Applied for:
Kumbhathon Startup Festival Jan'25
Pitch 1: Kumbh PrePaid Wallet (People Tech)
Pitch 2: Blouse Design (Culture Tech)
Having
contributed to Kumbhathon 2015, I bring both enthusiasm and insight to the 2025
festival, recognizing the significance of contributing now as I may not be
actively involved in the 2039 Nashik Kumbh due to health considerations.
Kumbhathon
Startup Festival Jan'25: Introduction
The
Kumbhathon Startup Festival, hosted by Kumbhathon Innovation Foundation from January
4-6, 2025, will transform Nashik into a hub of technological and cultural
innovation. This event reimagines the Kumbh Mela as a living lab to prototype
and scale solutions addressing the challenges of urbanization and
sustainability.
With
a focus on AI-powered innovations, the festival fosters collaboration among
startups, innovators, and cultural leaders, offering a platform to design sustainable,
scalable solutions for the world’s largest human gathering.
Few
Lines About the Significance of Kumbh
The
Kumbh Mela, known as the festival of the sacred Pitcher, is a spiritual and
cultural phenomenon attracting millions of pilgrims. The ritual of bathing in
sacred rivers is believed to cleanse sins and liberate the soul from the cycle
of rebirth.
Held
in rotation every four years across Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik,
the Kumbh Mela celebrates diversity, spirituality, and tradition.
Its
significance spans astronomy, cultural practices, and oral traditions,
safeguarded through mentorship within ashrams and akhadas. This convergence of
science and spirituality unites millions, transcending barriers of caste,
creed, and gender, while preserving the rich heritage of India.
Here are my pitches for the Application:
Published
- Word Limit – 500 characters
Q:
Mention the kind of expectations/support required by you from Kumbhathon
Ans:
I am pitching for two tracks:
1. Kumbh PrePaid Wallet (People Tech): A semi-closed wallet, valid only at Kumbh
Mela merchant outlets, leveraging existing UPI familiarity. Support needed:
Facilitate dialogue with NPCI.
2. Blouse Design
(Culture Tech):
Coordinated blouse patterns
for lakhs of visitors, a visible cultural symbol with minimal government
investment.
The
wallet is abstract; the blouse is visible—a blend of innovation and tradition.
Published
– Word Limit – 1000 words
Q:
What motivates you to apply to Kumbhathon?
Ans:
I am pitching for two tracks:
1. Kumbh PrePaid
Wallet (People Tech):
A semi-closed prepaid wallet system designed for exclusive use within the Kumbh
Mela area at merchant outlets. It utilizes India's widespread familiarity with
UPI and digital payments, making it easy to implement with existing technology.
Support required: Facilitate a dialogue with NPCI, the Section 25 company
managing UPI, to collaborate on this solution's development and execution.
2.
Blouse Design (Culture Tech): A cultural initiative to introduce
coordinated blouse patterns for millions of Kumbh Mela visitors. These designs
symbolize unity and tradition, creating a striking visual identity for the
event. This initiative is a public good that requires minimal government
investment but delivers a significant cultural impact.
The
wallet offers an abstract, practical solution, while the blouse provides a
visible, symbolic connection—blending technology and culture for a holistic,
enriching Kumbh Mela experience.
My
definition of Blouse - A blouse is a loose-fitting upper garment that may be
worn by workmen, artists, women, and children i.e neutral gender.
