USA (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). FTC aims to inspire young minds to explore STEM education and careers through hands-on learning, innovation, and teamwork. The competition emphasizes values like “coopetition”—a blend of cooperation and competition—and “gracious professionalism”, fostering collaboration,
respect, and technical excellence.
FIRST Tech Challenge in India
FIRST Tech Challenge was introduced in India by PTC in 2010, in collaboration with NRB Bearings Ltd., and has been held annually since 2012 for students aged 12 to 18. The 2024-25 edition is proudly sponsored by Vishwakarma University and officially titled Vishwakarma University Presents FIRST Tech Challenge India Championship 2024-25. Competition Theme and Format
This year’s theme is ‘Dive’ Powered by Qualcomm, and the game challenge is ‘Into the Deep’ Powered by RTX. Matches will be played in a high-energy, alliance-based format, featuring 2-minute 30-second rounds that test robots’ agility, strategy, and teamwork. Top-ranking teams will form alliances and battle through elimination rounds leading up to the finals. Diversity and Inclusion in Participation
FTC India 2024-25 will showcase a wide spectrum of participants, including rural schools, municipal corporation-run schools, and international teams. Notably, the event will include a team from a school for children with hearing difficulties and from the Signal School in Mumbai, and teams from municipal corporation schools in Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, and Delhi. The competition underscores its mission to foster inclusivity, accessibility, and equal opportunities for all students.