Ideaz

“FlavorSwap” – Transforming Taste Experiences

The FlavorSwap system combines a pill and a VR headset to revolutionize how we experience food. Users take the FlavorSwap Pill, which contains active compounds and mild neural stimulants that interact with taste receptors and gustatory neurons, temporarily altering the perception of flavor. At the same time, a connected VR headset provides immersive visual and auditory cues that enhance the perceived flavor, texture, and environment of the food being consumed. For example, a person who dislikes vegetables could perceive broccoli as a cheesy pizza while seeing a virtual pizza parlor around them, or someone taking medicine might experience it as a decadent chocolate dessert in a soothing virtual café.

Problem It Solves:

Many people face challenges with unhealthy eating habits, picky eating, or medical diets. Children often resist nutritious foods, patients may need to take bitter medicines, and individuals on restrictive diets struggle with compliance. Currently, there is no effective way to alter taste perception safely, leaving people either avoiding essential foods or enduring unpleasant experiences.

Gaps in Current Market:

Existing methods rely on masking flavors with sauces, additives, or artificial sweeteners, which do not change the actual taste experience.

VR and digital taste simulations cannot affect real-world food.

No solution exists that can directly interact with taste neurons to modify the perception of actual food in real-time.

Who Benefits:

Children and picky eaters, making healthy foods enjoyable.

Patients who need to take medicines or supplements they dislike.

Health-conscious individuals following strict diets.

Food services and hospitals, improving compliance with nutrition plans.

Why It Matters:

This problem is personal because many people, including myself, often struggle to enjoy healthy foods or medicines. A solution like the FlavorSwap Pill would make nutritious eating pleasant and effortless, improving health outcomes and overall quality of life.

Technical Details :

The pill contains targeted compounds that safely activate specific taste receptors, temporarily modifying flavor perception.

The VR headset synchronizes visuals, sound, and even subtle motion cues to enhance the perceived texture and context of food.

The pill and VR system communicate via a secure wireless link, allowing real-time adjustment of flavor perception to match the virtual environment.

Users can customize flavor profiles and VR settings according to preferences and sensitivities.

Problem Statement

Pollution is one of the biggest problems of our time. Oceans, rivers, and cities are facing the devastating effects of plastic waste, carbon emissions, and deforestation. While we are trying to increase awareness about this issue, younger generations often remain disconnected.

Traditional methods of education may feel distant to children because they never grew up with the natural beauty of nature, making it difficult for them to grasp how pollution affects their daily lives.

Without early exposure to the importance of sustainability, children may grow up less conscious of their responsibility to protect our planet. There is a need for hands-on experiences and age-appropriate tools that can both entertain and bring awareness about environmental responsibility from an early age.

Proposed Solution

The solution is to create sustainability-focused toys that combine fun with meaningful learning. A few possible concepts are:

• Remote-Controlled Cleanup Boat A small RC boat designed to pick up floating waste such as plastic pieces or paper cutouts from the water’s surface. Children can play in bathtubs, pools, or ponds while actively simulating the process of cleaning polluted water bodies.

  This hands-on experience builds awareness of water pollution and encourages eco-friendly habits. Kids can also customize these boats with either the add-ons we provide or make their own, increasing their creativity and broadening their imagination.

• Pollution Awareness Story Game A story-based video game that unveils real-world problems as the story progresses. The story is set in a distant future, in a world similar to Earth. The player learns about the history of Earth and works to create solutions to defeat the final boss.

  The ending will show a documentary-style sequence of how our Earth might face the same outcome if pollution continues, encouraging players to do something positive for their planet.

Who Benefits from This?

• Children – They gain awareness about environmental issues and can connect themselves to the larger problem. Instead of passively hearing about pollution, they learn by playing, creating, and immersing themselves in the issue.

• Parents and Educators – They receive a practical tool to introduce sustainability concepts at home and in classrooms. Parents can bond with children through meaningful play, while teachers can integrate the toys into lessons more easily and effectively.

• Communities and Society – A generation of children growing up with environmental awareness will make more responsible choices in the future, contributing to a culture of sustainability that benefits everyone.

Conclusion

Pollution is a very serious issue that we can tackle more effectively if we bring awareness to the younger generation first.

With the growth in digital payments, online banking, and e-commerce, financial fraud has emerged as a major threat for consumers and businesses alike. Conventional fraud detection techniques use static rules, which usually do not detect newer or more complex attacks. In contrast, legitimate users occasionally get caught, leading to user frustration and mistrust.

My proposal is to create an AI-Powered Fraud Detection System that learns continuously from patterns of transactions and user behavior. Through machine learning and anomaly detection, the system would:

Monitor transactions in real-time to spot suspicious spending or access patterns.

Identify suspicious behavior immediately and warn users before money is lost.

