The KKR & KSR Institute of Technology and Sciences (KITS) hosted the 8th edition of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025–Software grand finale at Vinjanampadu village of Vatticherukuru mandal in Guntur district, on Monday.
The 36-hour event, held simultaneously at nodal centres across the country on December 8 and 9, is showcasing 1,360 teams of young innovators addressing real-world problems.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan virtually inaugurated SIH 2025 nationally, describing it as a platform shaping India’s future and acknowledging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role in conceptualising the initiative. The Prime Minister, in his virtual address, lauded student innovations from past editions and expressed confidence that this year’s ideas would strengthen India’s leadership in technology.
The event is organised by AICTE, the Ministry of Education and the Institute Innovation Council, with KITS hosting teams from across India. JNTU-K Vice-Chancellor C.S.R.K. Prasad led the inaugural ceremony at KITS, stressing that technology should transform lives and bridge the industry-academia gap. KITS Chairman K. Subba Rao said hosting 150 student innovators was a matter of pride and assured proper arrangements.
Principal P. Babu said that the Indian Knowledge System Department assigned five thematic challenges to the KITS centre, including Kolam design logic, a universal transliteration tool, indigenous astronomical instruments, gesture identification in classical dance, and Chandas (poetic meter) classification, which reflect heritage-tech integration. Jury members evaluate teams, while mentors support them with technical guidance.
Published – December 08, 2025 06:38 pm IST
