 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 21: Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (Autonomous), Jammu, achieved a remarkable milestone as its student team won the First Prize at the Grand Finale of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024, organized by the Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell at Chennai. The team was awarded a cash prize of Rs. 1 Lakh, emerging as winners in their problem domain, among the thousands of participating teams from across the country.
The Smart India Hackathon is officially the largest hackathon in the world, with problem statements defined by various Government Ministries and organizations. Each year, over 3 lakh students participate in this prestigious event, showcasing innovative solutions to real-world problems. The achievement of the MIET team is a source of immense pride for the institution and the Jammu & Kashmir region, as they are the only team from J&K to secure the first prize in this year's edition.
The winning team, "Instant Ideators," was rewarded with a cash prize of Rs. 1 Lakh for their project under the problem statement "India Post - A Bridge for Indian Diaspora to Access Things Indian (SIH 1757)." The team's innovative solution involved creating a community platform through India Post, connecting the Indian diaspora with local sellers, MSMEs, and artisans to promote traditional and ethnic products. The winning team, "Instant Ideators," was led by Ms. Praguni Sanotra from the CSE Department (Batch 2022-26). Other team members from the CSE Department included Prachi Sharma, Vansh Bargotra, Karishma Wanchoo, Riya Warikoo, and Adhvika Jamwal.
The team received a special mention from the Minister of IT, Tamil Nadu, who commended their technical skills and innovative approach. The Minister also highlighted the unique composition of the team-comprising five female students and one male student-as an exceptional example of promoting gender equality in engineering education. Typically, teams were required to include at least one female participant; however, the "Instant Ideators" reversed the norm with their strong female representation, showcasing the progressive spirit of MIET.
Prof. Ankur Gupta, Director MIET, provided guidance and mentorship to the team throughout their journey, encouraging them to think creatively and tackle the problem statement effectively. Dr. Renu Gupta, Chairperson, MIER Group, congratulated the team on their stellar performance and commended their efforts in bringing laurels to MIET and the region. She further encouraged the students to continue striving for excellence and innovation.The student participation in SIH-2024 was coordinated by Mr. Saurabh Sharma, Assistant Professor, CSE Department.
MIET students have consistently excelled at the Smart India Hackathon. It is pertinent to mention that multiple teams from MIET have made it to the national finals of SIH over the last five years, competing against thousands of teams across various nodal centers, emerging winners on four different occasions over the last five years. |
