Shillong, Dec 9: Union Minister of State for Education & Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr. Sukanta Majumdar highlighted the transformative potential of youth-led innovation, particularly from institutions in the North Eastern Region.
He expressed pride in the region’s growing technological ecosystem and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to supporting young innovators through initiatives of the ministries of education and DoNER.
Addressing student innovators across all 60 nodal centres in the country, including NEHU, during the grand finale of the eight edition of Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 the Minister applauded their passion for problem-solving and their commitment to contributing toward a technologically empowered Viksit Bharat.
He emphasised that SIH is not just a competition but a national movement that nurtures creativity, strengthens critical thinking, and gives students a real-world platform to develop solutions for challenges faced by ministries, industries, and citizens.
Students from across the nodal centres enthusiastically shared their ideas, prototypes, and progress updates with the Minister. Teams working on cutting-edge technologies—ranging from AI-driven safety systems and digital governance tools to sustainable solutions and advanced mobility concepts—expressed how SIH has shaped their confidence and technical abilities.
The Smart India Hackathon 2025, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, brought together the brightest minds from across India to tackle critical problem statements through teamwork, creativity, and technology-driven thinking.
A video message of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also aired. He called students “torchbearers of India’s innovation ecosystem.” He emphasised that SIH is not just a competition but a platform for young minds to engage with real challenges faced by India and contribute pragmatic, scalable, and futuristic solutions.
The Prime Minister highlighted how past editions of SIH have resulted in several student innovations being adopted by government departments and industries. He encouraged students to continue thinking fearlessly and innovating boldly.
