New Delhi: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organized the Eco-Creativity & Innovation Hackathon: National Level Showcase today at the NDMC Convention Centre in New Delhi. This unique initiative aligns itself with the Prime Minister’s Mission LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment) Campaign, which emphasizes sustainable and mindful living.

A Hackathon was launched on 5th June 2024 on the Code Mitra platform by Pi Jam Foundation in partnership with Amazon Future Engineer and supported by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under its Environment Education Programme (EEP). The hackathon aimed to inspire young minds to tackle local environmental issues creatively through technology and innovation. This initiative provided a platform for students across India to explore solutions to pressing environmental challenges.

Participating in this initiative, students engaged with educational videos, solved interactive puzzles, and submitted their innovative ideas to address environmental problems. The hackathon witnessed an overwhelming participation from children and youth with overall 411,711 participation and 190,033 idea submissions. The participation came from across 14 states, viz., Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, and Delhi. Maximum participation was from Punjab, led by Sangrur, Patiala, Ludhiana and Amritsar districts. Other top performing States/ UTs were Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

Top five student ideas were announced and felicitated along with top 5 teachers and top 5 State-level nodal agencies for motivating and mobilizing students for participation in this competition. The felicitation ceremony was graced by Ms. Leena Nandan, Secretary and Shri Tanmay Kumar, Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Addressing the gathering, Secretary highlighted the importance of Mission LiFE as a people's movement and how through this movement India is becoming a global leader in environmental awareness and protection initiatives. Congratulating the participants, Special Secretary stressed the need to adopt mindful and deliberate utilisation of resources in place of mindless and wasteful consumption. He appreciated the efforts taken by Department of School Education & Literacy in renaming Eco-clubs as Mission LiFE Eco-clubs.

The final showcase featured 35 innovative projects, selected from among the submissions received during the competition. These projects represented the ingenuity and determination of students to address critical environmental challenges. The widespread participation of students in this hackathon highlights the growing enthusiasm for environmental education and the importance of technology in shaping a sustainable future in India, stated a press release.