Sahyadri College witnesses grand launch of Smart India Hackathon 2024

Sahyadri College witnesses grand launch of Smart India Hackathon 2024

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, December 11, 2024: The Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024, Software Edition, marked its Grand Finale with an inspiring inauguration at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management. The event, hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Education-AICTE, Government of India, brought together esteemed dignitaries, innovative minds, and a spirit of entrepreneurship.

The inaugural ceremony commenced with the lighting of the lamp by Padma Bhushan Dr. B.N. Suresh, Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram. He was joined by Mr. Shyamal Kishore, AICTE Nodal Centre Head; Dr. Manjappa Sarathi, Director of R&D; Mr. Devadas Hegde, Trustee; Dr. S.S. Injaganeri, Principal; Mr. Johnson Tellis, CEO and Trustee; and Dr. Duddela Prashanth, Convener of Sahyadri SIH 2024.

In his welcome address, Dr. Injaganeri elaborated on the diverse range of problem statements tackled in this year’s Hackathon. These included critical areas like healthcare, sustainability, smart technologies, and disaster management. Highlighting innovative challenges, he mentioned a task to enhance moon imagery presented by ISRO and an AI-based Ganga water quality monitoring system proposed by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Expressing pride in Sahyadri hosting this prestigious event for the second time, Dr. Injaganeri emphasized the scale of SIH 2024, with 27 teams comprising 162 students participating locally and over 49,000 teams competing nationally. He noted that 250+ problem statements were submitted by 54 government ministries, public sector undertakings, and industries, demonstrating the event’s vast reach and impact.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr. B.N. Suresh inspired the audience with his insights on innovation, entrepreneurship, and nation-building. Emphasizing the significance of resilience and risk-taking, he quoted Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: "If you want to shine like a sun, first learn to burn like a sun." Dr. Suresh encouraged participants to embrace a forward-thinking mindset, citing India’s space program as a source of national pride and global opportunity.
Dr. Manjappa Sarathi, delivering the Presidential Remarks on behalf of the Chairman, officially declared the Smart India Hackathon open, wishing participants a fruitful and innovative journey.

The event also featured a central online inauguration with notable attendees, including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, AICTE Chairman Dr. T.G. Sitharam, and other prominent personalities. Minister Pradhan lauded India’s contributions to global innovation and emphasized the Hackathon’s role in nurturing young talent. Reflecting on the event’s evolution over seven editions, he described it as a platform to shape the future of technological progress.

With both the local and central inaugurations concluded, the 36-hour Hackathon officially commenced, setting the stage for an intense competition of creativity, problem-solving, and innovation.