Gurugram, 12th November, 2025 – MDI Gurgaon’s flagship festival, Urban Illumina 2025, was successfully completed at the MDI Gurgaon campus on 8 November. The event was organized by Illumina – The Disguised Market Research Club of MDI Gurgaon. This year’s theme was “A Celestial Anomaly”, with the tagline “Into the Stars!”. There was strong student engagement and attending, along with participating brands.
Urban Illumina 2025 attracted over 2500+ students once again this year while offering an energetic line-up of marketing competitions, research-based games, interactive events as well as a star night. Once again with guidance from Prof. Jyotsna Bhatnagar, Dean and Prof. Anurag Singh Chauhan, Student Affairs Chairperson, the festival provides an opportunity for corporate partners to obtain real, inexpensive consumer insights by actively engaging in genuine, bias-free conversations.
As in years past, the participant demographics remained diverse, with most of the students coming from the 20-25 and 26-30 age groups, providing brands with ample opportunity to observe consumers in real time.
“Every edition of Urban Illumina reminds us what passionate and purpose-driven students can achieve. The scale, the creativity, and the professionalism on display this year are a testament to MDI’s culture of excellence and the hands-on learning approach that prepares our students for leadership in dynamic business environments.” Remarked Prof. Jyotsna Bhatnagar, Dean of Graduate Programmes, MDI Gurgaon.
The Chairperson of student affairs, Prof. Anurag Singh Chauhan addedd: “Urban Illumina once again demonstrated the experiential learning spirit of MDI Gurgaon, showcasing our students’ exceptional ability to conceptualize, execute, and collaborate with leading brands. With over 2,500 attendees, 20+ brand collaborations, and multiple live engagement activities, the event offered an immersive learning experience that helps in bridging the gap between academia and industry. It was heartening to see how Urban Illumina continues to strengthen MDI Gurgaon’s commitment to developing capable, creative, and socially conscious leaders year after year.”
Speaking about the event, Bronia Mathews the Secretary of Illumina -The Disguised Market Research Club, shared: “Urban Illumina is not just a festival but a collaborative space where students and brands interact in meaningful ways. This year’s theme helped us create an engaging and creative experience, and we are grateful to all partners and participants for making the event a success. We were happy to have partnered with a diverse portfolio of brands from skincare to hygiene, beauty to health, nutrition to banking, travel and tech etc.”
Significant Participation from Corporates
Urban Illumina 2025 saw enthusiastic participation from partners in a range of sectors, including: UBI (Banking Partner), CBI (Banking Partner), PNB (Banking Partner), Vivo (Pro Nite Partner), Harley (Experience Partner), Mahachai (Premium Beverage Partner), Uppeel (Fragrance Partner), Redcliffe Labs (Health Partner), Honasa (Beauty Partner), Barista (Artisanal Beverage Partner), Jrny Entertainments (Entertainment Partner), 25th Hour Energy (Energy Partner), Coolberg (Refreshment Partner), TBH Foods (Munchies Partner), Blue Tokai (Gourmet Partner), DFM Foods (Snack Partner), Volton (Vibe Partner), GIVA (Jewellery Partner), Creya (Learning Partner), PeeSafe (Wellness Partner), BigMuscles Nutrition (Nutrition Partner), and La Pino’z (Pizzeria Partner), Nykaa (Beauty Partner), Redbull (Event Partner).
Ankit Tiwari’s Special Performance
A highlight of the evening was Ankit Tiwari’s live performance, world-famous for songs like “Sunn Raha Hai” and “Galliyan.” Ankit’s soulful performance added a memorable closure to the festival which was well-received by all members present.
Urban Illumina 2025 concluded on a high note and has now established itself among the most promising festivals amongst the student-led festivals at MDI Gurgaon.
Pre Events
The event created a huge buzz with several brand activations activities on campus with brands like Nykaa and Swiggy. The Illumina Team also organized a campus wide Treasure Hunt with over 100+ teams participating in solving clues and marketing riddles to win the ultimate prize.
We also hosted Expressions, the Market Research Activity done with school students on the morning of the event with over 300+ students across 5 schools. We had Creya Learning partner with us for the same.
