Bhubaneswar: Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, hosted the SOA Ideathon 2025, a two-day internal online hackathon, on September 12 and 13.

The event was aimed to encouraging innovation, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving among students while preparing them for national-level competition. It was organized as part of the university’s internal selection process for the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025, providing the students with a platform to work on technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges.

This year’s Ideathon saw 306 teams comprising 1,836 students, who worked on 85 of the 135 problem statements listed on the SIH portal. It was designed to simulate the rigour and collaborative environment of the national event, enabling participants to sharpen their problem-solving and technical skills.

The event was inaugurated in the presence of several eminent dignitaries, including senior academic officials, industry experts, and university leadership. The proceedings were led by Prof Manoranjan Parhi, Organizing Chair of SOA Ideathon 2025 and the university’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for SIH 2025.

Others who attended the event included Dean of ITER Prof Pradeep Kumar Sahoo, Senior Associate Data Scientist at Cognizant Swagatika Achariya, as Guest of Honour; and Senior RF and Antenna Engineer at VVDN Technology Dr. Priya Ranjan Meher as Chief Guest.

Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Additional Dean Academics Dr D N Thato, Additional Dean of Student Affairs, ITER, Prof Renu Sharma and Dr Ashis Kumar Pati, the Registration Chair of the event, also graced the inaugural function

The university expressed its sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Education for launching national initiatives such as the Smart India Hackathon, which continue to inspire student-led innovation across the country.