Students participate as invited guest speakers in AICTE SIH 2026 awareness session

To create awareness among aspiring students about Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2026 by sharing the practical experiences, preparation strategies, challenges, and key learnings of SIH 2025 winners, thereby motivating students to actively participate in innovation and problem-solving activities.

Devinandha V. R. (S5 , CSE Dept) and Aysha Shafeek M. M. (S5 , CSE Dept) participated as invited guest speakers in the AICTE Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2026 Awareness Session on 07 September 2026. The invitation was coordinated by Ms. Shruthi from the AICTE Indovation Centre in recognition of their team’s achievement as winners of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025.

The session was conducted online through Webex and focused on creating awareness and motivating students to participate in SIH 2026. During the interaction, the invited speakers shared their journey as SIH 2025 winners and discussed various aspects of their hackathon experience.

They explained their approach to understanding and selecting the problem statement, preparing for the hackathon, developing and planning the solution, coordinating team activities, managing time, and overcoming challenges encountered during the competition. They also shared important lessons and practical insights gained throughout their SIH journey.

The session was interactive, with Ms. Shruthi and other AICTE representatives raising questions about the team’s preparation strategies, project development process, teamwork, coordination, and overall hackathon experience. The invited speakers responded to the queries and provided practical suggestions that could help aspiring participants prepare effectively for SIH 2026.

The session concluded with appreciation from the AICTE team for the students’ valuable interaction and their contribution towards encouraging and motivating students to participate in Smart India Hackathon 2026.

Outcome

The awareness session successfully highlighted the importance of innovation, teamwork, effective planning, problem-solving, time management, and perseverance in Smart India Hackathon. The experiences shared by the SIH 2025 winners provided aspiring participants with valuable practical insights into the hackathon process and encouraged them to approach SIH 2026 with greater confidence and enthusiasm.

The participation of the students as invited speakers also served as a recognition of their achievement in SIH 2025 and provided them with an opportunity to contribute to the wider student innovation ecosystem.