In a remarkable achievement, a team of talented students from Jain College of Engineering and Research (JCER), Belagavi, secured the prestigious First Prize at the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024, held from December 11 to 13 at the national level. This victory not only highlights the innovation and creativity fostered at JCER but also places Belagavi prominently on the map of technological excellence in India.
Jain College of Engineering and Research is one of the dedicated and hardworking colleges that
participated in SIH-2024 and was shortlisted for GRAND FINALE at IIT Gandhinagar which was
held on 11 and 12th December 2024. This was the only team which was selected from Belagavi under the Software Category. Smart India Hackathon (SIH) is a premier nationwide initiative designed to engage students in solving some of the most pressing challenges faced in everyday life.
Launched to foster a culture of innovation and practical problem-solving, SIH provides a dynamic platform for students to develop and showcase their creative solutions to real-world problems. By encouraging participants to think critically and innovatively, the hackathon aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical application.
Since its inception, SIH has garnered significant success in promoting out-of-the-box thinking among young minds, particularly engineering students from across India. Each edition has built on the previous one, refining its approach and expanding its impact. The hackathon not only offers students an opportunity to showcase their skills but also encourages collaboration with industry experts, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
The Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024 is the seventh edition of this nationwide initiative
aimed at encouraging students to solve real-world problems through innovation and
collaboration. Organized by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell and AICTE, the event
fosters experiential learning, industry-academia partnerships, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
The Winning Project: A Vision of Innovation
The JCER team, consisting of six students from the Computer Science and Engineering
background
- Kunaal Shirish Shindagi
- Nagaraj Krishna Bhandare
- Aneesh J
- Pooja Rajendra Ekbote
- Darshan Digambar Revankar
- Khushi Vikram Koppad
The team designed a groundbreaking solution for a pressing real-world problem under the theme of
Smart Technologies under the mentorship of Dr.Prakash Sonwalkar HOD, AIML (Computer Science)
Prof.Bharateesh Fadanis. Associate Prof.,Computer Science.
The journey to this victory was marked by months of dedication and hard work. The team competed against more than 49,000 teams nationwide in preliminary rounds before making it to the grand finale held at a national SIH center. The innovative solution impressed the jury, comprising industry experts and government representatives, earning the students a cash prize of INR 1 lakh and a certificate of excellence.
Dr. S.V.Gorabal, Principal of JCER, expressed his pride, saying, “This achievement reflects the exceptional talent and perseverance of our students, as well as the supportive ecosystem we have cultivated at JCER for innovation and research. It’s an inspiration for all our budding engineers.”
Hearty congratulations.