Bhubaneswar: In a major push to promote innovation and entrepreneurial thinking among students, the OdiaPreneur Smart Odisha Hackathon 3.0 was launched on Saturday. The state-level initiative aims to identify and nurture creative ideas from students of Higher Secondary Schools and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas across the state.
The hackathon is a joint effort by the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), IIT Bhubaneswar’s Research and Entrepreneurship wing, and UNICEF. As part of the launch, the OdiaPreneur web portal was formally inaugurated by Niyati Pattnaik, Director, DHSE, providing a platform for students to register and showcase their innovative ideas online under the mentorship of experts.
Speaking on the initiative, Director Niyati Pattnaik stated that the OdiaPreneur Smart Odisha Hackathon will gather the best innovative ideas from students across the state. She added that the program would not only encourage creativity but also provide students with opportunities to interact with industry professionals and entrepreneurs, helping them learn from real-world experiences.
Expressing IIT Bhubaneswar’s enthusiasm, Assistant Professor Dr. Naresh Chandra Sahu said that the institute is proud to collaborate with DHSE to empower the next generation of innovators in Odisha. He added that the hackathon will give students a platform to showcase their talent, creativity, and problem-solving skills, while experts mentor them to achieve excellence.
UNICEF Education Specialist Lalita Pattnaik appreciated DHSE’s efforts and noted that the hackathon would help channel students’ innovative thinking toward solving real social challenges.
The hackathon is expected to see participation from over 3,000 students across Odisha, primarily from Classes XI and XII, with more than 900 innovative ideas likely to be submitted. Scheduled for December 2025 and January 2026, the competition will focus on key areas such as agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, and waste management, and will be conducted in three stages—school, district, and state levels.
The launch event was attended by several dignitaries, including Smita Raut, SPD, OAVs; C.H. Vijayalakshmi, Deputy Director; and Dr. Umakant Sethy, OIC, SAMS, along with other officials and educationists.