Minimize false alarms by learning each user's normal behavior.

Learn continuously from new cases of fraud.

For instance, if a customer typically spends in Hyderabad but a sudden high-value transaction from somewhere else shows up, the system would flag it as high-risk. Likewise, multiple failed login attempts or abnormal purchases can signal alerts.

Target users are banks, online shopping websites, and normal consumers who wish to feel safe while making online transactions. This solution not only helps cut down on financial losses but also establishes confidence in digital transactions, which is crucial in the current cashless economy.

This issue is important to me because as more and more individuals switch to UPI and digital wallets, even students become vulnerable to scams and phishing. A smart fraud detection mechanism can enable individuals to make transactions fearlessly, with the assurance that AI is working behind the scenes to safeguard them.

Tags: AI, fraud detection, fintech, security, machine learning

Affordable Portable Water Purification Device:

Access to clean drinking water is a critical global challenge, with nearly 2 billion people relying on contaminated sources, leading to waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea. Current solutions like bottled water are expensive and environmentally harmful, while large treatment plants and existing portable filters are often inaccessible or ineffective in removing bacteria, viruses, and heavy metals. To address this, an Affordable Portable Water Purification Device is proposed, combining solar-powered UV-C sterilization, activated carbon filtration, and nano-membrane technology to provide safe, potable water.

Despite the availability of various water purification solutions, significant gaps remain that leave millions without access to safe drinking water. Large-scale treatment plants are effective in urban areas but fail to reach remote villages or disaster-affected regions, leaving rural populations dependent on contaminated sources. Bottled water and commercial portable filters are often too expensive for low-income households, and even existing portable devices frequently cannot remove all harmful contaminants, such as viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, or chemicals, leaving users at risk of waterborne diseases. Many purifiers are also dependent on electricity, which is unreliable or unavailable in off-grid areas, further limiting their usability. Additionally, most devices lack real-time monitoring, so users cannot easily verify whether water is safe to drink or when filters require replacement. Environmental concerns also exist, as bottled water generates plastic waste, and short-lived purification devices contribute to electronic or plastic waste. These gaps highlight the urgent need for a solution that is affordable, portable, energy-independent, capable of multi-stage purification, and equipped with smart indicators, ensuring safe drinking water for households, travelers, and communities in need.

This device benefits a wide range of individuals and communities by providing safe and clean drinking water in situations where access is limited. Rural households gain direct access to potable water, reducing their reliance on contaminated sources and preventing waterborne diseases. Disaster relief organizations and humanitarian agencies can use the device in flood, drought, or earthquake-affected areas, ensuring emergency water needs are met quickly and safely. Travelers, hikers, and soldiers operating in remote or off-grid locations benefit from a lightweight, portable solution that guarantees safe drinking water anywhere. Additionally, NGOs, community centers, schools, and refugee camps can deploy these devices to serve larger populations efficiently, promoting health, hygiene, and well-being. Indirectly, local healthcare systems also benefit by seeing a reduction in waterborne illnesses, which decreases the burden on clinics and hospitals. Overall, the device provides both individual and community-level benefits, improving health, quality of life, and access to a basic human right—clean water—for millions who otherwise struggle to obtain it.

This problem matters to me deeply because I have seen how lack of access to clean drinking water affects people’s health, daily life, and overall well-being, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Many families are forced to rely on contaminated rivers, ponds, or unsafe wells, exposing children and adults alike to preventable waterborne diseases, which can be life-threatening and disrupt education, work, and productivity. Seeing the struggles of these communities, including long hours spent fetching water, frequent illness, and the financial burden of buying bottled water, has made me realize that access to safe water is not just a basic necessity but a fundamental human right. Providing an affordable, portable, and reliable solution can directly improve health outcomes, reduce hospital visits, save families time and money, and empower communities to lead healthier, more productive lives. Personally, addressing this issue aligns with my desire to create practical, impactful technologies that solve real-world problems and make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

The Affordable Portable Water Purification Device combines UV-C sterilization, activated carbon filtration, and nano-membrane technology to provide safe drinking water by eliminating bacteria, viruses, chemicals, odors, and heavy metals. It is solar-powered with a rechargeable battery backup, making it usable in off-grid areas. The device is lightweight and portable, capable of purifying 10–20 liters per day, and built from durable, corrosion-resistant materials. Smart features include a TDS sensor with LED indicators to monitor water quality and a filter replacement alert for easy maintenance, while cartridges last 6–12 months. Optional IoT integration allows real-time monitoring through a mobile app, making it practical, efficient, and suitable for households, travelers, and disaster-affected areas.

