The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar is set to host the grand finale of the prestigious Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024 in December, for which expert team from Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell conducted a review on Thursday to assess the preparedness for the mega event.

SIH is the country's largest innovation challenge; the event will bring together top young minds from across India to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems. This marks a major milestone for NIT Srinagar, which will serve as one of the key nodal centers for the sixth edition of SIH, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Education.

All preparations have been coordinated under the leadership of Director NIT Srinagar Prof. Binod Kumar Kanojiya. Officiating Director Prof. Roohi Naz chaired the meeting and took the follow up all preparations.

To finalize the arrangements, a two member expert team held a review meeting at the Committee Room of the Institute, was presided over by Sarim Moin, Innovation Officer, and Nitin Kumar, Startup Officer from the MoE.

The meeting was also attended by Institute Registrar Prof. Atikur Rehman, Dean of Students Welfare Prof. Abdul Liman, and other key faculty and administrative members, including Prof. Najeeb-Ud-Din, DR Admin Faisal Irshad Ganai, DR Accounts Nazia Nazir, AR Admin Mohammad Iqbal Dar, and Nodal Officer SIH-2024 Dr. H. S. Pali, alongside several other prominent academic figures.

The chair discussed the significance of SIH 2024, which builds on the legacy of the Smart India Hackathon, a flagship program that has run successfully for the past seven years.

Over 1,000 winners from previous editions are now involved in start-ups, government roles, and multinational corporations, reflecting the impact of this innovation platform.

The categories and themes for this year's edition are aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision for Hackathons, Innovation Challenges, and Start-ups in building a "New India." SIH-2024 will be hosted across 50 nodal centers nationwide.

The expert team reviewed various arrangements, including the hosting hall setup, seating arrangements, work tables, PCs, printers, dustbins, breakout zones, and essential facilities like projectors, speakers, video-conferencing tools, power backup, medical kits, and fire extinguishers. Accommodation and travel facilities for judges, IT requirements, food arrangements, and student registration processes were also discussed to ensure a smooth event.

On the occasion, Registrar Prof. Atikur Rehman assured the expert team that all necessary preparations for the mega event will be completed on time. He said every detail would be carefully managed to ensure a smooth and successful grand finale of SIH-2024 at NIT Srinagar.

Nodal Officer SIH-2024 Dr. H. S. Pali said that the two-day grand finale in December is expected to be a significant milestone in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students.

"The SIH represents a nationwide initiative aimed at providing students with a platform to address the real-life issues that impact our daily lives. It seeks to instil a culture of product innovation and a problem-solving mindset among students," he added.