Pune, Feb 5: Reinforcing Pune’s growing reputation as a hub for technology, education, and youth-led innovation, Newton School of Technology at the Ajeenkyaa D.Y. Patil University campus, Pune, hosted the second edition of its annual student-led technology festival, Tekron 2.0, on 31 January and 1 February 2026. The two-day festival transformed the Lohegaon campus into a high-energy environment that brought together technology, creativity, competition, and student-driven innovation at scale.
Tekron 2.0 witnessed participation from over 2,000 students from across India, including teams from leading institutions such as IITs, IIITs, and NITs, highlighting the festival’s growing national footprint. With a diverse mix of technical competitions, cultural programming, and creator engagement, the fest emerged as one of the region’s most active and dynamic student-led technology festivals.
At the core of Tekron 2.0 were its flagship technical competitions, designed to test innovation, endurance, and real-world problem-solving skills. These included a 24-hour Gen-AI Hackathon, a Competitive Programming Contest, and high-adrenaline robotics and racing events such as Robo Soccer, Drone Racing, and RC Racing. Each of the three major competitions carried a prize pool of INR 75,000, contributing to a total prize distribution of over INR 4 lakh across the festival. The extended-format hackathon in particular saw sustained participation and collaboration over a full 24-hour period.
Tekron 2.0 also successfully blended technology with culture through its concert nights, which witnessed packed crowds and high-energy performances. Artists Anuj Rehan and Shreya Baruah received enthusiastic responses from the student audience, while DJ Vishwek headlined the opening night. Adding to the cultural and youth-centric programming, the fest hosted the Under 25 Summit, during which students had the opportunity to interact with film actor Bhagyashree Limaye, further enhancing engagement beyond core technical audiences.
Speaking about the growth of the festival, Siddharth Maheshwari, Co-founder of Newton School of Technology, said,
“Tekron 2.0 has grown into a national-level technology and cultural festival that brings together competition, creativity, and execution at real scale. What makes it meaningful is that students lead every part of the process, from planning to delivery, turning the event itself into a powerful learning experience beyond the classroom.”
The festival also saw the presence of prominent digital creators Eclipse Nova, Eknoor Singh, and Rohit Nagar, who interacted with students, explored the competitions firsthand, and shared their appreciation for the scale, execution, and student ownership behind Tekron 2.0. Their participation added to the fest’s digital reach and youth relevance.
Tekron 2.0 was supported by partners including Geek for Geeks, Monster Energy, and Pizza Hut, along with multiple food vendors who supported extended-format events such as the 24-hour hackathon by providing meals and refreshments to participants.
A key differentiator of Tekron 2.0 was its entirely student-led execution. The festival was conceptualised, planned, funded, and organised by a core team of nearly 50 students, primarily from the first year. The student team managed partnerships, logistics, programming, and on-ground operations under real timelines and operational constraints, demonstrating strong leadership, collaboration, and execution capability.
With national-level participation, strong engagement across technology and culture, and a fully student-driven execution model, Tekron 2.0 marked a significant milestone for the Newton School of Technology, reinforcing its focus on experiential learning beyond the classroom and establishing the fest as a growing and credible name in India’s collegiate tech-fest ecosystem.