Mumbai teams bag honours in robotics competition

Mumbai: Team R Factor 6024, a student-led robotics team based in Mumbai, has become the first-ever Indian team to win the Engineering Inspiration Award at the first Robotics World Championship.

The global event was held in Houston, USA, in April, featuring over 600 high school robotics teams from nearly 30 countries.

The team earned this top division-level honour in the Johnson Division, with judges praising their impactful outreach and dedication to spreading awareness of engineering and STEM among youth in India. The Engineering Inspiration Award is among the most coveted accolades in the competition, recognising teams that advance appreciation and respect for engineering within their schools and communities.

In their award citation, judges described R Factor’s influence: “This team rises to the top through efforts and partnerships. Robotics is more than engineering. It’s a sport, it’s therapy, it’s a lifeline for students in rural communities. They build. They code. They train and design. This team established the sustainable practices of FIRST in their state. This team does it all! They have the STARRRRR factor.”

Comprising 19 students from grades 8 to 12 across 8 schools in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, and Goa, Team R Factor 6024 stands apart not just for their technical excellence but for their grassroots spirit—building, wiring, and programming their robot entirely on their own, without professional assistance.

The team operates out of Mind Factory in Mumbai under the mentorship of Nilesh Shah and Parul Shah. This year’s robot, affectionately named The Goldfish, has been central to their success in the 2025 season, according to a press statement.