By Prof T G Sitharam

After the continued grand success of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH), which empowers lakhs of students every year across the country to solve real-life challenges through innovation, it is now time to take this mission a step further. The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is envisioned as a new platform for school students to ideate, innovate, and create solutions for a self-reliant and prosperous India.

A national movement

This initiative is not just a competition; it is a national movement. Our youth must take charge of carrying forward the legacy of Made in India, nurturing homegrown talent, and addressing India’s pressing challenges with indigenous solutions. The Buildathon is a clarion call to identify and solve issues that require an Aatmanirbhar approach for the realization of a truly Samriddh Bharat.

The four pillars of progress

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is not just a competition – it is a clarion call of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for our youth to script India’s destiny through four radiant pillars of progress:

• The first is Aatmanirbhar Bharat, where every idea becomes a seed of self-reliance, urging students to craft indigenous tools, technologies, and systems that free us from dependence and make India the architect of its own future.
• Flowing from this strength is the spirit of Swadeshi, a revival of our timeless wisdom, where the ancient blends with the modern, and where India’s rich heritage is reborn as innovations that answer the challenges of today.
• Together, they give voice to Vocal for Local, a movement to celebrate the genius of every village and community, to empower local hands and crafts, and to carry the fragrance of Bharat’s grassroots creativity to the global stage.
• When these streams unite, they lead us to Samriddh Bharat – a vision of prosperity that is inclusive and sustainable, where green growth, clean energy, and smart innovations ensure that progress reaches every heart and every home.

These four pillars are not separate themes, but woven threads of one grand tapestry – the dream of a Viksit Bharat. They invite our young minds to dream fearlessly, innovate with pride, and build with purpose for an India that is self-reliant, prosperous, and a guiding light for the world.Call to young minds

India stands at the cusp of becoming a global innovation leader. The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is a golden opportunity for school students to rise as torchbearers of change, to think boldly, innovate fearlessly, and build responsibly.

Building the future

Let us empower our youth to not only dream of a new India but to build it with their own ideas, innovations, and hands. An Aatmanirbhar Bharat will lead us to a Samriddh Bharat and it begins with the creativity and determination of our young minds.

The author is the Chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETEducation does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETEducation will not be responsible for any damage caused to any person or organisation directly or indirectly.