Winners of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 Grand Finale held at Vardhaman College of Engineering showcase Breakthrough Digital Innovations

Hyderabad, December 10, 2025:  The 36-hour-long, Grand Finale of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 – Software Edition, one of the world’s largest innovation hackathons, concluded at Vardhaman College of Engineering (VCE), Hyderabad, where 24 of India’s top student teams showcased impactful digital innovations aimed at solving national challenges.
VCE was selected among 60 nodal centres nationwide—and five in Telangana—for India’s largest innovation drive
 Organised by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell (MIC) and AICTE, the 36-hour hackathon brought together some of the brightest young minds from premier institutions across 12 states, as stated in a press note issued in the city today. 
Finalist teams developed solutions for problem statements focusing on AI-driven timetable generation aligned to NEP 2020, digital mental health ecosystems, centralised student activity record management, personalised career advisory systems, and a next-generation academia–industry interface titled ‘Prashikshan.’ These problem statements were given by Jammu and Kashmir State Government. 
 After multiple rounds of evaluation, five outstanding teams were declared winners, each awarded ₹1,50,000 by the Ministry of Education. The include Eklavya – MIT Academy of Engineering, Pune, Maharashtra; Gap Bridgers – Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Nagpur, Maharashtra; Hack Hounds – Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu; Team Pioneers – Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu and Teen Titans – Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Dr. Nikhil Kant, Deputy Director, AICTE gave away the cash prizes and praised the ingenuity demonstrated by the participants, stating, “The quality of work produced here reflects the future of India’s tech talent. These students are not just solving problems; they are building the foundations of India’s digital decade.”
Dr. Sachin Agarwal, Director – GenAI, PepsiCo, who served as an evaluator, added, “The solutions presented at VCE demonstrate remarkable potential for real-world deployment. It is inspiring to see young innovators approach national challenges with such clarity, rigor, and technical strength.”
Principal Prof. JVR Ravindra highlighted the significance of hosting the event, saying, “SIH 2025 has showcased what young engineers can achieve when provided the right platform and mentorship. VCE is proud to contribute to India’s innovation ecosystem.”
One of the winning team members shared, “This platform pushed us to refine our idea, respond to real-time feedback, and validate the impact of our solution.”
Evaluators from TCS, Wipro, Verizon, Arena Business Solutions, Teckybot, and Vidyardhi Pvt. Ltd. commended the participants for their technical maturity and problem-centric approach.