A visit to Khadaki Village, Daund

Mar 23, 2026

The Department of Chemical Engineering and Material Science & Engineering at MIT-WPU Pune recently concluded its transformative Rural Immersion Programme (RUIP) 2026 at Khadaki Village, Daund District. This flagship initiative serves as a cornerstone of our teaching pedagogy, designed to bridge the gap between high-tech laboratory research and the grassroots realities of rural India.

Throughout this enriching journey, students stepped beyond urban comfort zones to gain firsthand exposure to village life. They conducted comprehensive family-level surveys rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By systematically analysing local data, students identified key problems in Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), and Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12). This learning approach allowed our future engineers to propose practical and scalable solutions tailored to the ecosystem specific to rural India.

Beyond technical analysis, the students engaged in meaningful conversations with villagers and visited important village institutions, such as the Gram Panchayat, post office, and local bank, to gain a deeper understanding of rural governance and the economy. At the village school, our students transitioned into mentors, leading interactive STEM sessions and fun learning activities for children from pre-primary to high school. These heartwarming interactions sparked a curiosity for science in young minds while teaching our students the power of communication.

The immersion culminated in a soulful Kirtan session, offering a glimpse into the spiritual and cultural richness of rural life. Overall, RUIP 2026 fostered empathy, social awareness, and a deeper understanding among these students, enabling them to engineer better, more inclusive, and sustainable solutions for all.