Smart India Hackathon is a flagship national innovation initiative of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, implemented through the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell and the All India Council for Technical Education.
Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Prof. Nilofer Khan, said that platforms such as the Smart India Hackathon provide students with an opportunity to move beyond conventional classroom learning and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.
Dean Academic Affairs, University of Kashmir, Prof. Sharifuddin Pirzada, said that the Internal Hackathon reflects the University’s emphasis on experiential, innovative and multidisciplinary learning.
Registrar, University of Kashmir, Prof. Naseer Iqbal, appreciated the enthusiastic participation of students and acknowledged the efforts of the faculty members, coordinators and experts involved in the event.
Prof. M. Tariq Banday, Director, Institute of Technology, Zakura Campus, said that the Internal Hackathon provided students with a valuable opportunity to explore innovative ideas, work collaboratively and develop technology-driven solutions to real-world problems.
The participating teams presented their proposed solutions before a panel of experts comprising Er. S. P. Qaiser, Managing Director, AIDCP; Dr Shabir Ahmad Parah, Department of Electronics and Instrumentation Technology, University of Kashmir; Mr Jehangir Hameed, Incubation Manager, GIF, NIT Srinagar; Mr Sheikh Yameen, CEO and Co-founder, Curve Electric, Srinagar; and Mr Burhan-ud-din Khateeb, Industrial Designer and Entrepreneur, Studio Kilab.
The Internal Hackathon facilitated the evaluation of student-led innovations and the identification of promising teams for consideration in the subsequent stages of SIH 2026.
Dr Bilal Ahmad Malik, Coordinator and Single Point of Contact for Smart India Hackathon, said that the participation of 60 students reflected their enthusiasm for innovation and technology-driven problem-solving.