Bhubaneswar, Sep 22: A vibrant display of student innovation and teamwork unfolded at Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, as the university hosted the grand finale of SOA Ideathon 2025 on September 20.
Designed as an internal offline hackathon, the event served as a launchpad for aspiring student innovators to showcase their problem-solving skills while gearing up for national-level competitions like the Smart India Hackathon (SIH).
The journey to the finale began with a highly competitive online round held on September 12–13, 2025. An impressive 306 teams from across various disciplines registered for the challenge, taking on 85 real-world problem statements (out of 135 problem statements) from the SIH portal. This initial round witnessed the participation of 1,836 students — including 634 female and 1,202 male participants — highlighting the university’s culture of inclusive and widespread engagement in innovation-driven activities.
From these 306 teams, judges shortlisted 50 teams based on their online submissions to represent SOA at the national stage. The offline finale on September 20 saw these teams present their solutions before a distinguished panel of industry experts. The top 10 teams were selected for their outstanding presentations, domain expertise, and alignment with SIH challenges.
Later that day, the top three teams were awarded cash prizes of Rs. 30,000, Rs. 20,000, and Rs. 10,000, respectively, along with certificates. The remaining seven finalists received Rs. 5,000 each and certificates of appreciation.
The event concluded with a valedictory session attended by senior academic leaders and industry dignitaries. Prof. (Dr.) Manoranjan Parhi, Organizing Chair of SOA Ideathon 2025 and SOA’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for SIH 2025, led the proceedings.
The session was graced by Prof. (Dr.) Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice Chancellor of SOA Deemed University; Mr. Managovinda Mahendrachandra Mishra, Managing Director of Nemhans Solutions Pvt. Ltd. as Chief Guest along with Prof. (Dr.) P. K. Sahoo, Dean ITER, Prof. (Dr.) Manas Kumar Mallick, Director, Prof. (Dr.) D. N. Thatoi, Additional Dean (Academics), Prof. (Dr.) Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), ITER, Prof. (Dr.) Debahuti Mishra, Prof. (Dr.) Ajit Kumar Nayak, and Dr. Ashis Kumar Pati.
The event was successfully conducted under Dr. Parhi’s leadership, supported by an advisory committee of senior faculty and academic heads, along with dedicated contributions from faculty members such as Dr. Sayantan Guha, Dr. Amarjit Haty, Dr. Subhajit Saha, Dr. Alakananda Tripathy, Dr. Bharat Jyoti Ranjan Sahu, Dr. Ayes Chinmay, and Dr. Biswaranjan Swain.
Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan expressed its heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for initiatives like the Smart India Hackathon that continue to inspire student innovation nationwide.
Through SOA Ideathon 2025, the university reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing innovation, advancing technology, and empowering students to contribute significantly to the nation’s progress.