Innovation at its peak: Apeejay Stya University hosts Hackathon 2023

The Smart India Hackathon (SIH) is an annual nationwide initiative that aims to promote innovation and problem-solving among students and young professionals. One of the largest hackathons in the world, the primary objective of SIH is to harness the creative and technical skills of young minds to tackle real-world challenges faced by various government departments, industries and organisations in India.

Further, SIH fosters a culture of innovation, out-of-the-box thinking and the exploration of new technologies. It also promotes entrepreneurship, as winning teams may have the opportunity to implement their solutions, potentially leading to the creation of startups or businesses. 

High on innovation

Thus, keeping this innovative quotient high, Apeejay Stya University (ASU) in Gurugram organised an Internal Hackathon 2023 at its campus.A total of seven teams exhibited their ingenious creations. 

The event allowed enthusiastic participants the freedom to handpick the specific problem statements they wished to address. Following this, they were thoughtfully provided with dedicated time and expert guidance to meticulously craft and refine their innovative solutions.

Out of the impressive cohort of seven, 5 exceptional teams were ultimately chosen to proudly represent the university on the national stage during the upcoming Hackathon. This final selection whittled down the participating students to a talented group of 30 individuals who had demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills and technological acumen.

The selection process was a rigorous journey, characterised by multiple rounds of intensive evaluations. During these evaluation phases, the participating students had the invaluable opportunity to present their groundbreaking ideas before a distinguished panel of experts.  

 The outstanding teams

Team 1

NanoFe: Saumyatika Gantayat , Ayush Bhatt , Tanisha Sharma , Saranjyot Singh , Anikait and Chandrajeet Dhara(Leader).

Problem statement: Call for cost-effective ways of making water sources for piped drinking water supply sustainable in rural areas.

Solution overview: Designing of biodegradable and cost-effective biofilter using iron oxide nanoparticles for portable drinking water.

Team 2

Sawayam : Abhishek Patel, Hitesh Bharadwaj, Gaurav Kumar, Liannaka Dadi, Kalash Dang, Vishal Rajput (Leader)

Problem statement : Centralised Monitoring System for Street Light Fault Detection and Location Tracking

Team 3 

1364_Fake-Reported : Amit Kumar Jha, Akriti pratap singh, Muskan, Ayush Das, Hariom Dagar, Gautam Mathur(Leader)

Problem statement : Fake Social media profile detection and reporting 

Solution overview : Use plugins and web applications containing Bots and scanners to look for scam messages and content which could be considered as potentially harmful to look for fake/harmful profiles while restricting the amount of profiles that can be created by someone to reduce the possibility of fake accounts being created.

Team 4

Water Combat: Dipanshi Sharma, Anuj Rathi, Utkarsh Raj, Vanshika Sharma, Archana, Sharma, Om Singh

Problem statement : Use of Digital Technology to calculate water footprints for different daily use items.

Solution overview : Making 2 web applications to monitor water consumption/wastage (AQUA) and to monitor water quality(AIRO). Which would help both people and government cover the gaps and conserve water more efficiently

Team 5

Stress reliever: Krishna Sharma, Priyanshu Sen, Palak Sharma, Utkarsh Raj, vanshika sharma, Om Singh.

Problem statement : Self-identifying mental health status and getting guidance for support.

Each team had a distinct problem statement, a puzzle that required a unique solution. Their collective mission was to conceptualise and develop ingenious ideas that not only addressed these challenges, but did so in a manner that showcased their creative ingenuity.

Sharing his views B Tech student Abhishek expressed, “This hackathon provided a platform to showcase our skills, collaborate with peers, and gain hands-on experience in solving complex problems. It encouraged all the participants to think critically, work under tight deadlines, and leverage our technical knowledge to create impactful solutions.”

Further Deepanshi, a second-year B Tech student, said, “We observe numerous problems around us but we are unable to solve them. Through Smart India Hackathon we get the opportunity to come up with ideas to create solutions to real-life problems.” 

Point of judgment 

The evaluation process was executed via a  panel of esteemed judges, individuals of profound expertise and experience, who hailed from diverse academic departments within the university. These luminaries included the coordinator of this event Dr. Manpreet Singh Sehegal, an erudite Associate Professor from the School of Engineering Technology, Dr. Amit Kumar Goel, an academic luminary and the Dean of the esteemed School of Engineering Technology. Dr. Sudhakar Ranjan, the Head of the School of Engineering Technology, brought his extensive knowledge to the judging panel. Esteemed Assistant Professor from the same school Dr. Anurag Barthwal enriched the panel with his insights. The academic spectrum expanded further with the inclusion of Dr. Zeeshan, an Associate Professor from the School of Biosciences, and Dr. Prikshit Vashist, an erudite Professor from the School of Engineering Technology.

The evaluation process did not end there. It extended to include a distinguished jury such as Prof. Moin Uddin from the School of Engineering Technology, who was one of the sagacious minds on the jury. Anupama Diwan, from the esteemed School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, lent her expertise to the panel, and Dr. Vijay Kumar, a seasoned professional in his own right, further enriched the jury’s collective wisdom.

Internal Smart India Hackathon was not just a competition; it was a celebration of intellectual curiosity and problem-solving acumen. It highlighted the incredible talent that resides within the walls of Apeejay Stya University and underscored the institution’s commitment to nurturing innovation, critical thinking, and practical problem-solving skills among its students.