1,000+ Dharavi students present green city ideas at ANDPL's 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi 2.0'
Synopsis
On India's 80th Independence Day, over 1,000 Dharavi schoolchildren didn't just celebrate — they blueprinted their future. Through science models and paintings, students from 40+ schools laid out what a redeveloped Dharavi should look like, giving the urban renewal project a rare ground-level, child-first perspective.
Key Takeaways
More than 1,000 students from over 40 schools participated in 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi 2.0' on 15 August 2025 .
The event was organised by Adani Navbharat Developers Pvt Ltd (ANDPL) in partnership with Dharavi Social Mission .
A science exhibition was added for the first time this year, alongside the drawing competition introduced in the January 2025 first edition.
Yashika Kori (Morning Star English School) won the drawing competition; Shaikh Ali (B.S.I.A.S English High School) won the science exhibition.
Dharavi is home to approximately one million people and is the site of a major urban redevelopment project backed by the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group .
More than 1,000 students from over 40 schools across Dharavi, Mumbai, gathered on 15 August 2025 to present their visions for a cleaner, greener neighbourhood at 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi 2.0', an inter-school competition and exhibition marking India's 80th Independence Day. The event was organised by Adani Navbharat Developers Pvt Ltd (ANDPL) in partnership with Dharavi Social Mission.
What Students Showcased
Participants presented ideas through drawings, paintings, science models, and project displays spanning themes that directly affect daily life in the locality — green public spaces, modern schools, healthcare access, clean energy, water conservation, waste management, and technology-enabled community services. The science exhibition, introduced for the first time this year, gave students a structured platform to develop practical models addressing environmental and community challenges.
Key Voices at the Event
Arvind Paranjpye, Director of the Planetarium at Nehru Centre, said the exhibition demonstrated how students were channelling their understanding of everyday problems into concrete aspirations for Dharavi's future. 'Children have shown through their models and paintings what they want — cleanliness, hospitals, clean surroundings and places to play,' Paranjpye said.
Renowned artist and veteran animation film designer Dhimant Vyas, who attended as a guest, expressed admiration for the participants. 'There are so many enthusiastic and talented children here. Everyone has worked very hard in both drawing and science. It is really great to see so many children participating,' Vyas said.
Competition Winners
Yashika Kori of Morning Star English School won the drawing competition, while Shaikh Ali of B.S.I.A.S English High School took top honours in the science exhibition.
Building on the First Edition
This event builds on the inaugural 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi', held in January 2025. The second edition expanded its scope by adding the science exhibition component alongside the drawing competition, reflecting a broader ambition to engage students not just creatively but analytically.
Dharavi Redevelopment Context
Dharavi — home to an estimated one million people — is currently at the centre of one of India's most ambitious urban renewal efforts. The Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), for which ANDPL serves as the designated Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), aims to create an integrated, planned township with improved housing, infrastructure, public amenities, and livelihood opportunities. The Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group are shareholders in ANDPL. According to ANDPL, the 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi' initiative is intended to give children a voice in shaping conversations around the neighbourhood's future — ensuring that those who will grow up in a redeveloped Dharavi are part of imagining it.
Point of View
Hospitals, open spaces — actually inform the DRP's design briefs, or whether they remain a feel-good annual exercise. The gap between a child's painted vision and a developer's floor-area ratio is where the real accountability lies.
NationPress
15 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi 2.0'?
'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi 2.0' is an inter-school competition and exhibition organised by Adani Navbharat Developers Pvt Ltd (ANDPL) and Dharavi Social Mission, held on 15 August 2025 to mark India's 80th Independence Day. Over 1,000 students from more than 40 Dharavi schools participated, presenting ideas for a cleaner and greener neighbourhood through drawings, paintings, and science models.
Who won the competition at Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi 2.0?
Yashika Kori of Morning Star English School won the drawing competition, while Shaikh Ali of B.S.I.A.S English High School won the science exhibition at the event held on 15 August 2025.
How does this event connect to the Dharavi Redevelopment Project?
ANDPL, the organiser, is the Special Purpose Vehicle established to implement the Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP), with the Government of Maharashtra and the Adani Group as shareholders. The initiative is positioned as a way to include Dharavi's children in conversations about the neighbourhood's future as redevelopment progresses.
What themes did students focus on at the exhibition?
Students presented ideas around green public spaces, modern schools, healthcare, clean energy, water conservation, waste management, and technology-enabled community services. The science exhibition, added for the first time in this edition, focused on practical models addressing environmental and community challenges.
When was the first edition of 'Mere Sapno Ki Dharavi' held?
The first edition was held in January 2025. The second edition, held on 15 August 2025, expanded the format by adding a science exhibition alongside the drawing competition.
