NewsVoir
Faridabad (Haryana) [India], December 21: Manav Rachna International Institute of Research & Studies (MRIIRS) has been selected as Haryana's Only Nodal Centre to host the Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon 2023 which is being held at the campus from 19th to 23rd December, 2023. The central inauguration took place in the august presence of the Chief Guest Prof. (Dr) T.G. Sitharam, Chairman AICTE; Guest of Honor, Dr Abhay Jere, Vice-Chairman, AICTE in the presence of Dr Prashant Bhalla, President, MREI; Dr Amit Bhalla, Vice President, MREI; Prof (Dr) Sanjay Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, MRIIRS; Prof (Dr) I.K.Bhat, Vice Chancellor, MRU, Dr Umesh Dutta, Director, Manav Rachna Innovation and Incubation Centre, and other senior dignitaries from Manav Rachna.
Smart India Hackathon (SIH) is a nationwide initiative that provides students a platform to solve the pressing problems of the nation that are being ministries, industries and relevant organizations. SIH has been acclaimed as the world's biggest open innovation model and it inculcates the culture of product innovation and problem-solving among students.

SIH 2023 witnessed participation from Ministries, Departments, PSUs, and private organizations in providing problem statements. SIH 2023 has offered 231 problem statements received from 51 departments of 25 Ministries and seeks to inculcate a culture of product innovation and problem-solving among students.
MRIIRS was the Nodal Centre that hosted the Central inauguration that was broadcast at 46 other nodal centers in the country. A total of 31 Teams comprising 220 participants along with Mentors are working on 6 Problem Statements received by the Ministry of Power at the Manav Rachna campus. This year, a total of 51,000 ideas were received for SIH.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the participants and their mentors, and congratulated them on their participation and commitment towards upscaling the nation's digital and innovation quotient. He remarked how educational institutions, with their industry and academic collaborations, are working towards the development of the country.
Dr Prashant Bhalla, President, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, and an advocate of innovation, said, "This event is not merely a competition; it is a celebration of innovation, collaboration, and the indomitable spirit of our nation on it's path to a Viksit Bharat." He added, "The Smart India Hackathon is a testament to our commitment to harnessing the collective intelligence and creativity of our youth."
Prof. (Dr) T.G. Sitharam, Chairman AICTE said, "In the realm of research and innovation, India proudly stands among the top 5 nations, navigating a dynamic landscape propelled by numerous unicorns and visionary entrepreneurs. At this pivotal juncture, the nation's youth possesses the transformative power to reshape the visage of innovation with their brilliant intellect. Today's students enjoy the distinct advantage of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), a catalyst propelling them to unprecedented growth and accomplishments."
Dr Abhay Jere, Vice-Chairman, AICTE, shared, "Smart India Hackathon 2023, a government initiative is in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, and India is the only country keen on creating platforms where youth gets an opportunity to solve challenges and contribute towards nation development.".
Smart India Hackathon 2023 is jointly organized by the Ministry of Education's Innovation Cell, All India Council for Technical Education, and i4c. Doordarshan and Akashwani are the media partners of the Smart India Hackathon 2023. AWS and Hero are the official partners, and Hack2Skill is the Smart India Hackathon 2023 knowledge partner.
Students cheered with encouraging words and headed with passion towards their working desks to prove their mettle with higher spirits and approach in this hackathon that is on 24 hours a day during 19-23 December 2023.
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