- Innovation Day at IIT Hyderabad brought together innovation showcases, exhibitions, and the first Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet (RISE 2026).
- Over 1,000 participants from IITs and nearby engineering colleges witnessed student-led innovations from 10 IITs across India.
- ₹15 lakh prize pool, supported by Cyient Foundation, recognised outstanding undergraduate innovation.
Hyderabad, January 3, 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) hosted the 3rd Innovation Day on its campus, bringing together students, innovators, faculty, industry leaders, and policymakers for a day-long celebration of creativity and technology-driven problem-solving. Organized to showcase student-driven innovations and foster collaboration across institutions, the event featured exhibitions and live demonstrations. The day is also marked by the first-ever Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet – RISE 2026 (Reimagining Innovation in Science and Engineering @ IITs), a national-level platform for undergraduate innovators from IITs. The event was graced by Chief Guest Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy and Guest of Honour Shri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, in the presence of Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IITH, senior faculty members, industry partners, and over 1,000 participants.
Innovation Day reflected the vision of IITH in embedding innovation early in the academic journey and creating pathways for students to translate ideas into impactful solutions. The campus transformed into a vibrant innovation hub as students from IITs and neighbouring engineering colleges engaged with cutting-edge ideas spanning technology, sustainability, healthcare, and societal applications.
Chief Guest Dr BVR Mohan Reddy inspired attendees, conveying that this event comes at a crucial time for India, marked by both opportunities and challenges. He noted that achieving the vision of a USD 30-trillion economy will require strong talent, markets, capital, supportive policies, and institutions that foster innovation. Highlighting the role of IIT Hyderabad, he said such institutions nurture problem-solvers by strengthening fundamentals and encouraging hands-on learning, contributing to the goal of building a nation known for innovation.
Prof. B. S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, said: “Innovation is in the DNA of IITH as our motto is “Inventing & Innovating in Technology for Humanity (IITH)”. We consciously nurture innovation from the very first year of undergraduate education. This is the 3rd Innovation Day at IITH, which embodies this philosophy, and the launch of the first-ever Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet marks a step towards fostering a shared innovation culture across IITs. Bringing together young innovators from multiple IITs on one platform will inspire hundreds of participants today and many more in the years to come.”
Nikhil Chakravarthi J, Director, Commissionerate of Industries, Government of Telangana, also addressed the gathering and expressed his pleasure at being part of the programme at IIT Hyderabad, noting that the institute stands at the forefront of technological innovation and is a source of pride for the State. He commended initiatives such as BUILD, BHARATI, and the Patent-a-Day programme for strengthening the innovation ecosystem. Highlighting the State Government’s proactive support, he referred to key measures including interest subvention schemes, SGST reimbursements, T-Hub, and funding support for manufacturing industries, aimed at fostering innovation and entrepreneurship and facilitating bridging academia–industry gaps and building a robust incubation ecosystem at IITH.”
First-Ever Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet:
A key highlight of the Day was the first-ever Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet (RISE 2026, Reimagining Innovation in Science and Engineering @ IITs), hosted by IITH. The competition drew 100+ applications from undergraduate teams across IITs, with 30+ teams shortlisted and 20+ teams pitching their innovations on campus.
Teams from 10 IITs participated, including IIT Hyderabad, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Mandi, IIT BHU, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Guwahati, IIT Jammu, and IIT Patna —highlighting the growing momentum of undergraduate innovation across the IIT ecosystem.
Awards and Industry Support:
The Inter-IIT UG Innovation Meet – RISE 2026 featured a total prize pool of ₹15 lakh, supported by Cyient Foundation, reinforcing strong industry–academia engagement in nurturing early-stage innovation.
- Winner: ₹5 lakh
- First Runner-up: ₹3 lakh
- Second Runner-up: ₹2 lakh
- Five Special Awards of ₹1 lakh each for first-year undergraduate students
These awards recognised originality, technical depth, societal relevance, and scalability of ideas.
Building a National Innovation Culture:
Talking about the overall program, Prof. C. Malla Reddy, Dean of Innovation, Translation & Start-ups (ITS) at IITH, shared that, “Innovation Day and RISE 2026 reaffirmed IITH’s role as a national hub for student-driven innovation, encouraging interdisciplinary thinking, peer learning, and early exposure to entrepreneurship. By hosting the Inter-IIT UG Innovation Meet, IITH has laid the groundwork for a recurring national platform that fosters collaboration, healthy competition, and the exchange of ideas among undergraduate innovators across the IIT system.”
