City students secure place among 50 ‘distinguished winners’ at Swift Student Challenge 2026

Pune: Projects by city students, including ‘Steady Hands’ by Gayatri Goundadkar and ‘AeroLab’ by Shloka Shetty, have been shortlisted among the 50 ‘distinguished winners’ worldwide at the Swift Student Challenge 2026 conducted by the Apple company.The students from MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) will now get the opportunity to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026 at the Apple Park in California.The Swift Student Challenge programme champions the next generation of developers, creators, and entrepreneurs, attracting thousands of student developers from across the world, encouraging them to build innovative applications that address real-world challenges through creativity and technical expertise.In addition to the two ‘distinguished winners’, 10 other MIT-WPU students made it to the top 350 globally, marking a significant milestone for the university’s iOS Development Centre.Goundadkar’s project addresses challenges faced by individuals with hand tremors by using real-time motion stabilisation and guided exercises to improve motor control and enable expressive drawing. AeroLab by Shetty offers an interactive learning experience that simplifies complex aerodynamic concepts, particularly in high-performance systems such as Formula 1 cars, making them more accessible to students and educators.Executive president of MIT-WPU, Rahul Karad, said, “The recognition of our students on such a prestigious platform highlights the university’s commitment to fostering innovation, creativity, and industry-relevant skills through its iOS Development Centre. This achievement reinforces its position as a hub for nurturing globally competitive talent capable of making a meaningful impact in the world of technology.”