IBM Ignites Innovation with Prarambh 2025: Hackathon focused on ‘AI City in Lucknow’ initiative
- Students from GL Bajaj, AKTU, Shiv Nadar University, ERA University and Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (PSIT), AKTU win the inaugural hackathon
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India – 16th June 2025: IBM in collaboration with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, conducted a student hackathon Prarambh 2025, aimed at accelerating the “AI City in Lucknow” initiative. In an exciting conclusion to this inaugural hackathon, teams Samadhan AI from GL Bajaj (AKTU), Mosaic from Shiv Nadar University (ERA University) and Byte Knights from Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (AKTU)emerged as winners for their innovative solutions demonstrating exceptional creativity, skill and teamwork. The winning teams were felicitated at a function held in the city today, presided over by Shri. Anurag Yadav, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Information Technology & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Smt. Neha Jain, IAS, Special Secretary, MD, UPDESCO, Information Technology & Electronics Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Prof. Neelam Srivastava, Dean, Training & Placement, AKTU and Vishal Chahal, Vice President, IBM India Software Labs.
Addressing the students, Shri. Anurag Yadav, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Information Technology & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh, said, “My congratulations to all the participants and winners of the first-ever AI hackathon that captured the curious minds of our students. I’m excited to see how these ideas and solutions take shape in the form of practical applications for our citizens.”
“Prarambh 2025 represented a significant opportunity for student innovators to engage with cutting-edge technologies, unleash their creativity and develop impactful solutions that enhance citizen services,” said Vishal Chahal, Vice President, IBM India Software Labs. “We are delighted by the enthusiastic response to this challenge and applaud the innovative ideas and solutions the teams submitted.”
Prof. Jai Prakash Pandey, Vice Chancellor, AKTU, expressed, “Prarambh 2025 is more than a hackathon—it’s a symbol of transformation. It reflects our deep commitment to making AKTU a hub of innovation, where students don’t just learn about technology, but actively use it to build smart, scalable solutions for society. The AI-driven future we envision for Uttar Pradesh starts with the talent and creativity of our young innovators. We are proud to partner with IBM and the Government to bring this vision to life.”
Prarambh 2025 generated excitement among the student community, with over 3,400 students registering for this hackathon. Participants were invited to develop AI-powered solutions that address key societal challenges and enhances citizen-centric services in Uttar Pradesh. The hackathon focused on these themes/use cases: AI-based nutrition and maternal care; AI-powered grievance redressal systems integrated with the UP CM Helpline 1076; intelligent chatbots that simplify access to government schemes; AI-driven platforms for career counselling, and smart agriculture solutions focused on crop yield optimization and weather forecasting.
The hackathon offered students a hands-on experience of applying their technical skills and coding abilities, offering them a glimpse into industry expectations. Participants were presented with unmatched learning and growth opportunities through mentorship from IBM experts, complimentary/free access to enterprise-grade tools, and immersive training sessions on IBM Cloud, AI, watsonx.ai, and Data Analytics. In addition, participants earned globally recognized IBM digital credentials, positioning them for future-ready careers in the AI-driven economy.
