The 7th edition of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024 kicked off today, marking a significant stride in India’s journey towards becoming a global innovation hub. Hosted across 51 nodal centers nationwide, this year’s hackathon saw participation from over 1,300 student teams, each tackling real-world problems across various sectors like healthcare, sustainability, and technology.
Initiated under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, SIH has become the world’s largest open innovation platform. The event, inaugurated by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, aims to foster creativity and problem-solving among India’s youth. This year, participants are addressing more than 250 problem statements proposed by 54 ministries, departments, and industries.
Highlighting its commitment to youth empowerment, PM Modi virtually interacted with the participants, lauding their efforts and the potential they hold for India’s future. With a 150% increase in internal hackathons at educational institutes compared to last year, the scale of SIH 2024 reflects an unprecedented enthusiasm for innovation. This hackathon not only bridges the gap between academia and industry but also propels India towards its goal of being a knowledge economy.
