Sharda University Hosts Internal Smart India Hackathon 2026 with Enthusiasm

The two-day Internal Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2026 commenced on 10 September 2026 at 10:00 AM sharp at the Experiential Learning Centre (Hackathon Centre), 3rd Floor, Block-45, Sharda University, with great enthusiasm and energy among students and faculty members.
The inaugural ceremony began with the auspicious Lamp Lighting Ceremony and Saraswati Vandana in the gracious presence of the Honorable Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Dean Academics, Controller of Examinations, Deans and HOD’s of respective schools and departments, Research & Development leadership and senior faculty members.
Prof. (Dr.) Sibaram Khara, Vice-Chancellor, Sharda University, addressed the participants with a short and inspiring speech on entrepreneurship, encouraging students to transform innovative ideas into meaningful solutions and entrepreneurial opportunities.
Prof. (Dr.) Geetha Ganesan, Dean, SSCSE, and Prof. (Dr.) Pallavi Gupta, Dean, SSES, welcomed the participants and conveyed their best wishes for their participation and achievements in the hackathon. They encouraged students to actively demonstrate their creativity, innovation and problem-solving abilities.
Prof. (Dr.) Bhuvnesh Kumar, Dean, Research & Development, motivated the participants through an inspiring address on the importance of wisdom, encouraging students to combine knowledge, creativity and thoughtful decision-making while developing solutions to real-world challenges.
A total of 244 teams, with six participants per team, participated from various schools of the University. The participating teams showcased a diverse range of ideas across hardware- and software-based themes. Out of the 244 participating teams, around 50 teams presented innovative ideas for hardware-based projects, while the remaining teams developed and presented their solutions under various software themes.
Across the 244 student teams, participation clustered around six dominant themes: Smart Automation led with 40 teams (31 software-based and 9 hardware-based), followed by Disaster Management with 24 teams (22 software and 2 hardware) and MedTech/BioTech/HealthTech with 24 teams (17 software and 7 hardware). Agriculture, FoodTech & Rural Development drew 19 teams (10 software and 9 hardware), Blockchain & Cybersecurity attracted 16 teams (entirely software-based), and Space Technology rounded out the top themes with 11 teams (all software-based). Overall, software-driven projects dominated, with 177 of the 244 teams (about 75%), while hardware-based projects made up the remaining 44 teams (about 20%), concentrated mainly in Smart Automation, Agriculture/RuralTech, MedTech, and Clean & Green Technology categories.
Based on the novelty, innovation and implementation potential of their ideas, 100 teams were shortlisted for the next stage.
The 100 shortlisted teams will be evaluated by University and external experts during the subsequent stage of the two-day event, leading to the shortlisting of the final 50 teams.
On Day 1, the evaluation was conducted through 33 judging panels comprising more than 150 judges from academic and external expert backgrounds. The event was supported by a dedicated organizing team of 40 faculty members and 50 student leads/volunteers, who coordinated the smooth conduct of the hackathon activities.
The event provides a dynamic platform to showcase creativity, foster innovation and develop solutions to real-world problems, while nurturing an entrepreneurial and innovation-driven culture among students.
The successful organization of the Internal Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2026 at Sharda University was made possible through the visionary guidance, leadership, coordination, and dedicated efforts of the University authorities, academic leadership, faculty members, judges, coordinators, student leads, volunteers, and all contributors. Sincere gratitude is extended to Honorable  Prof. (Dr.) Sibarām Khara, Vice-Chancellor, Sharda University; Prof. (Dr.) Geetha Ganesan, Dean, SSCSE; Prof. (Dr.) Pallavi Gupta, Dean, SSES; Prof. (Dr.) Sudeep Varshney and Prof. (Dr.) Krishnan Batri, Associate Deans; Dr. Mohit Sahni, Institutional Advisor and Associate Dean Research; Dr. Jayant Shekhar, Co-Convener and HOD CSE; Dr. Rajneesh Kumar Singh, Co-Convener and HOD CSA; Ashish Kumar, SIH-SPOC; and Dr. Sandeep Kumar, Internal Coordinator, for their vision and leadership throughout the event. The organizing and contributing team comprising Dr. Rani Astya, Dr. Shelja Sharma, Dr. Shajee Mohan , Dr. Laxmi Kant Sagar, Dr. Shikha Verma, Dr. Nikhil Sharma, Dr. Manmohan Singh Yadav, Dr. Ramneet, Dr. Rosey Jordan, Dr. Tarun Varshney, Dr. P.K. Singh, Dr. Nidhi Gupta, Dr. Himanshu Payal, Dr. Satya Prakash Mishra, Dr. Kavita, Dr. C. Mohan, Dr. Chaitanya Verma, Ashish Jain, Jitendra Singh, Mekhala, Kamini, Durgesh Kumar, Ashutosh Shankhdhar, and Sphurty, along with student contributors Pawan, Yashaswini, Deepak, and Saurav Suman, worked tirelessly to ensure the smooth conduct of the event. Special appreciation is extended to the more than 150 judges serving across 33 judging panels on Day 1, the 40-member faculty organizing team, and the 50 student leads and volunteers for their commitment and teamwork, as the contribution of every individual helped create a vibrant platform for innovation, creativity, real-world problem solving, and experiential learning. Together, the Sharda University community transformed SIH 2026 from an event into a collaborative platform where ideas, technology, mentorship, and teamwork came together to create possibilities.
Special appreciation is extended to the more than 150 judges serving across 33 judging panels on Day 1, the 40-member faculty organizing team, and the 50 student leads and volunteers for their commitment and teamwork. The contribution of every individual helped create a vibrant platform for innovation, creativity, real-world problem solving, and experiential learning.
Together, the Sharda University community transformed SIH 2026 from an event into a collaborative platform where ideas, technology, mentorship, and teamwork came together to create possibilities.
Day 1 concluded with the successful completion of the inaugural ceremony, project presentations, and the initial evaluation process. The hackathon will continue on 11 September with the remaining activities and further evaluation.