Smart India Hackathon concludes at MRIIRS in Faridabad

At MRIIRS, students worked round-the-clock on problem statements linked to crop disease detection, yield prediction, PMFBY analytics, and farm machinery monitoring.

The software edition of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 concluded today at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS) in Faridabad. The two-day event brought together 30 teams consisting of 180 college students from across the country, working on six agriculture-based problem statements issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Faculty mentors, industry experts and jury members evaluated teams on innovation, feasibility, and scalability.

At MRIIRS, students worked round-the-clock on problem statements linked to crop disease detection, yield prediction, PMFBY analytics, and farm machinery monitoring. Faculty mentors, industry experts and jury members evaluated teams on innovation, feasibility, and scalability.

Shikhar Gangwar of BITJNEXORA team and a student of Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra said, “Our idea is to create a solution that helps farmers clearly understand how much crop each part of their farmland is generating. By identifying high-yield and low-yield areas, farmers can focus their efforts more effectively and improve productivity. Our innovation also supports the “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana”. Since the scheme involves land assessment and insurance, our system can provide accurate yield insights, helping determine fair subsidies and taxes”

Nationwide, SIH 2025 had 1,360 finalist teams representing 8,160 students from 727 institutes competing across software and hardware editions. More than 72,000 idea submissions and participation from over 820,000 students in internal hackathons mark SIH 2025 as the largest edition to date.

Addressing all SIH finalists nationwide virtually, Dr Sukanta Majumdar, Union Minister of State for Education, praised the rise in youth participation. “Smart India Hackathon submissions have soared to 72,165 this year, a testament to India’s rapidly accelerating youth innovation ecosystem,” he said. Citing the Prime Minister, he added, “India’s youth are the biggest strength of our nation. Their innovation and resolve will build the India of tomorrow.”

“Our problems are unique, and for their solutions, we need uniquely Indian approaches. This event is not about copying other countries; it is about leading with ideas that solve India’s real challenges,” he said, highlighting the growing participation of women innovators, noting the presence of 53 all-women teams at the national level.

The winners were from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Andhra Pradesh; Institute of Engineering and technology, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidalya, Madhya Pradesh; Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, Technical Campus, Delhi; Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College of Engineering, Satara, Maharashtra; Amrutvahini College of Engineering, Savitribai Phule, Pune University, Maharashtra; and Techno Main Salt Lake, West Bengal.