Illuminati 2025 Concludes At AFMC Pune: A Celebration Of Medical Research, Innovation, And Undergraduate Excellence
Illuminati 2025 Concludes At AFMC Pune: A Celebration Of Medical Research, Innovation, And Undergraduate Excellence
The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune, hosted Illuminati 2025, its flagship undergraduate medical research conference, on May 5–6, 2025, under the theme “Igniting Prodigious Minds.” Organized by the Students’ Scientific Society (Scientific Society), the event witnessed a record-breaking turnout of 1,342 delegates from premier medical, paramedical, and engineering institutions across the country.
This year’s edition stood out not only for its academic rigor and participation but also for celebrating the institutional culture of research and innovation nurtured at AFMC by the Students’ Scientific Society. The conference served as a platform to showcase the remarkable journey of undergraduate research at the college over the past year and marked several important milestones.
The Inauguration Ceremony, held on the morning of May 5th at Bharadwaj Auditorium, was a powerful testament to this legacy. The ceremony highlighted key undergraduate research achievements and saw the official launch of the Students’ Scientific Society’s website, aimed at providing an integrated hub for research activity, opportunities, and mentorship. The event also featured the release of the latest issue of SciSo Chronicles—AFMC’s annual undergraduate research magazine, a compilation CD of research abstracts submitted to Illuminati 2025, and the flagging off of the “Join AFMS” Campaign, designed to inspire a new generation of medical professionals to serve in uniform.
Illuminati 2025 offered an eclectic mix of academic competitions, keynote sessions, and clinical workshops. Events such as Incendium (Research Paper Presentations), Ignitus (Case Presentations), Health Hack X (Medical-Tech Hackathon), NovaPedia, OncoQuest, Resonate, and the interdisciplinary symposium Conflare saw enthusiastic participation. A session on CRISPR: Rewriting Life, and Sangam: The Confluence of Music and Science, brought together the worlds of cutting-edge genetics and the humanities.
The Cognitio workshop series spanned both days, offering hands-on learning in AI in medicine, radiology, laparoscopic surgery, suturing, cardiology, psychiatry, and more. Delegates also experienced Protect the Protectors, a unique simulation replicating the life of a combat medic in the Armed Forces Medical Services.
The Students’ Scientific Society of AFMC continues to elevate undergraduate research to new heights. In the past 2 years alone, cadets mentored by the Society won accolades at the Indian Myeloma Congress, the Bombay Medical Congress, and the Bangalore Medical Congress. AFMC was the only Indian team to secure a place in the top five and win a $1000 prize at the Mission Brain Neurosurgery Hackathon hosted at Harvard Medical School, and students also presented their proposals at the 4th International Conference on Military Medical Sciences at USUHS, USA, this year. National-level quizzes on Tuberculosis, Diabesity, and Myeloma; field research initiatives, and the continued expansion of innovation facilities like the 3D Printing Lab, Dry Tinkering Lab, and Anusandhan—AFMC’s Undergraduate Research Hall of Fame—reflect the Society’s deep commitment to empowering young researchers.
The event culminated on May 6th with the valedictory ceremony and an evening of music and celebration at the Socials and DJ Night featuring Synesthesia, the college’s cadet band.
Reflecting on the event, the Organizing Committee remarked:
“At Illuminati 2025, we’re not just showcasing research—we’re shaping a generation of clinician-innovators. This platform is where curiosity meets courage, and where young minds are empowered to transform the future of medicine.”
With its successful execution, Illuminati 2025 has reaffirmed AFMC’s position at the forefront of undergraduate medical research and education in India, continuing a legacy not just of academic excellence, but of national service, innovation, and leadership.
