Over 500 innovators take part in HITS’ ‘Intellithon 2025 – AI Grand Challenge’ driving tech solutions for UN SDGs

The 24-hour national-level hackathon that brought together some of the brightest young innovators from across the country.

The Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS), Chennai, organised the Intellithon 2025 – AI Grand Challenge, a 24-hour national-level hackathon that brought together some of the brightest young innovators from across the country.

Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS) in partnership with Zoho Corporation hosted Intellithon 2025 – AI Grand Challenge,

The event was hosted in partnership with Zoho Corporation and powered by the Catalyst by Zoho platform, and marked a key highlight of HITS’ Ruby Jubilee celebrations.

The hackathon focused on harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to address global issues, and challenged participants to develop scalable tech-driven solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11).

During the event, over 500 students across 100 teams, mentored by over 50 industry experts, competed for a total prize pool of ₹1 lakh, and put forth ideas designed to create measurable social impact. Mentoring by 18 Zoho experts throughout the competition significantly elevated the quality of projects, providing teams with valuable insights and real-world experience.

Rajendran Dandapani, Business Solutions Evangelist, Zoho Corporation, inaugurated the event as the Chief Guest.

In his keynote address, Dandapani emphasized the importance of moving beyond classroom learning and fostering innovation-driven thinking.

He said, “Students must go beyond theoretical knowledge and focus on building practical skills that solve real-world problems. They should adopt a product mindset, think like innovators, and let values guide their journey. In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, continuous learning and adaptability are essential to stay relevant and make a meaningful impact.”

Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College received the first prize, while the second prize was jointly claimed by Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS) and Shiv Nadar University (SNU).

Rajalakshmi Engineering College secured the third prize, impressing the jury with their innovative solutions, a press release informed.

In addition, Intellithon 2025 also set the stage for future collaborations in research, innovation, and sustainability between academia and industry.