In conclusion, the Affordable Portable Water Purification Device offers a practical, low-cost, and sustainable solution to the critical problem of unsafe drinking water, especially in rural, remote, and disaster-affected areas. By combining UV-C sterilization, activated carbon filtration, and nano-membrane technology, the device ensures safe and clean water while remaining portable, energy-efficient, and easy to maintain. It addresses major gaps in existing solutions, such as high costs, incomplete purification, and dependence on electricity, and provides clear benefits to households, travelers, NGOs, and communities in need. Beyond improving health outcomes and reducing waterborne diseases, this device has the potential to empower communities, save time and money, and promote long-term sustainability. With further enhancements, such as mobile app integration and larger-scale models for schools or camps, this innovation can have a wide-reaching impact, making safe drinking water accessible to millions and contributing significantly to global health and well-being.

One of the most significant real-world issues that we deal with today is food waste, and it's something we witness on a daily basis in our own college cafeteria. Plates are frequently left half-full, and significant portions of prepared meals are discarded. This not only wastes money and resources, but it also contributes to environmental problems such as climate change due to landfill emissions. That is why I think addressing food waste on campus is a significant problem to solve

Gaps in the current solutions/market:-

Cafeterias usually do not keep proper food waste statistics.
Existing solutions are primarily based on composting, rather than prevention.

Students don't know their individual contribution to waste.

There are limited tools to enable kitchens to forecast demand effectively in real time.

Who stands to benefit?

Students → More sustainable campus, possible discounts/rewards for minimizing waste.

Universities → Savings on food purchase and disposal, enhanced reputation for sustainability.

Community & Environment → Lower landfill waste, decreased carbon footprint, possible donations to local food banks.

Why this issue is important to you?

As a student, I’ve noticed how much uneaten food gets thrown away in the cafeteria every day. It made me realize how much money, effort, and environmental resources are wasted. Solving this problem would help not just our university, but also the planet.

Technical details:-

Smart Cafeteria App/System:
Students pre-order or indicate meal preferences, helping kitchens predict demand.

Cafeteria staff input data on leftover/wasted food → system generates reports and trends.

AI/ML model recommends portion realignment and menu planning.

Gamification: Students are rewarded with points or discounts for completing meals, minimizing waste, or donating unused portions.

IoT Smart Bins: Waste bins have sensors that weigh food discarded
→ Data is fed into dashboard for staff.

Symtrack: Turning Symptoms into Signals

Problem Statement:
In healthcare, one of the biggest gaps lies in patient-reported symptoms. Many times, patients forget small details, underreport changes, or wait until symptoms become severe. This delay makes diagnosis harder, treatments less effective, and recovery longer. Without proper symptom tracking, doctors often get only half the story.

Proposed Solution:
Symtrack is a digital symptom tracker that works like a smart health journal. Patients log their daily symptoms, and the system uses data visualization and pattern recognition to highlight trends. For example, it can show if headaches are getting more frequent, if blood sugar variations align with lifestyle changes, or if certain triggers worsen conditions. Symtrack transforms scattered symptom notes into actionable medical insights, helping doctors make more accurate decisions, faster.

Who Benefits:

Patients → Early detection of health changes, better self-awareness.

Doctors → Reliable, structured data for accurate diagnosis.

Healthcare systems → Reduced costs by preventing late-stage complications.

Why This Matters to Me:
As an engineering student, I’m fascinated by how small patterns can reveal big truths. Just like engineers track data to predict failures in machines, we can track human symptoms to prevent health crises. Symtrack matters to me because it combines my love for problem-solving with my desire to improve lives—making healthcare not just reactive, but truly proactive.

1. The Problem

The Indian railway system faces persistent issues that frustrate millions of daily travelers. Delays are frequent, but passengers are rarely given accurate explanations or reliable updates. Railway staff often lack real-time visibility into what’s causing disruptions, forcing them to react rather than prevent problems. This results in a communication gap between passengers and operators, leaving both sides on completely different pages, reducing trust and efficiency.

2. The Solution: A Foundational Shift

• Move beyond a simple app to create a “digital twin” of the railway network.

• Two-way intelligent system combining on-board and trackside sensors for continuous monitoring.

• Real-time data flows into AI-powered models that adapt dynamically to conditions.

• Enables dynamic routing, predictive maintenance, operational insights, and better passenger engagement.

3. Core Components & Functionality

RailSync (Passenger App):

• Smart Delay Predictions – Hyper-accurate forecasts using official data, IoT sensors, and crowd-sourced inputs.

• Dynamic Journey Updates – Real-time alerts, alternative route suggestions, and rescheduling options.

• Incident Reporting – Passengers flag issues (cleanliness, AC, lights, security) in real time for faster resolution.

• In-Station Navigation – GPS + Bluetooth beacons guide travelers to correct platforms, amenities, and exits.

• Personalized Travel Insights – Trip history and notifications for smoother, recurring travel.

