PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
UPES hosted Udbhav 2025 – the first Emerging Technology-based Hackathon under the Uttarakhand AI Mission (UKAIM), bringing together student innovators from leading universities and institutes across Uttarakhand to solve real-world governance and development challenges using cutting-edge digital technologies. The Department of Information Technology (DIT), Government of Uttarakhand organised the State-level hackathon through the Uttarakhand IT Development Agency (ITDA), in collaboration with UPES as the host institution.
The Udbhav hackathon ran across two pitching tracks where student teams presented their ideas to parallel juries of experts from academia, government and industry.
More than 25 institutes, including UPES, IIT Roorkee and IIM Kashipur, Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun, GB Pant Institute of Engineering and Technology (GBPIET), THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering and Technology (THDC-IHET) Tehri, converged for the state-level finale.
Emphasising the State’s vision for the Uttarakhand AI Mission,the secretary, Information Technology, Government of Uttarakhand, Nitesh Kumar Jhasaid: “Through this hackathon, we are building a pool of young people who know how to use new technologies for public good.”
Speaking at the conclusion of Udbhav 2025, the vice- chancellor, UPES, Ram Sharma, said: “As a university, we remain committed to nurturing a generation of innovators who combine technical excellence with a deep sense of duty towards society.”
Winning and shortlisted teams received certificates and medals from the Department of IT and UPES. They will be mentored further under the Uttarakhand AI Mission while the top teams will be felicitated at a programme to be held at Raj Bhawan, Dehradun.
