Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, hosted the 2026 edition of Urban Illumina on October 31. The festival brought together market research, student-led activities, cultural experiences, and live entertainment under the theme ‘Desi Maximalism’. Organised by Illumina, MDI Gurgaon’s student-run market research club, the festival explored the idea through its theme ‘Ours All Along’ and the tagline ‘More than an Aesthetic!’.
Urban Illumina is a market research festival that sees participation from over 3,000 students each year. It brings together marketing competitions, market research games, interactive activities and musical performances, creating a space where academic concepts intersect with consumer experiences.
A key aspect of the festival is its approach to market research. Through disguised games, Illumina creates opportunities for corporate partners to engage directly with participants and understand consumer preferences, behaviours and perceptions. The format aims to make research more experiential while minimising response bias that can arise in survey-based interactions. The participant base also offers a diverse consumer profile, with approximately 50% in the 20–25 age group, 30% between 26 and 30, 5% between 30 and 35, and 10% between 35 and 55.
Commenting on the significance of such initiatives, Prof. Jyotsna Bhatnagar, Dean – Graduate Programmes, MDI Gurgaon, said, “Events like Urban Illumina give students a chance to move beyond classroom learning and step into real-world business situations. These kinds of events matter because they let students see how consumers act, study how markets work and connect directly with industry professionals. By combining market research with cultural activities, students can view business problems in new ways. When students lead these initiatives, they learn through doing, working together and applying what they know. It also gives them the freedom to own their ideas and turn them into something.”
The 2026 edition brought together organisations from the banking, technology, mobility, lifestyle, consumer goods, education and entertainment sectors. SBI came on board as the Title Sponsor, while Googlebook joined as the Technology Partner, Union Bank of India as the Pro Night Partner, and Spinny as the Associate Sponsor. Other event partners included PNB, CBI, ICICI, GROG, Guzaarish, AstroTalk, Flipkart Samarth, Cornitos Crusties, Brohmos, Creya Learning, Portronics, Ching’s, Atlas Ship, Simba, Puma, Swastik, Chumbak and Rakazo by Monet.
The festival also incorporated a market research component with Vivo, Dabur, SecureNow and Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) as market research partners. These associations provided an opportunity to explore consumer perspectives across different product and service categories. Tribe Vibe joined as the Festival Partner.
Music was another highlight of the celebrations, with acclaimed playback singer Javed Ali headlining the evening. Known for songs such as ‘Jashn-E-Bahaaraa’ from Jodhaa Akbar, ‘Kun Faya Kun’ from Rockstar, ‘Tum Tak’ from Raanjhanaa and ‘Arziyan’, the singer brought a repertoire spanning romantic melodies and Sufi compositions to the event.
