Smart India Hackathon is being organized by AICTE (All India Council For Technical Education), Ministry of Education of Government of India and its Institute Innovation Council (IIC).

Inauguration

The national-level inauguration is expected to be graced virtually by Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan.

Dr K. Radhakrishnan, former Director General of Police and Member of the Fifth Police Commission, Government of Tamil will be the chief guest.

Mr James Howe, International Business Manager, IET, London, will be the special guest for the inaugural function at KCG College of Technology.

Themes

This year, 17 themes have been identified for the SIH Grand Finale, and KCG College of Technology will focus on the theme ‘Revolutionizing India’s Postal Infrastructure through Technological Innovation.

This theme addresses a problem statement provided by the Ministry of Communications’ Department of Posts.

The team

Adding to the pride of KCG College of Technology, eight exceptional student teams have been shortlisted for the SIH Grand Finale.

The shortlisted teams will comprise three in the hardware category and five in the software category will represent the institution at various nodal centres across the country.

In the hardware category, Team WINDTECH will create an innovative solution to advance technology, while Team FUSION SIX will redesign an aerospace component using Fusion software, focusing on Generative Design, Topology Optimization, and 3D printing efficiency.

Team TECHAZURE will also contribute a student-driven technological innovation, say sources from KCG College of Technology.

In the software category, Team ESPRESSO will develop a Smart Competency Diagnostic and Candidate Profile Score Calculator for Punjab Govt. to streamline recruitment and development processes.

Team INFINITE REALITY will create an immersive Virtual Herbal Garden showcasing medicinal plants used in AYUSH. Team NAGRIK AUR SAMVIDHAN will simplify the learning of the Indian Constitution for citizens, say sources from KCG College of Technology.

Team PAC_BOT will design an autonomous water surface cleaning robot for environmental sustainability. Team IGNITE will develop an AI-driven Intelligent Enterprise Assistant for GAIL and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

The talented teams have been carefully selected from a pool of national contenders, and their participation in the SIH Grand Finale represents not only their individual skills but also the excellence of KCG College of Technology’s focus on innovation and problem solving.

Contest

The Smart India Hackathon, initiated in 2017, is India’s largest open innovation platform, designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry by addressing real world problems through technology.

With over two lakh students participating annually, the event continues to be a cornerstone for nurturing the nation’s entrepreneurial and technological expertise.

The Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024 has seen record-breaking participation, marking this year’s edition as the largest to date.

Over 250 problem statements have been submitted by 54 Ministries, Departments, State Governments, PSUs, and Industries, addressing a wide range of challenges for students to solve.

A remarkable 240% increase in internal hackathons at the institute level, rising from over 900 in SIH 2023 to more than 2,247 this year.

As a result, SIH 2024 has attracted participation from more than 86,000 student teams at the institute level. Around 49,000 student teams, each comprising six students and two mentors, have been recommended by these institutes to compete in the national level round.

The SIH grand finale also serves as a unique platform for open interaction between officials from various Ministries and government departments, as well as students and teachers from educational institutions.

Also Read – IITMPTF partners with great US based Codenatives

This interaction fosters collaboration and provides valuable exposure to both students and educators, further encouraging their participation in national initiatives.

The challenges this year cover 17 critical sectors of national importance, including Healthcare, Supply Chain & Logistics, Smart Technologies, Heritage & Culture, Sustainability, Education & Skill Development, Water, Agriculture & Food, Emerging Technologies, and Disaster Management.

The objective is to accelerate adoption of Zero Emission Trucks (ZET) like Electric Trucks in India as despite trucks representing only 5% of the vehicle fleet, they consume nearly 65% of diesel, leading to substantial pollution and fuel consumption costs.

1. Project Driver Rating Application (DRA): An AI-driven mobile app to assess truck driving behaviour on safety and energy efficiency

Ø The mobile app will include anticipative alerts designed to inform drivers of inadequate driving behaviour relative to the static context of road infrastructure.

