Parul University to successfully host the grand finale of Gujarat’s Hackathon

The Department of Education, Government of Gujarat selected Vadodara’s Parul University as host to the grand finale of Smart Gujarat for the New India hackathon. The University was nominated amongst the top institutions across the State to host this engaging, solution-finding, and technological innovation platform. This grand finale was organized from the 10th to the 11th of August with the help and support of Parul University’s Entrepreneurship Development Centre. This gathering was graced by the presence of the Honorable Education Minister Shri Bhupendrasinh Chudasma together with Smt. Vibhavariben Dave. Minister of State, who inaugurated the event upon sharing their insightful words and remarks with the gathering.

This innovation and start-up launching platform featured over 100+ students and faculties from across different academic disciplines and backgrounds in the State. The participants were composed of a total of 21 teams who worked on numerous tracks and project areas within a limited period of time. The hackathon was held for a period spanning up to 36 hours of intensive development of projects and conceptual ideas in numerous tracks. As a way of guiding the students and providing for them the much-needed insights into the scope of development, the hackathon featured 15 academic and industry mentors who not only gave the participants the right guidance but also inspired them to go the extra mile. Parul University, through its numerous entrepreneurship initiatives, has been constantly encouraging this hackathon culture amongst its students as a way of not only enhancing the scope of its academia but also enriching the community and societies through a novel and innovative developments.

In addition to the inaugurating dignitaries, the event was also graced by the presence of Shri. H J Haider, IAS, Principal Secretary, Education Department, Government of Gujarat and G T Pandya IAS, Director Technical Education, Government of Gujarat who went to share their insights and views regarding the scope of education in the state and various ways through which such hackathon platforms were of essential value for the overall growth and development of the students. The Government of Gujarat has been taking numerous initiatives which have been centered on promoting an effective start-up culture in the state and this hackathon was one amongst many of such platforms. Parul University was chosen as a result of its numerous start-up activities including Innofest, an innovation-centered festival, focusing on promoting the Start-up culture of the city and state.

The problem areas of focus in this hackathon were real-time in nature and were gathered from the various areas which were submitted by the industries. There were a total of 249 problems submitted by 178 industries. It was in these problem areas that the budding student innovators of the state showed their technical and problem-solving skills. “ We are once again grateful and honored for the opportunity presented to us by the Government of Gujarat to host this grand platform. At Parul University we will maintain our commitment to contribute in every capacity towards building the start-up culture of the state”, said the University’s President, Dr. Devanshu J Patel.