RSI India 2026, a six-week STEM research programme hosted at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, offered 32 high school students fully funded mentored projects, backed by the Adani Group and CEE-USA. The initiative mirrors MIT’s RSI model to cultivate future Indian scientists.
India
-Oneindia Staff
In a significant push to foster India’s future scientific leaders, the Adani Group, in collaboration with the US-based Centre for Excellence in Education (CEE), successfully hosted the valedictory ceremony of the Research Science Initiative (RSI)-India 2026. The prestigious event took place at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru.
RSI India 2026, a six-week STEM research programme hosted at the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru, offered 32 high school students fully funded mentored projects, backed by the Adani Group and CEE-USA. The initiative mirrors MIT’s RSI model to cultivate future Indian scientists.
The RSI-India program is an intensive six-week STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) research initiative modeled after the globally renowned RSI at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. This year, 32 exceptionally talented high school students from across India were selected to participate, gaining invaluable academic exposure and conducting mentored research under the guidance of top IISc faculty.
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*Global Model:* Modeled after the prestigious RSI program at MIT, USA.
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*Duration & Venue:* A 6-week intensive academic and laboratory residency at IISc Bengaluru.
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*Cohort Size:* 32 highly meritorious secondary school students handpicked from across India.
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*Financial Support:* Fully underwritten by the Adani Group and powered by CEE-USA, making the high-level training entirely free of cost for participants.
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*Outcome:* Culminated in student research presentations, awards, and exclusive interactions with leading scientists and mentors.
Shifting Focus Beyond Medicine and Engineering
Highlighting the national necessity for specialized scientific talent, Professor Deepak Saini, Faculty Convener for RSI-India, emphasized the critical importance of capturing brilliant minds at the high school level.
“High school is when you make your career decisions. In India, most high schoolers want to either do medicine or engineering, and they get stuck in that design,” Professor Saini remarked. “However, in India, we have a very big demand for pure science researchers who make discoveries and innovations for India. The best way to make them pick up science is to give them a flavour of science. This institute gives them a flavour of science and makes them work towards a problem.”
He also expressed gratitude toward the corporate partner, stating, “The Adani Group is integral to this program because they’ve supported it. Clearly, their vision is helping us achieve the goal that we started with.”
Students Praise Rigorous, Fully Funded Experience
Participating students lauded the program for providing life-changing academic exposure and fostering a vibrant community of young science enthusiasts. Because the program is completely funded, it bridges financial barriers for meritorious youngsters.
Shiv Mandlik, a student participant, expressed his gratitude: “I wholeheartedly like to express my gratitude towards the Adani Group for providing such an immersive experience to high schoolers across the whole country because not everyone gets an opportunity to participate in such a rigorous program free of cost.”
Another student, Pradyun, described the summer camp as both highly demanding and deeply enriching. “I found the initiative quite interesting. In fact, it is one of the most rigorous research programs that I have ever been in,” he said, adding that extracurricular activities like visiting science galleries kept the experience well-rounded.
Pradyun strongly advocated for the continuation of the platform: “I think it really encourages people to delve deeper into pure science, and this should be carried forward for at least the next 10 years so that more students are motivated to make great discoveries and bring innovations to the world.”
Tanishq, another student scholar, shared a similar sentiment regarding the camaraderie built during the program. “We get to not only learn, but we get to have fun with people who share common interests, the same hobbies, and the same love for learning. Overall, it’s a terrific experience for us.”
The concluding valedictory ceremony featured presentations of the students’ advanced research projects, award distributions, and networking sessions, successfully laying a strong foundation for India’s upcoming generation of innovators.
#WATCH | Bengaluru: Participant student Shiv Mandlik says, “I recently got an opportunity to participate in a 6-week course of the Research Science Initiative in India underwritten by the Adani Group and powered by the Center for Excellence in Education. I wholeheartedly like to… https://t.co/6AKBLn1H0J pic.twitter.com/IutlYCCfZE
— ANI (@ANI) July 9, 2026