Railway Dashboard (Operator System):

• Network Digital Twin – Live, virtual replica of the rail network for monitoring, simulations, and scenario testing.

• AI Root Cause Analysis – Automated identification of delays (e.g., signal failure, track defect, congestion hotspots).

• Predictive Maintenance – Identifies wear/tear patterns, forecasts component failures, and optimizes repair schedules.

• Performance Analytics – Data-driven insights into punctuality, utilization, and efficiency for decision-making.

4. Value Proposition & Key Beneficiaries

For Passengers (RailSync):

• Stress-free travel with predictive, transparent updates.

• Easy navigation, service feedback, and personalized travel assistance.

For Railways (Dashboard):

• Holistic, real-time network visibility across thousands of trains and stations.

• Smarter operational decisions, fewer disruptions, and safer journeys.

For the Economy:

• Reduced delays = increased productivity and improved logistics efficiency.

• Lower fuel/energy costs and optimized resource utilization.

• Supports sustainable, scalable, and future-ready transport infrastructure.

5. Project Vision

• Create a smart, resilient, and transparent railway ecosystem.

• Build trust between passengers and operators through accountability.

• Drive efficiency, safety, and sustainability across the network.

• Position Indian Railways as a global benchmark for digital transformation.

The automotive market is quickly evolving to electric and hybrid cars to address global sustainability and emissions reduction targets. One of the challenges of such cars is optimizing energy efficiency to increase driving range while reducing reliance on battery capacity and charging frequency. Regenerative braking technologies lead energy recovery technologies, converting energy of motion when the car decelerates to electrical energy stored in the battery. Yet, these systems are plagued by efficiency losses as a result of energy conversion and limitations like battery capacity degradation, charging rate, and energy density restrictions.

Mechanical energy recovery systems pose an exciting complementary technology that recovers kinetic energy in mechanical form—typically through flywheels or elastic storage devices like springs. They deposit braking energy as mechanical energy, which can be quickly released to aid acceleration or sustain motion, with less energy conversion loss than electrical systems. Mechanical recovery facilitates quicker energy capture and release cycles, lessens battery strain, enhances overall energy management of the vehicle, and can reduce maintenance expense.

Though this prospect exists, mechanical energy recovery has been underutilized in conventional electric and hybrid cars. Challenges in implementing systems within drivetrains without adding substantial weight or complexity, sustaining durability and safety during fast rotational speeds, and creating sophisticated control units to facilitate smooth coordination between mechanical and electrical energy recovery mechanisms are some of the issues.

MARKET GAP:
Today, the vast majority of electric and hybrid cars almost entirely depend on electrical regenerative braking, constraining peak energy recapture owing to system inefficiencies and battery storage limitations. Mechanical energy recovery systems are found in very few mass-produced cars due to technology integration challenges, the absence of cost-effective and scalable designs, and the limited awareness of the feasibility and advantages of the technology. This lack of solution presents an important market opportunity for new mechanical systems that improve energy recovery efficiency, decrease battery wear, increase driving range, and preserve lightweight, cost-effective designs.

BENIFITS TO:
Automakers who want to stand out with more efficient, innovative, and cost-effective electric and hybrid vehicles.

Drivers who enjoy more extended driving range, reduced charging frequency, longer battery life, and lower total cost of ownership.

The environment through decreased energy usage and lower emissions.

Automotive manufacturers concentrated on innovative mechanical parts, materials, and integrated control systems enhancing next-generation automobile technologies.

SIGNIFICANCE TO THE CAR MARKET:
Mechanical energy recovery works towards solving major battery-based problems like life degradation, sluggish recharge capacity, and energy density limitation. By capturing and storing braking energy mechanically in a efficient manner, vehicles can enhance overall energy usage, increase driving range, and enhance sustainability. This technology aids the automobile transition to clean energy technologies, enhancing performance and driver satisfaction while moving towards green transportation objectives. Integrating mechanical energy storage also enhances system robustness and cost-efficiency.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Flywheel Energy Storage: Lightweight, high-strength flywheels constructed from advanced materials such as carbon fiber composites, capable of spinning at very high speeds safely in order to maximize energy storage.

Mechanical Clutches and Gearboxes: SMOOTH and reliable mechanisms engaging/disengaging the flywheel, converting stored energy back to drivetrain.

Electronic Control Units (ECUs): Controllers that optimize switching between mechanical and electrical recovery dependent on conditions, battery state, and energy demands.

Integrated Compact and Modular: Mechanical configurations to ensure system integration in existing vehicle architectures with minimal weight or space penalty.

