Argus News - NIT Rourkela Team SWADES Wins Smart India Hackathon 2025 National Title

Rourkela, Dec 12: A team of six third-year students from the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela has emerged as national winners at the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025. The student team, named SWADES, secured the top position for Problem Statement ID 25166, titled “Smart Sabarmati Riverfront & Urban Water Bodies”, during the finale held at Parul University, Gujarat, from December 8 to 12.

Organised by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell in collaboration with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), SIH 2025 is part of the national mission “Hack for Bharat, Build for the World”. The competition drew participation from around 120 teams nationwide, with only five shortlisted for the final round.

Team SWADES comprised Nilesh Kumar and Dev Soni (Mechanical Engineering), Ritik Pandey (Physics, Integrated), and Amol Munot, Suchismita Behera, and Ujjwal Kumar (Electrical Engineering). Their innovative solution addressed urban water management and public safety challenges through a technology-driven approach.

The team designed and demonstrated an autonomous river surface cleaning robot capable of removing floating waste from rivers. Beyond waste management, the system integrates advanced features to detect drowning incidents, send alerts to nearby citizens via the Sabarmati Mitra mobile application, and provide real-time water quality updates to the public. The prototype showcased the effective use of intelligent systems to promote environmental sustainability and enhance public safety.

During the five-day finale, the shortlisted teams were required to build and operate fully functional prototypes. Team SWADES successfully tested and demonstrated their solution, earning the national winner title. The grand finale ceremony was attended by Shri Arun Mahesh Babu, IAS, Commissioner of Vadodara Municipal Corporation, as Chief Guest, and Shri Yogesh Brahmankar, Innovation Director, AICTE, as Guest of Honour.

The victory highlights NIT Rourkela’s growing reputation for innovation and problem-solving, while reinforcing the role of young technologists in addressing pressing urban and environmental challenges.