Boeing announced the winners of the ninth annual Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition, one of India’s largest and most popular aeromodelling programs. This year’s competition attracted more than 2,350 students from across 855 institutions in the country. This year, the competition also saw an increase in female participation, with 28 per cent of women participating in final rounds.

44 finalists from 13 teams were selected for the finale held in Bengaluru. Meghraj M, Sathvik Poojary, and Sanjana S. from Nitte Mahalinga Adyanthaya Memorial (NMAM) Institute of Technology, Karkala, Udipi District, Karnataka were declared winners of the competition.

“Over its nine editions, the Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition has become an inspirational platform that complements the aspirations of India’s young aviation enthusiasts. I congratulate the participants and winners for their disruptive ideas that show that the possibilities are limitless in aviation, and I thank our partners for helping build an ecosystem of learning and innovation in aviation,” said Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India and South Asia.

The zonal rounds of the competition were held at IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Madras. The top 13 teams traveled to Bengaluru for the final round conducted by R.V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru. In addition, 60 students from Shishu Mandir and Building Blocks schools were invited for a learning session on the sidelines of the competition to help encourage and promote awareness, knowledge, and exposure to aviation and aeromodelling.

The Boeing National Aeromodelling Competition for students across India is sponsored by Boeing, and conducted in association with IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, and R.V. College of Engineering. Skyfi is the logistics partner for the competition. The competition started as an annual event in 2013 to provide a nationwide platform for students who have a keen interest in aerospace engineering and related fields. The competition allows them to demonstrate their skills and creativity in designing, building, and flying fixed-wing aircraft models of different types and sizes.

Congratulating the winners and participants at the finals, Ahmed Elsherbini, Vice President, Managing Director, Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center and Chief Engineer, Boeing India, said “An aeromodelling competition requires multi-disciplinary skills, and the participants had the opportunity to reimagine the innovation possible in the world of aviation. The competition is part of our commitment to encourage local aviation and engineering talent to pursue learning and innovation in aviation for India and for the world.”

Over the years, Boeing has strategically invested in developing talent for the aerospace sector in India. Its programs, including Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD), the Boeing HorizonX India Innovation Challenge, and the Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) Apprenticeship program, continue to empower entrepreneurs and build a skilled frontline workforce for the country’s aerospace and defence sector.

Details of the winning teams