The Problem

• Multiple providers using the same poles without coordination
• Failure to remove old and unused wires
• Weak enforcement of safety and municipal regulations
• Low-hanging wires that endanger people, workers, and animals

Why It Matters to Me

Our Startup

Our Solutions

As someone who enjoys gardening I have many times struggled with harvesting root crops such as potatoes, beets, and carrots without destroying them. In regular pots or beds, harvesting involves uprooting the whole plant, which involves disrupting the soil and potentially damaging the surrounding crops. I also tried using fabric grow bags with harvest flaps, but they tend to be weak, clumsy to work with, and not good for deeper roots. The cloth becomes slack over time, dirt drizzles through the flap, and the whole thing does not usually survive longer than one or two seasons.
To address this, I see a removable geometric pot with hinged panels that open out. Rather than wrestling with digging, the gardener just unhooks a panel and takes out vegetables with minimal disruption. In contrast to grow bags, this one is organized and modular — panels can be added or subtracted to modulate the depth for the crop. The stiff structure confines the soil better, but integrated drainage and aeration systems avoid waterlogging. Detachable structure also facilitates cleaning, reuse, and storage out of season.
This design aids urban gardeners, balcony gardeners, and community gardens by simplifying root harvesting to be cleaner, faster, and more consistent. For new gardeners, it minimizes frustration and loss of crop; for seasoned gardeners, it enhances efficiency and conservation of soil.
This concept is important to me because I want gardening to be fun and sustainable, rather than messy and disappointing. A thoughtfully designed pot such as this one can make home gardening accessible, promote healthier diets, and minimize waste — all while providing gardeners with the thrill of harvesting fresh vegetables with minimal effort.

What is Salavge?

Salvage is an app that works by an algorithm which allows restaurants/food and beverage sellers to track the amount of food they waste per day. The app essentially helps clients decide how much of which items to produce the next day. Salvage will provide 24-7 customer service that entails personalised and accurate data at an affordable cost to clients. To break it down the app calculates the average cost of goods sold in a week and the average cost of production for the week to find margin of wastage. The monetary loss due to food wastage is tracked over the course of a few months which allows the client to understand exactly by how much percentage profits have been impacted. 

The target customer for Salvage would be food and beverage businesses that aim to minimize food waste and improve their operational efficiency. The consumer base consists of those whose main priority is looking for an affordable, data-driven solution to track and reduce their food wastage, ultimately increasing profitability.

What is the problem being adressed? 

Food waste is a huge problem in India across all food industries because supply often exceeds demand. Around 74 million tonnes of food is wasted every year in India, nearly 10% of the country’s total food output. This causes massive economic losses of about ₹1.52 lakh crore annually. Households waste about 55 kg of food per person each year, making up nearly 60% of the total food waste. Food services, including restaurants, contribute a large share too — an estimated 20–25 million tonnes annually. This means that restaurants may be losing 8–15% of the food they purchase due to waste. 

By decreasing the food waste we will be decreasing the greenhouse gases, carbon footprint, as well as, increasing the economic growth, sustainability and we will have a cleaner planetThe app is quite unique in comparison to the existing competitors as ideally it would provide personalised and accurate data at an affordable rate. The app would be suitable on all devices and would depict data on the basis of the menu of the restaurant.

How does it work?

1)Firstly Salvage calculates the average cost of goods sold in a week and the average cost of production for the week to find the margin of wastage

2) Calculates the amount of items to be produced in the next week is the average cost of goods sold in the previous week to meet current demands

3) Single inputs per month make user interface as smooth as possible

        4) The monetary loss due to food wastage is tracked over the months to allow the user to understand how much percentage profits have been impacted

One problem I’ve seen again and again is how messy it is to keep track of health records. If you’ve ever had to shuffle through old files, look for a lost prescription, or try to remember the date of your last doctor’s visit, you know how stressful it can be. When it comes to health, every small detail matters — the date a medicine expires, the timing of a follow-up appointment, or even a vaccination record that might be needed years later. Yet, all this information is often scattered across paper slips, SMS reminders, and hospital portals. Many hospitals and clinics offer their own patient portals, but these systems usually operate in isolation, without any interconnection or data sharing. As a result, patients are left juggling multiple platforms, each containing only a fragment of their medical history

My idea is an app that brings all of this together in one safe and simple place. It would store your medical history and documents, upcoming appointments, prescriptions (with alerts when they’re about to expire), and even lab results. Instead of relying on memory or a pile of papers, you’d upload the documents to an app and see everything clearly laid out. It could even send gentle reminders for doctor visits or when it’s time to refill medication. Existing solutions are too fragmented — hospitals keep their own portals, pharmacies might send reminders only for medicines bought there, and most health apps focus on fitness rather than actual medical care. What’s missing is a tool that truly centers the patient, making their health information accessible and organized. 

Who benefits from this?

• Students – Young adults who are just beginning to live independently often struggle to keep track of healthcare information. Between busy schedules and limited experience, they may forget appointments, misplace prescriptions, or fail to track medication dates. The app would help them stay organized and take responsibility for their own health.

