NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, OCT 9
Aiming to channel a huge amount of youth energy which is currently being underutilized, towards engaging them with more constructive agendas and imbibe new skills and attitudes to make them problem-solvers and progressive contributors in civil society at large, the State Education Department and Student Startup & Innovation Policy of Government of Gujarat. is hosting Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Hackathon 2022.
It was recently inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel.
Anant National University (AnantU), Ahmedabad, India’s first DesignX University, has been chosen as one of the Nodal centres for the Regional Round of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Hackathon 2022. The two-day event was held on Friday and Saturday, the 7th and 8th of October non-stop for 36 hours. Nearly 500 students forming 71 teams, including 9 teams from AnantU, from various institutes across the state took part in the regional round. Many of them found solutions to problem statements shared by the government departments and industries. AnantU is the only design university to be a host for the Regional Rounds.
In this one-of-a-kind open innovation challenge, various government departments and industries have posed over 783 problem areas that need solutions. These 71 teams worked non-stop for 36-hours and developed creative app based solutions for these problems. The students have chosen one problem area from the list and devise inventive ideas to solve it in guidance of their mentors.
Food for thought
One of the teams from Ahmedabad-based GLS University has been developing an app to avoid food waste. Their app will help in connecting the NGOs with hoteliers, restaurants and communities hosting feasts. This will facilitate the collection of left out fresh foods and their distribution among the poor and needy. The students said that no one should go to bed hungry with stomach and our farmers or annadatas hard work should not go in vain.
Speaking about the event, Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, Anant National University, said, “Problem-solving is a crucial need to run our vast and dynamic country. It is at the heart of innovation. Young students are so full of energy and ideas, and we are glad to host such bright young minds at AnantU today for the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Hackathon 2022.”
AnantU has continuously promoted innovation and entrepreneurship. This has been greatly seen through AnantU’s Incubation Center – Aarambh. Aarambh aims to become the preferred destination for the students and budding entrepreneurs to use Design Thinking in creating sustainable solutions.
Speaking with navjeevanexpress.com, Dr Dhara Thakore, head of AnantU’s Incubation Center – Aarambh. Aarambh and Dr Milind Chitale, Associate Professor and the Director of Makerspace, said, “Any student from the school to university level, including faculties, having the fire to solve solutions to the problems faced by the government departments and the common men can take part in this contest. After a two-stage evaluations, the teams will be selected by a panel of juries and given commendation certificates. The winners of the Regional Round will take part in ‘A State-level Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Hackathon 2022’. The winners will get funding to improve their app and also mentors will help the teams to realize their dreams of becoming job-givers.”
