Winners of the Smart India Hackathon Grand Finale at VTU in Belagavi on Tuesday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The grand finale of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025, one of India’s largest national innovation conventions, concluded at Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Belagavi on Tuesday.
The event witnessed an intense 36-hour non-stop innovation marathon where some of the brightest young minds in the country worked round-the-clock to solve real-world challenges through technology.
In the Blockchain and CyberSecurity category, the team from Panipat Institute of Engineering and Technology, Haryana won, presenting a robust blockchain-based cyber security framework.
The AI-based pollution source identification for the Delhi NCR domain was won by a team from Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, which created an AI-powered dashboard to help environmental policy planning.
The Sustainable Transportation & Logistics category was won by Goka Raju Ranga Raju Institute of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad, whose solution focused on optimizing logistics and reducing carbon emissions.
In Clean & Green Technology, the winning team from KC College of Engineering, Maharashtra presented an innovative model promoting sustainable environmental practices.
Minister of State for Education and North Eastern Region Development Sukanta Majumdar interacted with the SIH finalists across India through video conferencing.
Teams from across the country participated in four main problem domains and showcased innovative digital solutions aimed at strengthening the nation’s technology ecosystem. Over two days, participants worked with industry experts, mentors and evaluators who guided them through prototype development, design refinement and solution demonstration.
Each winning team was awarded a cash prize of ₹1.5 lakh, recognizing their outstanding innovation, technical excellence and commitment to solving societal challenges. In total, 120 students participated in the grand final, including an impressive 52 female students, reflecting the growing participation of women in STEM and national innovation platforms.
Vice Chancellor Vidyashankar S. congratulated the participants and emphasized the importance of encouraging innovative problem solving among young technologists. He expressed pride that VTU could host such a nationally important event and highlighted the university’s commitment to fostering creativity, critical thinking and research.
Prizes were distributed by Nodal Center Manager Anand Kulkarni and other guests. High officials were present.
Published – 10 Dec 2025 19:32 IST