• Elders – Older people frequently deal with multiple prescriptions, regular check-ups, and long-term health conditions. Managing all of this on paper can be overwhelming. The app would simplify their routine by sending reminders, keeping records in one place, and reducing the risk of missed doses or lost reports.

• Parents – Families often juggle the healthcare needs of multiple members, from children’s vaccination schedules to grandparents’ prescriptions. The app would act as a central hub where parents can manage appointments, prescriptions, and records for everyone, making family healthcare far less stressful.

• Healthcare facilities – Doctors, clinics, and hospitals benefit too. With access to a patient’s consolidated history, diagnoses become more accurate, time is saved during consultations, and risks of duplicate tests or overlooked conditions are reduced.

I believe this could make a huge difference in patients lives and the health care system. Patients would feel more in control, doctors would get a clearer picture, and families would feel less stressed. Sometimes, good health is not just about treatment, but about staying organized — and that’s what this app would help achieve.

One of the most important missing links in India's aerospace industry today is indigenous jet engines, particularly in the 50–1000 kgf thrust class. They are the centerpiece of air vehicles from tiny drones and loitering munitions to tactical UCAVs and even light planes. Without them, we are still at the mercy of foreign vendors — subject to export controls, supply-chain disruptions, and strategic coercion at the most inconvenient moments.

Creating such engines locally is not merely a matter of military independence. It's also about triggering an Indian industrial revolution: high-end metallurgy, additive manufacturing, turbine-quality alloys, high-precision machining, digital engine control, and intense test facilities. Each step creates capabilities that spill over into civilian aerospace, clean energy, and high-end manufacturing. From development to production, jet engines progress through digital design, material development, controls testing, and ground/flight validation into scaling into precision manufacturing, inspection, and certification. Interplay among labs, startups, and industry enables quicker, modular, and risk-reduced production

India's experience with the Kaveri engine program is testament to resilience

Why is this thrust range critical? Engines at ~50 kgf power small loitering drones and expendable aerial vehicles. At ~300–500 kgf, we're in the sweet spot for long-endurance cruise drones and UCAVs. And at ~1000 kgf, we power heavier unmanned systems with strike capability. This is the very class of propulsion that drives "launch-and-forget" UCAVs — platforms that can loiter, search, and strike with precision. The recent wars have demonstrated how transformative these can be; such as the IAI Harop loitering drones employed in Operation Sindoor has proven to penetrate and strike deep within the enemy's heartland.

The vision is unambiguous: to build an indigenous family of modular, scalable jet engines for both defense and civilian applications, so that India masters the skies and powers its own industrial development. Startups, MSMEs, R&D centers, and industry captains have to join forces on this mission.

If India is serious about being an aerospace power, propulsion mastery is not optional. This is the time to invest, construct, and innovate in the 50–1000 kgf class — and it's worth taking on.

One of the biggest struggles students face in campuses, libraries, and common areas is keeping their devices charged—phones, laptops, tablets, and wearables. Dead batteries cause missed deadlines, communication issues, and unnecessary stress, especially during long study sessions, project deadlines, or even exams. While wall sockets exist, they are often too few, inconveniently placed, or unsafe for heavy usage. Students end up queuing near outlets, carrying bulky chargers everywhere, or borrowing from friends. Power banks are a partial fix, but they are not always practical, take time to recharge, and their short life cycles contribute heavily to e-waste.

The gap: Current solutions—personal power banks and scattered charging sockets—are inefficient, unsafe, and not environmentally sustainable. No system ensures shared, portable, and green-powered charging on demand that is both student-friendly and eco-conscious.

The solution: PowerPod—a network of smart, solar-powered portable charging stations installed across campuses. Imagine ATMs for power, but cleaner, greener, and more flexible. Students can:

• Borrow lightweight charging pods from kiosks using their college ID or a simple mobile app.

• Carry and use them anywhere—classrooms, libraries, hostels, or outdoors.

• Return them to any kiosk for recharging, similar to library books.

Each PowerPod supports fast-charging technology, universal ports (USB-C, Lightning, Type-A), and is powered entirely by solar energy stored in kiosk batteries. IoT integration tracks real-time usage, availability, and pod health, ensuring the system runs smoothly. A token-based model keeps the service fair—students can borrow for a fixed duration, with options for a nominal fee or free credits provided by the college.

Who benefits:

• Students – stress-free device charging anytime, anywhere, without relying on limited wall sockets.

• Colleges – smarter infrastructure, reduced complaints, and eco-friendly campus branding.

• Community – reduced e-waste from disposable power banks and lower carbon footprint via clean energy.

This problem matters to me because I’ve seen students literally rush out of class searching for charging points, or even miss submissions because their device died at the wrong time. In today’s digital-first education system, power is no longer a luxury—it is a necessity. PowerPod ensures that necessity is always accessible, sustainable, and student-centered.

