In a historic first, top students from India’s premier institutions — including the IITs, IIMs, and leading policy and management schools — will come together in Puri to collaborate with the District Administration for the world’s largest annual spiritual gathering, the Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025.
Under a special Public Systems & Infrastructure Internship initiated by the Puri District Administration, these students will work on-site to study critical aspects of the Yatra, such as crowd behaviour, public infrastructure, event planning, and inter-agency coordination.
Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain (IAS) stated, “The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra is an exercise in scale, devotion, and coordination. It’s time for India’s brightest minds to witness what nation-building looks like in practice.”
Over a period of 10 to 15 days, selected interns will be assigned to live projects focusing on sanitation infrastructure, emergency response systems, seva stall operations, and digital citizen engagement. Their efforts will culminate in real-time reports and recommendations aimed at enhancing the efficiency of future events, contributing directly to the planning of large-scale public systems.
The internship will be facilitated by Chaaipani, a branding agency appointed exclusively to manage brand activations and enhance public facilities during this year’s Jagannath Rath Yatra.
“This is a rare opportunity for students to understand how logistics, culture, systems, and human behaviour operate in India at an unprecedented scale. We are proud to help bridge the gap between India’s brightest students and its most pressing grassroots realities,” said Shruti Chaturvedi, founder of Chaaipani.
This initiative also sets a new benchmark by blending spiritual heritage with future-focused learning, showcasing Odisha’s leadership in civic innovation and cultural stewardship.
