DPS Srinagar Student Startup Wins National Award for Best Use of Technology | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: A student-run startup from Delhi Public School Srinagar has won the national award for Best Use of Technology at the tGELF/JA India LEAD Company of the Year 2025 competition, held in New Delhi, bringing national recognition to Kashmir’s student entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The award was secured by AgroSenTech, a student company developed by DPS Srinagar students, at the national finals of the competition held in Chanakyapuri on December 12 and 13. The event saw participation from schools across the country, with only 12 teams qualifying for the final round.

AgroSenTech was founded and led by Mumin Nabi Zargar as Chief Executive Officer, with Muhammad Zahir serving as Chief Operating Officer, Mariya Wani as Chief Marketing Officer, and Ibrahim Wani as Chief Financial Officer. Minhaj Hussain and Esha Shahdar were also part of the core team that supported the project.

The LEAD Company of the Year programme, conducted by tGELF and JA India in collaboration with Junior Achievement Worldwide and JA Asia Pacific, is designed to promote entrepreneurial skills and workplace readiness among students. Participants are required to conceptualise, develop and operate a functional student enterprise over an extended period.

The competition unfolded in four phases, beginning with planning and design in April, followed by implementation and product development through October. AgroSenTech advanced from the regional round, which included nearly 48 schools nationwide, before competing at the national level.

According to the organisers, the Best Use of Technology award recognises innovation, effective application of technology, and the practical relevance of solutions developed by student companies.

School authorities described the achievement as a reflection of sustained student effort and innovation. Principal Shafaq Afshan said the award demonstrated how structured guidance and student initiative could translate into real-world outcomes. Chairman Vijay Dhar said the recognition showed that students from Kashmir could compete successfully at the national level.

AgroSenTech focuses on integrating technology with agriculture, with an emphasis on locally relevant solutions. The student founders said the project involved months of research, testing and refinement, with an aim to address challenges faced by the agricultural sector in the region.