DIAT Pune Students Win Smart India Hackathon 2024 with Innovative Wastewater Treatment Solution
Khadakwasla, 30th December 2024: A team of innovative students from School of Energy and Environment, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune, has emerged as Winners in the prestigious Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024 Hardware Edition. Smart India Hackathon (SIH), a nationwide initiative aims at fostering innovation and problem-solving among students, saw participation from thousands of teams across the country.
The competition encourages young minds to develop practical solutions to real-world problems, and DIAT Pune’s team stood out with their innovative solution to waste water treatment. The 2024 edition of SIH was held at PIET, Panipat during
11-15th December 2024.
The winning team consists of talented students from School of Energy and Environmental Systems, DIAT Pune: Col. Rushikesh Dhotre, Manvendra Kumar, Shaista Shabbi, Anuj Sahu, Saswata Dhar, and Saptrishi Sarkar, guided under the mentorship of faculty Dr. Nikhil Bhave and Dr. Rahul Yadav, along with technical support from Dr Sandesh Raut. The team received a Cash Prize of Rs. 1 Lakh along with institute and individual trophies and certifications, on their remarkable win.
Their project incorporated soya biochar and solar-powered UV treatment for effective purification of community grey water. This eco-friendly method not only improves water quality but also reduces reliance on conventional energy sources making it a sustainable solution. Dr Prashant S Kulkarni, Director of School of Energy and Environmental System applauded the team, ‘our research group has always been ambitious in providing innovative and scientific solutions to modern day problems’, he added. School of Energy and Environmental Systems at DIAT Pune currently runs MTech in Renewable Energy and PhD in Energy and Environmental Systems.
On the occasion, Vice Chancellor of DIAT Pune, Dr BHVS Narayana Murthy congratulated the students and faculty for their outstanding achievement. He further added, “Team’s achievement highlights the exceptional talent and innovative spirit fostered at DIAT Pune, showcasing our commitment to address contemporary challenges through education and technology.”