The Problem:

The construction industry is a major contributor to environmental degradation through excessive use of non-renewable materials, waste generation, and high carbon emissions. Builders and contractors often face difficulties in finding verified, affordable, and reliable sustainable building materials. The market is fragmented with little transparency, leading many to rely on conventional, environmentally harmful materials due to convenience and availability. This slows the adoption of green building practices and increases the industry’s environmental footprint.

Gaps in the Current Solutions: Existing procurement options for building materials are scattered across different suppliers and platforms, lacking focus on eco-friendly products. Builders rarely have access to consolidated, trustworthy information about the environmental certifications or true impact of materials. Educational resources and market incentives to choose sustainable materials are minimal, resulting in low awareness or motivation to switch.

The Solution:

EcoBuild Connect – Sustainable Building Materials Marketplace
EcoBuild Connect is a dedicated platform that unites builders, contractors, architects, and verified suppliers of sustainable construction materials in a transparent, easy-to-use marketplaceThe platform will focus on materials like:

Recycled materials: Steel, concrete, plastics, and glass made from recycled content.

Renewable materials: Bamboo, hempcrete, and reclaimed wood.

Low-carbon concrete: Alternatives to traditional concrete that reduce CO2 emissions.

Energy-efficient insulation and cladding materials that reduce the environmental impact of building operations.

Key Features:

1)Verified Listings: Suppliers provide eco-friendly materials such as recycled steel, bamboo, reclaimed wood, low-carbon cement alternatives, and natural insulation, all verified by environmental certifications.

2)Detailed Information & Comparisons: Price transparency, product specifications, lifecycle environmental impact data, and customer reviews allow informed decision-making.

3)Community & Resources: Educational content, case studies of green buildings, and forums encourage knowledge sharing and promote sustainable construction practices.

4)Sustainability Ratings: Each product is rated based on its environmental impact, including carbon footprint, durability, and end-of-life recyclability.

5)Supplier Transparency: Contractors can view detailed information about each supplier, including certifications (e.g., LEED, FSC, Cradle to Cradle) and past projects.

6)Cost-Effectiveness Calculator: The platform will include tools that allow users to calculate the total cost of sustainable materials, including long-term savings on energy bills, reduced maintenance costs, and potential incentives.

7)Project Integration: Contractors can input project requirements (e.g., building type, location, budget) and get recommended materials that suit the project’s green building goals.

Technical Details:

*AI-Powered Recommendations: The platform will use machine learning to suggest sustainable materials based on project requirements, budget, and previous purchasing behavior.

*Blockchain for Transparency: Using blockchain technology, each material’s source, production process, and environmental impact will be transparently stored, giving buyers confidence in their purchase.

*Seamless Payment and Logistics: Built-in logistics and payment systems make purchasing easy, including international shipping options for hard-to-find materials.

Who Benefits:

1)Builders and Contractors: Easier sourcing of green materials reduces barriers and costs while supporting sustainable choices.

2)Architects and Designers: Access to a vetted eco-friendly product database enhances project innovation and compliance with green certifications.

3)Suppliers/Manufacturers: Gain better market visibility and demand for sustainable products.

4)Communities and Environment: Reduced carbon footprint and waste pollution from construction activities.

5)Government and Policymakers: Supports targets for sustainable urban development and climate goals.

6)Consumers: Ultimately, homeowners and businesses will benefit from more eco-friendly, energy-efficient buildings that reduce operational costs and carbon footprints.

Why This Problem Matters to Me:

As a civil engineering student, I am acutely aware of the vast impact the construction industry has on the environment and society. It is not just an academic subject but a responsibility to contribute toward sustainable development. My education has equipped me with knowledge of green building principles, yet I have seen how difficult it is for professionals on the ground to access and trust sustainable materials. For me, creating solutions like EcoBuild Connect is a duty to bridge the gap between theory and practice, enabling a future where eco-friendly construction becomes the norm, not the exception. This platform is a way to harness technology for positive change and help shape an industry that respects natural resources, reduces pollution, and builds healthier communities. It aligns with my values and the urgent call for engineers to lead in sustainable innovation.

The problem: A Slow Start to Every Class

Every class I've ever sat in begins the same way. The teacher walks in, ready to inspire, but first, they have to face the board. They pick up the duster, and the first few moments of fresh class energy are spent wiping away the ghosts of the last lesson. We, the students, watch as this ritual unfolds, followed by the careful, slow process of drawing new tables or diagrams. It’s a routine so normal we barely notice it, but it made me wonder: how much learning is lost in these repetitive, manual tasks? What if technology could handle this chore, so the magic of teaching could begin the moment a teacher enters the room?

