KATHMANDU, July 12: In a landmark achievement for Nepal’s innovation and technology sector, Team Gautam Buddha—Nepal’s junior team representing the country at the AI for Good – Robotics for Good Youth Challenge 2025—secured second place in the global competition held in Geneva, Switzerland. The event, held from July 8 to 9 as part of the AI for Good Global Summit, brought together more than 500 teams and over 7,000 participants from more than 25 countries.
Team Gautam Buddha earned international recognition for their robotics solution designed to address real-world challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The team finished just five points behind Team Venezuela, demonstrating the global competitiveness of Nepali students. In addition to the second-place award, the team also secured third position in a parallel category, marking a dual triumph for Nepal.
Nepal’s path to Geneva began with the national-level Robotics for Good Youth Challenge, organized by the Robotics Association of Nepal (RAN), the country’s leading non-profit dedicated to promoting robotics and innovation since 2011. The national competition was held on May 28 at United School in Lalitpur and featured 17 schools from across the country. After a competitive selection process that included interviews and technical evaluations, four students—representing United School, KMC School, and Samriddhi School—were chosen to form Team Gautam Buddha. Their project stood out for its creativity, impact, and technical excellence.
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The team’s success was guided by the mentorship of Santosh Thapa Magar and supported by Rishav Raj, manager at RAN, and Kiran Khatri, member coordinator at RAN. Their contributions played a crucial role in preparing the students for the global stage.
This international recognition was made possible through the collective effort of more than 50 individuals and support from over 10 educational and institutional partners. Key support came from United Academy Group, Trinity College, Kathmandu Engineering College, Xavier Academy, Global Reach, and Shivashakti Edu-Tech Mart. Institutional backing also came from the Embassy of Switzerland in Nepal and the Ministry of Communication, Information and Technology, whose continued encouragement played a vital role in making the journey to Geneva possible.
United School, which served as the educational partner for the national challenge, expressed immense pride in the students’ achievement. Principal Manoj Biswakarma said the success of Aarav Gautam and Paridhi Shrestha reflects the school’s emphasis on nurturing innovation. Deputy Director Manasvi Bantawa added that seeing students rise from a national platform to international recognition proves that with talent, mentorship, and opportunity, young people in Nepal can have global impact.
Nepal’s presence was also strong in the senior category, where Team Sagarmatha was named as a third finalist in the global competition—reinforcing the growing capabilities of Nepali youth in science, technology, and innovation.
The Robotics for Good Youth Challenge is a UN-endorsed global initiative organized under the International Telecommunication Union’s AI for Good Summit. It encourages young people to develop robotics and AI-based solutions to solve critical global problems. Nepal’s strong performance at this year’s competition is a powerful demonstration of what is possible when education, creativity, and national collaboration come together to support the next generation of innovators.
