MERAKI 2026

On 20th August 2026, Seth M.R. Jaipuria School, Gomti Nagar Campus, Lucknow hosted the seventh edition of Meraki under the Inter-School Jaipuria Fest. The event brought together students from different schools for a vibrant celebration of creativity, intellect, expression and healthy competition. With twelve distinctive events spread across three verticals — Elixir, Mathematica and Shabd Sarang — Meraki provided participants with opportunities to step beyond conventional academic settings and explore different forms of communication, reasoning, creativity and performance. Under the guidance of the Teacher Coordinator, Mrs. Anshu Sinha, and the ISJF Coordinator, Mrs. Deepa Wahi, the event successfully created an atmosphere of enthusiasm, learning and spirited participation. Mr. Naresh Saxena, a highly accomplished writer who has won several recognitions, including the National Award, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest of Meraki.

The English vertical, Elixir, offered participants a diverse range of experiences that tested their command over language, persuasive abilities, creativity and presence of mind. Thy Bard’s Market brought Shakespearean English into the world of advertising, requiring teams to promote products through eloquence, originality and persuasive presentation. The event combined the theatricality of Shakespeare with the challenge of convincing an audience, making language itself the principal tool of the performance.

One of the most distinctive events of Elixir was The Last Bunker, which placed participants in a world where civilisation had collapsed due to war, technological rebellion, environmental destruction and human greed. The participants assumed the roles of different survivors, including scientists, leaders, revolutionaries, criminals and visionaries, each fighting for a place in humanity’s final refuge. With limited resources inside the bunker, participants had to defend why their character deserved to survive and contribute to the rebuilding of civilisation. The event went beyond prepared arguments, as participants were required to remain in character and respond to sudden crisis interruptions. It tested persuasion, improvisation, adaptability, character embodiment and moral reasoning, resulting in intense and thought-provoking performances.

Altercation brought the participants into an engaging debate format, where they were required to present arguments either for or against a given motion and subsequently respond to questions and rebuttals. With limited preparation time, the event tested not only knowledge and eloquence but also the ability to organise thoughts quickly, challenge opposing arguments and maintain confidence under pressure. Social Media Campaign, meanwhile, brought together literary understanding and digital creativity. Teams developed complete campaigns around a literary subject, creating posts, captions, visual content and a promotional video before presenting and justifying their strategy. The event encouraged participants to consider how literature could be communicated effectively in a contemporary digital space.

Mathematica transformed mathematical concepts into competitive and engaging experiences that demanded accuracy, logical reasoning, speed and creative problem-solving. Math Millionaire, inspired by the format of the popular quiz show KBC, emerged as a test of mathematical prowess through a series of increasingly challenging rounds. Beginning with a written selection round, the competition moved into a Fastest Finger First stage, where speed and accuracy became crucial, before culminating in the Hot Seat round. The final stage required participants to apply mathematical concepts and logical reasoning under the pressure of a competitive quiz environment. Beyond computation, the event tested conceptual understanding, critical thinking and the ability to arrive at accurate answers quickly.

Treasure Hunt turned mathematical problem-solving into an exciting race against time. Teams navigated through thought-provoking challenges, decoded puzzles and assembled clues before reaching the final mathematical vault. Data Detective took a different approach, placing participants in the role of investigators who had to uncover deception through mathematical and statistical clues. The challenges were designed according to the participants’ grade levels and required them to connect information, identify patterns and contribute effectively as a team. Design Thinking moved mathematical and logical thinking into the real world, with teams exploring a problem statement and developing creative, innovative and feasible solutions. Their ideas were then presented through formats such as presentations, prototypes, websites, applications or videos.

Shabd Sarang celebrated the richness of Hindi language, literature and artistic expression through four distinctive events. लोक रंग provided participants with a platform to present poetry written in recognised Indian regional languages such as Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Maithili, Punjabi, Rajasthani and Braj. The event went beyond simple recitation, requiring participants to bring the chosen poem alive through expression, acting and presentation. Equal participation, pronunciation, modulation, emotional expression and overall impact contributed to the performance, allowing regional literary traditions to find a vibrant place on the stage.

विचार मंथन provided a platform for participants to engage in structured debate and examine different perspectives. Through multiple rounds, participants were required to formulate arguments, respond to opposing viewpoints and demonstrate clarity of thought. The event emphasised logical reasoning, expression, presentation and the ability to engage meaningfully with questions. बिम्ब प्रतिबिम्ब explored the relationship between a character’s outward actions and the contrasting emotions existing within. Through dialogue and acting, the participants brought this internal conflict to the forefront, requiring coordination, conversational skill, subject understanding and an impactful presentation. त्रिवेणी brought together three forms of artistic expression — poetry, भाव-अभिनय and instrumental accompaniment. The performance created a confluence of words, rhythm and emotion, with participants working together to maintain coordination and enhance the overall impact of their presentation.

Across the various events, participants displayed confidence, originality, teamwork and the ability to think on their feet. The diversity of Meraki ensured that students with different strengths had opportunities to excel, whether through argument and persuasion, mathematical reasoning, creative problem-solving, literary expression or performance. The energy of the participants, the interaction between schools and the spirit of healthy competition gave the campus a lively and engaging atmosphere throughout the day.

The successful conduct of Meraki was made possible through the collective efforts of the organising team, event coordinators, student heads, teachers, technical team and support staff. Their careful planning, coordination and dedication ensured the smooth execution of the various events and created an environment where participants could focus on performing and competing to the best of their abilities.

The competition culminated with the announcement of the results, with Stella Maris School emerging as the Overall Winner for its commendable performance across the various events, while Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Shaheed Path, Lucknow, was the Runner–up. Their achievement reflected consistency, teamwork and excellence throughout the competition.

As the seventh edition of Meraki drew to a close, it became evident that the event had grown beyond the boundaries of a conventional competition. It brought together intellect and creativity, preparation and spontaneity, individual talent and collective effort. More importantly, it gave students the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, engage with unfamiliar challenges and discover new dimensions of their abilities. Meraki 2026 thus concluded not simply as a day of competition, but as a celebration of curiosity, expression, collaboration and growth, leaving behind experiences and memories that extended far beyond the final results.