In an era where classrooms are no longer confined to four walls, out-of-classroom learning has become crucial for shaping industry-ready professionals. Engineering education today demands more than text-books, it calls for real-world exposure, teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience. Platforms like BAJA SAEINDIA offer students the opportunity to bridge theory with practice, transforming concepts into machines and ideas into innovation. By building and racing all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), students experience the complete product lifecycle, preparing them to tackle real industrial challenges with confidence.
Taking this forward, the much-anticipated BAJA SAEINDIA 2026 – mBAJA category, powered by Speed – the High-Performance Petrol by Bharat Petroleum, kicked off today at B. V. Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT), Narsapur, Hyderabad. The three-day national-level competition has brought together over 1,600 students from 51 engineering colleges across India.
Participants will conceptualize, design, analyse, fabricate, validate and race their ATVs, undergoing rigorous Static, Dynamic, and Endurance evaluations, including a gruelling four-hour durability run testing both machine and team spirit.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, senior leaders shared why the competition matters beyond trophies and titles. Balraj Subramaniam, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, BAJA SAEINDIA; Dr. V. Murali Krishna, Professor & Dean of Mechanical Engineering at BVRIT and Joint Convener of mBAJA SAEINDIA 2026; and Aditya Vissam, Secretary of Sri Vishnu Educational Society, spoke about how the platform helps students build innovation, teamwork and real industry skills.
Balraj Subramaniam highlighted how BAJA SAEINDIA has grown into a strong national platform for experiential learning, bringing industry and academia closer. Aditya Vissam reaffirmed the institution’s focus on practical education, proudly noting that B. V. Raju Institute of Technology is hosting the event for the third consecutive year.
Representing title sponsor Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), Shravan Kumar stressed the importance of industry support in shaping engineers who understand real-world performance challenges.
The session brought together organizers, host institution representatives, industry partners and technical leaders, who shared how large the competition has grown, why it matters for students, and the real impact it is creating in shaping future engineers.
Originally launched in the United States by SAE International as Mini BAJA SAE, the competition began in India in 2007 with just 27 teams in one IC engine category. Today, it has expanded into a multi-category mobility platform with over 200 teams nationwide, covering mBAJA (IC), eBAJA (electric), hBAJA (hydrogen/CNG), and aBAJA (autonomous).
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