Pratham Chetan Dand, a Class XII student from Shri MJCK Ratnashram in Bhavnagar, was declared the National Rural IT Quiz Champion 2025 at the Bengaluru Tech Summit on Thursday, winning a cash prize of ₹1 lakh.
The National Rural IT Quiz, conceptualised by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), was organised in collaboration with the Department of Electronics, IT & BT, Government of Karnataka, and supported by GUJCOST. The quiz aims to boost IT awareness among rural and semi-urban students across India and has consistently seen strong participation from Gujarat.
Dr. Narottam Sahoo, Advisor at GUJCOST, said Pratham’s rise from village classrooms to the national stage highlights the impact of Gujarat’s science and technology initiatives and the state’s commitment to providing equal learning opportunities. He added that Pratham’s success is an inspiration for young learners across the state.
Earlier this year, GUJCOST organised the Gujarat State Rural IT Quiz for students of Classes VIII to XII, drawing participation from 1,143 schools. A total of 12,625 students competed at district level, with 500 toppers advancing to the state finale.
The state-level finals, held on October 14 at Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya (KSV) in Gandhinagar, saw Pratham emerge as the Gujarat Rural IT Champion, earning him a place in the national competition.