Ø Enrol drivers of diesel trucks, which are operating in long distances of minimum of 4,000 km per month.

2. Project Outreach: Generate awareness about Zero Emission Trucking (ZETs) among the truck drivers and operators

Ø Conducting outreach events to generate awareness about ZETs among end users including drivers, helpers, mechanics, fuel pump operators, body fabricators, and small fleet operators.

Ø Project to cover States that contribute to 80% of the population of Medium and Heavy-Duty Trucks (more than 12T Gross Vehicle Weight – GVW).

Ø The project aims to cover the trucking community directly through physical events at a minimum of 200 locations across South, Central, West, and Eastern States (excluding North Zone States, which were covered during pilot trials) and through digital communications that are apt for the user layer.

Awareness and Acceptance

Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said awareness, acceptance and Adoption – that is the process being taken.

This first step is to make these stakeholders aware of the different aspects of truck electrification – the trends, advantages, challenges and technologies, he said.

The idea is to build a strong relationship based on trust. Once that relationship is in place, we plan to engage with them in order to help them accept the electrification journey – appreciating the benefits that accrue to them as well as the country and world at large, said IIT Madras director.

Prof Kamakoti further said “Finally, we will help them adopt truck electrification with the right tools, training and preparations.”

There are many people who are working with different Stakeholders for Truck Electrification – IIT Madras is engaging with this mostly neglected community that is going to be most critical in the Adoption of e-Trucks, said director of IIT Madras.

Fast growth

India’s trucking industry is on a fast growth trajectory with freight movement making up 70% of road-based transportation.

Such initiatives, launched early and with prolonged engagement, is expected to help India accelerate the Electrification of Trucks, thereby saving import costs of petroleum, improving competitiveness, reducing emissions and increasing driver comfort and well-being, say sources from IIT Madras.

This layer of stakeholders consisting of drivers, cleaners, operators, mechanics, dhabha owners, masseurs, barbers and pump operators, among others, widely called the ‘User Layer’, will be the most critical layer from a psychological acceptance perspective, he said.

Prof Shankar Ram of IIT Madras further said while most of the other Stakeholders like fleets, Government, etc., will be influenced by the main monetary, policy, emission and energy security considerations.

This layer actually feels the direct impact of any change in Trucking and, that too, on a day-to-day base, said Prof Shankar of IIT Madras.

The drivers, especially, will be seeing significant improvements in their personal comfort due to truck electrification- the noise, vibration, heat, fatigue, acceleration and many other criteria will see significant improvements, he said.

But they will also be required to replan their schedules in order to find that extra couple of hours to break journey for charging, he said.

This community needs to understand and accept these changes well in advance, he said.

Key highlights

Key highlights of the new initiatives are:

Ø Content and communication shall be in local languages, or English or Hindi, depending on the local requirement.

Ø Digital communications and updates on ZETs to engage end users continuously. And live streaming of select events at select locations.

Ø Create digital content and activities such as a YouTube channel, YouTube advertisements, testimony videos, a digital quiz, dissemination via WhatsApp groups, etc.

Ø Share insights from end users with organisations such as thinktanks, OEMs, and supporting infrastructures, working towards accelerated adoption of ZETs.

Ø Project duration – 16 to 18 months.

Community

T. K. Ajithkumar, CEO, Centre of Excellence for ZET said they will be working with this community over the next 12 to 18 months through partners.

While the engagement details are conceived and designed by CoEZET, it is implemented through our partners who are skilled in the communication and technology tools required for these engagements.

One of our partners will be doing hyper-local events in the dhabas, truck stops, goods exchanges and Logistics parks, he said.

Such initiatives, launched early and with prolonged engagement, is expected to help India accelerate the Electrification of Trucks, thereby saving import costs of petroleum, improve competitiveness, reduce emissions and increase driver comfort and well-being, he said.

Also Read – Top 20 Law Colleges in India in 2024 As Per NIRF 2024 Rank