Edition 4: PRmoment India RiseUp
Nine elite national teams are gearing up for the high-stakes finale of RiseUP PR 2026, where they will pitch live to a prestigious jury of industry leaders next week. With cash prizes of ₹55,000, ₹30,000, and ₹15,000 on the line for the top three finishers, the competition is set to be electric.
Will the powerhouse from SCoRe defend their gold, or will a challenger from the East—or one of the sharp teams representing Bengaluru, Bhopal, Pune, and Delhi—seize the lead? Dive in to meet these talented finalists and cheer for your favourites as they rise to the challenge!
Team Noesis — Amity University, Noida, NCR
Utsavi Pandey & Sanchi Goyal
This bright pair from Amity Noida is all about understanding the 'why' behind every message and delivering impactful strategies. Participating from Amity School of Communication, which has its own fully operational TV channel and radio station — students get practical hands on experience about comms.
Team PRwoke (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi), Delhi
Chitralekha N and Muskaan Sharma are the inspiring voices of Team PRwoke. With alumni at Bloomberg UK, Reuters, NDTV, Times of India, Adfactors and even JNU and IIMC as faculty, GGSIU has secured over 10 research grants from organisations including the US Department of State and UGC, reflecting its commitment to both practice and scholarship.
Team PR Razzi (IIMC, Delhi), Delhi
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication is India's gold standard in media education — ranked #1 for Mass Communication by India Today, Outlook, and The Week consistently since 2018. With alumni in newsrooms across the globe, it is the nation's most storied media institute. Subarna Mukhopadhyay and Chanchal Shekhawat carry that legacy into Rise Up PR 2026.
Team Kairos (IIMC, Dhenkanal), Odisha
IIMC Dhenkanal is the very first regional centre of India's #1 mass communication institute — established in 1993 and nestled on a picturesque 7.5-acre campus in the tribal region of Odisha.
Its unique campus, described as "a national institute with international repute," includes a media museum and a dedicated focus on integrated comms. Aftab Ahemod Rabbi and Maitri Garg are the talented duo competing from IIMC Dhenkanal, bringing a unique regional perspective.
Team Image Engineers (ISB&M, Pune)
From the strategic hub of Pune, Ashwini Singh and Sunay Singh are the dedicated 'Image Engineers' building brands from the ground up. Representing ISB&M, this team focuses on the meticulous craft of reputation, blending technical precision with creative strategy to construct narratives that are as sturdy as they are striking.
The International School of Business & Media has carved a unique niche as one of India's few business schools with a dedicated specialisation in Media & Communication Management. Ranked among the top 40 B-schools in India by Fortune India 2025 and 4th among West Zone B-schools by the Times B-School Survey 2026.
Team SignalShift (Jagran Lakecity University), Bhopal
Sanz Sanjay Lekhwani and Devika Taneja are here to lead the way with Team SignalShift. This dynamic team is from JLU's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, ranked No. 1 in Madhya Pradesh and among the top 19 in India for Mass Communication by both India Today and The Week. It's also the only university in Central India to earn QS I-Gauge's prestigious diamond rating.
Team SR — MICA, Ahmedabad
MICA — the Mudra Institute of Communications — is India's premier institute dedicated exclusively to Strategic Marketing and Communication, and the only residential institute of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region. A Fulbright Affiliate Institute, MICA's alumni lead marketing and communications at some of India's most iconic brands. Shubham Bajarnia and Raj Mehta represent one of the sharpest pedigrees in the room.
Team PRose (SCoRe)
Representing SCoRe, Chaarutha Arbind and Komal Iyer of Team PRose have a shared passion for clear, impactful communication. Founded in 2015 , SCoRE is accredited by the Global Alliance and PRCAI.
Team EPISTEME (St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru)
Bringing the vibrant energy of Bengaluru to the stage, Gia Elley and Cecilia Shaji Thomas perfectly embody the spirit of 'EPISTEME'. With their focus on deep knowledge and strategic insight, this duo from St. Joseph's University is set to challenge conventional thinking with a fresh, scholarly perspective that truly stands out.
Sound bridge between academia and industry
"This national-level PR competition offers a powerful platform for nurturing strategic thinking and real-world problem-solving among university communication students. Through its unique framework of cases and industry intersections, it encourages learners to think beyond textbooks and engage with evolving professional realities. In a world that is constantly changing, such initiatives are essential. This PR competition builds a strong and intellectually sound bridge between academia and industry. I am proud that over the years, students from Jagran School of Advertising and PR, Jagran Lakecity University have participated, excelled, and contributed to its growing popularity. My best wishes to all future participants."
