Pune: More than 40 students from Victorious Kidss Educares and other schools in Pune and Mumbai came together to organise Sutradhar 2026, a student-led social impact event that brought 11 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) onto a common platform to raise awareness and funds for social causes.The event, held at the Green Grass Area on the Victorious Kidss Educares campus on Aug 1, attracted around 250 participants. Organised primarily by students aged 16 to 18, the initiative was led by Nayraan Sharma and Anika Tata, who coordinated a team of volunteers over several months.The participating NGOs represented sectors including child welfare, animal welfare, senior citizen care, education, sustainability, environmental conservation and women’s empowerment. Each organisation was allotted a stall to interact with visitors, showcase its work and collect donations. They were also given time on stage to present their initiatives and appeal for support.According to the organisers, every NGO received donations during the event, with the highest collection of around Rs 16,000 going to an animal welfare organisation. In addition, the organisers distributed Rs 1,000 each from the event’s remaining funds to all the participating NGOs.The programme also featured cultural performances by students, including music, dance and theatre. Student band Salt Avenue performed during the event, and the performances reinforced the event’s social message.Vice-president of Victorious Kidss Educares, Saarada Ghosh, said the event reflected students’ ability to take ownership of meaningful initiatives.“Sutradhar showed that when students are trusted with responsibility, they can create opportunities that benefit the larger community. It was encouraging to see young people work together for causes that extend beyond the classroom,” she said.Student organiser Nayraan Sharma said the team wanted to create a platform where NGOs and young people could connect directly.“Our aim was to help organisations reach more people while encouraging students to understand and contribute to social causes. Seeing visitors engage with the NGOs made all the effort worthwhile,” Sharma said.Tata said the experience taught students valuable lessons in leadership and teamwork.“Planning an event of this scale was challenging, but it showed us how collaboration and a shared purpose can make a real difference. We hope Sutradhar continues to grow in the coming years,” she said.School principal Reneesh Matthew guided the organising team throughout the planning process, while local corporator Aishwarya Pathare attended the event as the chief guest.
