Driven by Students: IIT Hyderabad Hosts Inter-IIT UG Innovation Meet
The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) recently hosted its 3rd Innovation Day on campus, a significant event that brought together students, faculty, innovators, industry leaders, and policymakers for a day-long celebration of creativity, technology, and problem-solving. This year, the event marked a major milestone with the launch of the first-ever Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet, titled RISE 2026 (Reimagining Innovation in Science and Engineering @ IITs).
Event Overview
The Innovation Day was attended by over 1,000 participants, including distinguished guests such as Chief Guest Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder Chairman of Cyient, and Guest of Honour Jayesh Ranjan, IAS. The event also saw the presence of Prof. B. S. Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad, along with senior faculty members, industry partners, and representatives from both government and academia.
Commitment to Innovation
Innovation Day exemplified IITH’s commitment to embedding innovation early in the academic journey. The campus transformed into a vibrant hub where students from IITs and neighboring engineering colleges engaged with ideas spanning advanced technologies, sustainability, healthcare, and societal applications. This initiative is part of IITH’s broader strategy to create pathways for students to translate their ideas into impactful solutions.
Insights from Distinguished Guests
Addressing the gathering, Chief Guest Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy emphasized the event’s significance at a crucial time for India, which faces both substantial opportunities and challenges. He noted that achieving the vision of a USD 30-trillion economy would require a strong foundation of talent, capital, markets, and supportive policies, along with institutions that foster innovation. Dr. Reddy highlighted the role of IIT Hyderabad in nurturing problem-solvers by strengthening fundamentals and encouraging hands-on learning, which contributes to India’s aspiration to become a global leader in innovation.
Prof. B. S. Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad, reiterated that innovation is central to the institute’s identity. He stated, “Innovation is in the DNA of IITH, as reflected in our motto, ‘Inventing & Innovating in Technology for Humanity.’ We consciously nurture innovation from the very first year of undergraduate education.” He also noted that the 3rd Innovation Day and the launch of the Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet represent important steps towards fostering a shared innovation culture across IITs.
Government Support and Initiatives
Nikhil Chakravarthi J, Director of the Commissionerate of Industries, Government of Telangana, also addressed the audience. He expressed pride in IIT Hyderabad’s role as a leader in technological innovation and commended various initiatives such as BUILD, BHARATI, and the Patent-a-Day program for strengthening the institute’s innovation ecosystem. He highlighted the Telangana government’s proactive support through measures like interest subvention schemes, SGST reimbursements, T-Hub, and funding support for manufacturing industries, aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry while building a robust incubation ecosystem at IITH.
Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet – RISE 2026
A key highlight of the day was the Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet – RISE 2026. The competition attracted over 100 applications from undergraduate teams across various IITs, with more than 30 teams shortlisted. Ultimately, over 20 teams pitched their innovations on campus. Participating IITs included IIT Hyderabad, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Mandi, IIT BHU, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Guwahati, IIT Jammu, and IIT Patna.
Awards and Recognition
The competition featured a total prize pool of ₹15 lakh, supported by the Cyient Foundation, underscoring the strong collaboration between industry and academia. Awards included:
- ₹5 lakh for the winner
- ₹3 lakh for the first runner-up
- ₹2 lakh for the second runner-up
- Five special awards of ₹1 lakh each for first-year undergraduate students
The awards recognized originality, technical depth, societal relevance, and scalability of the projects presented.
Conclusion
Summing up the event, Prof. C. Malla Reddy, Dean of Innovation, Translation & Start-ups at IITH, stated that Innovation Day and RISE 2026 reaffirmed IIT Hyderabad’s role as a national hub for student-driven innovation. He emphasized that the event laid the foundation for a recurring platform that promotes collaboration, healthy competition, and the exchange of ideas across the IIT ecosystem.
Note: The information provided in this article is based on the latest reports and details available as of January 2026.