Prof Diwakar Shukla, Dean, Faculty of Media and Social Sciences, Jagran Lakecity University.
Genuine intent shown by the mentors
"Rise Up is an excellent opportunity for students of public relations and communication to engage with senior experts from the PR industry. I have been part of the last three seasons of Rise Up PR, and the excitement I witnessed among students as they interacted
with their industry mentors was truly remarkable. Equally inspiring was the seriousness and genuine intent shown by the mentors in guiding and supporting these young, budding professionals."
Prof. (Dr.) Anubhuti Yadav, Head, Department of New Media Course Director, Digital Media
National-level case study platforms provide meaningful industry exposure
"I am excited to see students of our newly introduced Corporate Communication and Brand Management (CCBM) course stepping forward to participate in the 4th edition of the RiseUP PR competition. I strongly believe that such national-level case study platforms provide meaningful industry exposure, help students understand real-world communication challenges, and allow them to apply classroom learning in a competitive environment, thereby contributing significantly to their professional growth. My best wishes to all the participants."
Professor Dr Anand Pradhan, Regional Director, IIMC - Dhenkanal
"RiseUp PR by PRMoment has been a meaningful platform for our students at SCoRe to test their learning against a real professional environment. It is more than a competition. It is a learning ground where our students gain practical exposure and a head start to their professional journey by getting mentored by stalwarts of the communication fraternity. Watching SCoRe students win consistently over the past two editions is a testament to us that the way we have aligned our modules gives our students the right foundation to grow into creative, confident professionals who are ready for the future".
Hina Issar Huria, Programme Director at SCoRe.
Central to the RiseUp PR is a two part process where each team is mentored by a leading communications professional and a separate judges panel evaluates the teams during a live online pitch. A high profile judged panel drawn from leading brands such as Nestle, GE Aerospace and Lenovo as well as top PR firms such as Kaizzen, PR Professionals Zeno, Astrum and 80dB Communications are on the mentoring and judging panel.
Judges Panel: RiseUp PR 2026
| Himmat Singh, Director - Corporate Affairs, Sustainability & Societal Initiatives, Nestle India |
| Gayatri Rath, International Markets Communications & Brand Lead, GE Aerospace |
| Abhishek Gulyani, MD, India and Head of Corporate Affairs for APAC, Zeno |
| Shonali Chakravarti, APAC Communications Leader for Enterprise Tech, Lenovo |
| Dr Sarvesh Tiwari, founder, PRP Group |
| Avantika Gode, Vice President, Startup Policy Forum
Siddharth Patankar, CCO, Acko |
Mentoring under Industry Veterans
Vineet Handa, founder and CEO, Kaizzen ( Title partner- RiseUp PR 2026) says, "The fourth edition of RiseUp, and with our previous partnerships with the PRmoment India team, it is evident that RiseUp mirrors what the communication profession actually demands. Critical thinking, collaboration, and the ability to translate insights into action are among the key skills we look for. The live case-study format, combined with hands-on mentorship, makes it a powerful learning experience for young minds. Kaizzen is proud to champion this initiative because it bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world communications practice.”
Unique Mentoring Opportunity for Postgraduate Students
"PR education today needs a fundamental reset. Communication skills alone are no longer enough. Future professionals must understand data, AI, culture, geopolitics, consumer insight and business. RiseUP PR 2026, now in its fourth edition, aims to shape early learning in academia so students see themselves not just as practitioners, but as strategic advisors capable of influencing decisions — not merely executing them.", Abhishek Gulyani, managing director of Zeno India and head of corporate affairs, Asia Pacific.
Expose talent to practical challenges
“RiseUP PR, an initiative of PRmoment India, has emerged as one of the most meaningful platforms for nurturing the next generation of public relations and communications professionals. What makes RiseUP truly distinctive is its focus on real-world thinking, encouraging young minds to engage with live briefs, industry realities, and strategic problem-solving beyond textbooks.
At PR Professionals Group, we strongly believe that the future of our industry lies in how early we expose talent to practical challenges, ethical decision-making, and client-centric thinking. RiseUP PR does exactly that by bringing together academia and industry in a structured, competitive, yet highly collaborative environment. The growing participation from leading institutions across the country reflects the credibility RiseUP has built over the years. We are excited to partner with PRmoment India in this initiative and look forward to mentoring, guiding, and learning alongside some of the brightest emerging communication professionals in the country,” shared Dr Sarvesh Tiwar, founder & managing director - PR Professionals
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