AKI’s Poona Institute of Management Sciences and Entrepreneurship (PIMSE) proudly announces a moment of great achievement and an honor as its First-Year MBA-HRD student, Mr. Mark Britto, secured First Rank at the Dream Union Budget Competition organized by the Pune Management Association (PMA) on 29th January, 2026. The competition brought together 21 talented management students from leading institutes across Pune, each presenting analytical perspectives and policy recommendations based on the Union Budget. Amidst strong competition and rigorous evaluation by an esteemed panel of industry experts and academicians, Mr. Britto emerged as the winner, earning a cash prize of ?20,000 along with a certificate of excellence.
Mr. Mark Britto’s winning presentation, titled “Securing the Social Safety Net for India’s 23 Million Gig Workers,” addressed one of the most significant socio-economic challenges facing contemporary India. In an era where the gig economy is expanding rapidly, his analysis focused on the vulnerabilities faced by gig workers who operate outside traditional employment structures and often lack formal social security coverage. His presentation offered a well-researched, data-driven examination of policy gaps and proposed sustainable solutions to strengthen social protection mechanisms. By integrating economic reasoning with social responsibility, he demonstrated how structured policy reforms could ensure income security, healthcare benefits, and long-term financial stability for millions of workers contributing to India’s digital and service economy.
This remarkable accomplishment reflects the academic culture nurtured at PIMSE, where students are encouraged to critically engage with national and global economic developments. The MBA-HRD programme emphasizes analytical skills, research orientation, presentation excellence, and socially responsible management thinking. Participation and success in such reputed platforms reinforce the institute’s commitment to shaping competent, industry-ready, and ethically grounded management professionals.
Under the visionary leadership of the Director (In-charge), Dr. Porinita Banerjee, the responsibility of mentoring and guiding Mr. Mark Britto for this competition was entrusted to Dr. Payal Samdariya and Dr. Zafar Ahmed. With their academic guidance, constructive feedback, and structured mentoring support, Mr. Britto was able to refine his analytical framework and strengthen the strategic presentation of his ideas. This achievement stands as yet another milestone in PIMSE’s journey toward academic excellence and industry relevance, and the entire PIMSE family celebrates this proud moment with great enthusiasm and confidence for many more such accomplishments in the future.
