Republic Day celebrations 2026: Ministry of Education tableau from JJ Mumbai campus declared best in category

The tableau whose theme is ‘National Education Policy 2020: Rocketing Indian School Education on the Path to Viksit Bharat’. Pics/By Special Arrangement

Elated and thrilled were the general sentiments at JJ's South Mumbai campus as the 14x60-foot Ministry of Education tableau designed and crafted by students, alumni, and teachers of the university was declared as the ‘Best Tableau from Central Ministries/Departments - Popular Choice Category'.

‘Ancient Origins, Digital Wings' remained the central theme of the installation this year. From tech-savvy students wearing virtual reality headsets to Aryabhata blessing the young learners, the tableau encompassed India's continued emphasis on education.

The tableau was presented during the Republic Day Parade held at Delhi's Kartavyapath on January 26. The theme of the tableau was "National Education Policy 2020: Rocketing Indian School Education on the Path to Viksit Bharat."

Prachi Nalawde, a Master's student who worked with the design team on the tableau; (right) Fine Arts student Rohit Kharote touches up the Aryabhatta model

"This is our first such feat since the JJ School of Art, Design, and Architecture has turned into a deemed-to-be (de-novo) university," said Professor Dr Vijay Sakpal, the mentor heading the entire project with his team of 40.

JJ School in 2022, where the artists had represented the Ministry of Education, won the ‘best tableau' prize in the department's category too. "Another interesting fact, this time around, was that our tableau presentation cost the least," said Dr Sakpal.

While being a win for the university, this title also marked a moment of encouragement to many first-timers, first-year, and Master's students who took part in the creation of this large installation.

"The experience made me feel like I had worked on a grand project, and seeing it win made me feel like all our efforts were established. We were exhausted on the 26th, as we stayed up the night before working on the tableau, but we watched it live on the television," said Rohit Kharote, a 23-year-old final-year Fine Arts student.

His parents eagerly watched the parade back home and were even more impressed to hear the feat it brought. In his final year, Kharote is now confident to scale up his personal art projects after this experience.

Exposure to India's diverse artists in Delhi, a boost in confidence, and the spotlight on the project were important experiences for Kharote. "Watching the visual and performing artists work together at such a scale was really a moving experience," he said.

With more seasoned expertise, Prachi Deepak Nalawade, who is in the first year of her Master's in interior designing, told mid-day, "I have worked on college projects like installations and beautifications since 2023, during my Bachelor's at JJ. This year, I got selected in the design team and worked on the R-Day tableau."

14x60ft
Size of the tableau