SOA hosts Ideathon 2025 to foster innovation and tech-based solutions

Bhubaneswar: Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar successfully hosted the SOA Ideathon 2025, a two-day internal online hackathon held on September 12 and 13.
The event is aimed to encourage innovation, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving among students while preparing them for national-level competition.
Organized as part of the university’s internal selection process for the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025, the Ideathon offered students a platform to work on technology-driven solutions to real-world challenges.
It was designed to simulate the rigor and collaborative environment of the national event, enabling participants to sharpen their problem-solving and technical skills.
This year, the Ideathon attracted participation from 306 teams, who worked on 85 of the 135 problem statements listed on the SIH portal. A total of 1,836 students participated in the hackathon, including 634 female students and 1,202 male students, reflecting enthusiastic involvement from across the university community.
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. (Dr.) Manoranjan Parhi, Organizing Chair of SOA Ideathon 2025 and the university’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for SIH 2025.
Also present were Prof. (Dr.) Pradeep Kumar Sahoo, Dean of ITER; Ms. Swagatika Achariya, Senior Associate Data Scientist at Cognizant, who attended as Guest of Honour; and Dr. Priya Ranjan Meher, Senior RF and Antenna Engineer at VVDN Technology, who served as Chief Guest.
The inaugural function was further graced by the presence of Prof. (Dr.) Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice Chancellor of the university, 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.
The event was smoothly executed under the leadership of Dr. Parhi, with strategic oversight from an advisory committee comprising senior faculty and academic heads.
Faculty members across departments contributed significantly to the success of the hackathon, playing active roles in mentorship, coordination, and technical support throughout the two-day event.
Faculty members including Dr. Sayantan Guha, Dr. Amarjit Haty, Dr. Subhajit Saha, Dr.Alakananda Tripathy, Dr. Bharat Jyoti Ranjan Sahu, Dr. Ayes Chinmay, and Dr.Biswaranjan Swain alongside their teams were instrumental in the success of the two-day online event.
The university expressed its sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Government of India, for launching national initiatives such as the Smart India Hackathon, which continue to inspire student-led innovation across the country.
Through SOA Ideathon 2025, Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan reaffirmed its dedication to fostering innovation, promoting technological advancement, and empowering students to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.