Pune, 17 December 2024: The Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell and AICTE successfully concluded the Smart India Hackathon 2024 (SIH) at MIT Art, Design, and Technology University, Pune, marking a grand celebration of innovation and problem-solving prowess.

In a highly competitive environment, Team Jagarama007 (Coal Ministry), VoltAces, and Mavericks (both from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs) emerged as top winners, impressing with their groundbreaking solutions. Other joint winners included The Olympians, Paradox Innovator, Rail Manics, and Nidaan 7.0, who addressed real-world challenges posed by various ministries, showcasing their technical expertise and creativity.

The five-day hardware grand finale was hosted exclusively at MIT-ADT University in Maharashtra, with participation from 28 teams across 30 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. Teams tackled pressing challenges from ministries such as Coal, Railways, and Housing and Urban Affairs, with winners receiving ₹1 lakh cash prizes from the Government of India.

The closing ceremony and prize distribution of the competition were graced by several eminent dignitaries, including Pune Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Dassault Systems Executive Director Salim Huzeifa, Director of the Government of India's Innovation Cell Yogesh Brahmankar, AICTE Deputy Director Dr. Prashant Kharat, MIT ADT University Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Ramchandra Pujari, Dr. Mohit Dubey, Registrar Dr. Mahesh Chopade, Nodal Officer Dr. Rekha Sugandhi, Innovation Cell's Innovation Officer Abhishek Ranjan etc.

Dr. Pulkundwar said, “SIH 2024 transcends being just a competition; it is a testament to India’s youth driving the nation towards becoming a developed economy. The innovative ideas showcased today reflect the promising future of our country.”

Highlighting the role of emerging technologies, Yogesh Brahmankar added, “AI, automation, and other advancements are the tools for solving critical challenges, and this hackathon has exemplified their potential.”

Winners’ List

Ministry of Coal - Jagarama007 (Sri Sairam Engineering College, Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu)

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - VoltAces (National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur)

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - Mavericks (National Institute of Engineering, Mysuru, Karnataka)

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - The Olympians (Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology, Management, Jaipur, Rajasthan)

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - Paradox Innovator (Heritage Institute of Technology, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal)

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - Rail Manics (Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur)

Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - Nidaan 7.0 (Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology, Bihar)