Bhubaneswar, June 19: Demonstrating its growing stature as a hub of innovation, research and technology-driven education, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University has achieved another significant national milestone with a team of students from its Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER) emerging victorious at the Grand Finale of STATATHON 2025–26.
The prestigious competition was organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, in collaboration with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), with the objective of harnessing the potential of Statistics, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Machine Learning and Analytics to strengthen governance and public administration.
The competition challenged students to develop practical and scalable solutions for issues related to India's Official Statistical System, including data collection, data processing, data security, and information dissemination.
The national-level event attracted more than 5,300 submissions from students representing leading universities and technical institutions across the country. After a rigorous screening and evaluation process, only 25 teams comprising around 125 students qualified for the Grand Finale held at Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS), Faridabad, on June 17 and 18.
Among the finalists, Team HacknoTricks from ITER, SOA delivered an outstanding performance to secure the Winner's Title and a cash award of Rs. 1 lakh. The team's success further underscores SOA's commitment to nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship and industry-oriented learning while encouraging students to develop technology-based solutions for real-world challenges.
Competing under the Data Collection Challenge category, Team HacknoTricks impressed the jury with its project titled “AI-Powered Smart Survey Tool for Survey Data Collection.” The solution leverages Artificial Intelligence to improve the efficiency, accuracy, quality and reliability of survey-based data collection processes. By addressing critical challenges associated with large-scale statistical surveys, the project demonstrated significant potential for adoption within government systems and the National Statistical System.
The winning team was led by Nishant Sankar Swain and included Sriya Bose, Omshree Dash, Aditya Pal and Md. Waiz Alam. Their innovative solution stood out during the intensive 36-hour finale, where participants refined and presented their projects before a distinguished jury comprising experts from government agencies, academia, industry, statistics, artificial intelligence and digital governance.
The projects were evaluated on several parameters, including innovation, technical excellence, feasibility, scalability, societal impact and applicability within the National Statistical System. Team HacknoTricks excelled across these criteria, earning recognition as the best-performing team in the competition.
The team's achievement was guided by the mentorship of Dr. Ayes Chinmay, whose technical expertise and continuous support played a crucial role in helping the students develop and present their solution successfully at the national level.
The students also acknowledged the support of the AIC-SOA Foundation, supported by the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, Government of India. They credited the institution's vibrant innovation ecosystem, mentoring initiatives and collaborative learning environment for helping them compete successfully against some of the country's brightest young innovators.
The Grand Finale was attended by several eminent dignitaries, including Rohit Bhardwaj, Additional Director General, MoSPI; Dr. N. H. Siddalinga Swamy, Advisor, AICTE; Dr. Pradeep Dhage, Assistant Director, Innovation Cell, AICTE; Rajiv Kapoor, Managing Director, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions; and Dr. N. C. Wadhwa, Director General, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions.
Addressing the participants, they highlighted the growing importance of data-driven governance and the role of innovative technologies in strengthening public service delivery and evidence-based policymaking.
Congratulating the students and their mentor on the remarkable achievement, Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, Founder President, Vice-Chancellor and Director of SOA Deemed to be University, praised Team HacknoTricks for bringing national recognition to the institution through their innovation and dedication.
