Big Idea 2025 competition winners, along with Reenaa Mithun Chittilappilly, Mithun K. Chittilappilly, Managing Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd., George Muthoot Jacob, Independent Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd., V Ramachandran, Director and COO, Rajesh Nair, Partner EY LLP.

Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar won first place in the Business Plan category, and VIT University, Vellore, secured the top spot in the Tech Design category in the 15th edition of the V-Guard Big Idea competition, a flagship event by V-Guard Industries Ltd.

In the Business Plan category, IIM Jammu was named the runner-up, and IIM Lucknow secured the second runner-up position. Special jury awards in this category were presented to IIM Nagpur and Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.

In the Tech Design category, with IIT Guwahati as the runner-up and Muthoot Institute of Science and Technology was the second runner-up. IIT, BHU Varanasi and IIT Palakkad received special jury awards in this category.

In this three-day event, Business Plan winners were chosen based on how their innovative ideas could help V-Guard become one of the most prominent consumer companies in the country. The Tech Design competition was held in three categories: ‘Reimagining the Voltage Stabiliser,’ ‘Reinventing the Water Heater,’ ‘Rethink the Mixer Grinder,’ and an additional ‘Open Innovation’ category.

Mithun K. Chittilappilly, Managing Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd and Reenaa Mithun Chittilappilly presented the awards to the winners. George Muthoot Jacob, Independent Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd. was the chief guest.

“The Big Idea Competition, now in its 15th year, is our way of investing in young minds—offering them a platform to imagine, innovate, and shape the future. We are proud to see this initiative continue to inspire and nurture talent year after year,” said Mithun K. Chittilappilly, Managing Director, V-Guard Industries Ltd.

The prize money for the Business Plan competition was ₹3 lakh for the winner, ₹2 lakh for the first runner-up, and ₹1 lakh for the second runner-up, while in the Tech Design category, the winner received ₹1.5 lakh, the first runner-up received ₹75,000, and the second runner-up received ₹50,000.

Finalists of the competition will have the opportunity to secure pre-placement interviews and summer internships with V-Guard Industries. They also interacted and shared their ideas with senior representatives of V-Guard’s top management.

Published on September 28, 2025