The Solution: A Silent Partner for Teachers

This question led me to the idea of the Chalk-Free Assistant. Think of it as a silent partner for the teacher, mounted discreetly above the whiteboard. With a simple voice command like, "Assistant, clear the board," a quiet, automated arm sweeps across, leaving a perfectly clean surface in seconds. There's no dust, no awkward stretching to reach the top corner. Then, the teacher could say, "Assistant, prep for our history lesson," and a pre-loaded timeline or map is precisely sketched out. The class begins not with a chore, but with a new world of ideas ready to be explored.

How It Works: The Technology Inside

While it sounds futuristic, the technology to build it exists today. The device could operate on a two-axis gantry system, similar to a 3D printer, using a lightweight aluminum frame. It would feature two swappable modules: a microfiber roller for cleaning and a holder for a standard dry-erase marker for writing. Control could come from a simple mobile app or a voice recognition chip that syncs with lesson templates via Wi-Fi. Quiet stepper motors would ensure it operates without ever disrupting the focus of the classroom.

The Impact: More Than Just a Clean Board

The benefits go far beyond just saving time. Those reclaimed minutes add up. That's more time to answer a curious student's question, to delve deeper into a complex topic, or simply to connect with the class on a more human level. It’s about creating a cleaner, more efficient space where the flow of learning is never broken.

Who Benefits? An Entire Educational Ecosystem

The stakeholders are everyone in the educational ecosystem:

• Teachers who are freed from a mundane task to focus on their passion for teaching.

• Students who get a more dynamic, organized, and engaging learning experience from the very first minute.

• School Administrators who can offer a modern, supportive, and effective environment for their staff and students.

• EdTech Companies who can pioneer a new category of smart classroom tools.

The Vision: 

So, this idea isn't really about a gadget on a wall. It's about respect—respect for our educators' time, energy, and passion. When we empower teachers with tools that handle the repetitive work, we free them to do what only they can do: connect with and inspire their students. We would not just be adding a device; we'd be making a direct investment in the human side of education.

Yes, there will be challenges—cost, installation, and software integration—but aren't our teachers and students worth that effort? It's a chance to build a smarter, more thoughtful future for our classrooms.

A fundamental real-world healthcare issue is the limited availability of preventive and primary medical care in rural and underserved areas. Most people come for treatment only when diseases are well established, which increases costs, lowers survival rates, and puts undue pressure on hospitals. 

Shortfalls in Existing Solutions: 

• Primary health centers are usually under-staffed, under-equipped, or located at a distance from villages. 

• Telemedicine overcomes distance but cannot offer physical examinations, simple tests, or instant medicines. 

• Health camps are irregular and temporary, and they do not offer continuous care. 

Proposed Solution: 

I suggest that Community-Based Mobile Health Clinics vans or buses fitted with necessary diagnostic and treatment facilities be set up. These clinics would run on timetabled routes and offer services like: 

• Preventive checkups (blood pressure, blood sugar, anemia, BMI measurements). 

• Maternal and child healthcare (prenatal checkups, immunizations, nutrition advice). 

• Dispensing necessary medicines for prevalent conditions. 

• Health education workshops on chronic disease control, nutrition, and personal hygiene. 

• Referral mechanisms for hospitalized patient cases with needed, sophisticated hospital care. 

Who Benefits: 

• Direct access at an affordable cost to care for local populations (particularly women, children, and seniors) is achieved. 

• Health systems are relieved of late-stage cases and hospital congestion. 

• Government/NGOs can provide preventive interventions with greater success. 

Why This Matters to Me: 

I have seen how avoidable conditions such as anemia and hypertension are undetected until they reach a critical stage. Mobile health clinics address this disparity directly by taking healthcare to the doorstep of the ones who need it most, making it accessible, continuous, and trustworthy. 

This model fills a large loophole in today's healthcare delivery and achieves a sustainable impact on public health by merging mobility, preventive care, and community engagement. 

Green Points Marketplace

When I walk around campus, I often notice something that bothers me. The dustbins are overflowing with plastic bottles, single-use cups, and food packaging. We have posters everywhere reminding us to “go green” or “say no to plastic,” but honestly, most of us are too busy with classes, projects, or just life to stop and think: Will my one plastic bottle really make a difference?

That’s when I realized—awareness alone isn’t enough. People need motivation. We all respond better when there’s a reward, a sense of achievement, or even a little friendly competition. That’s what inspired my idea: the Green Points Marketplace.

The Idea

The Green Points Marketplace is a simple but powerful concept. Every time a student makes an eco-friendly choice—like carrying a reusable bottle, recycling plastic, cycling instead of taking a car, or joining a clean-up drive—they earn Green Points. These points aren’t just virtual numbers; they can actually be exchanged for real rewards.

Imagine being able to trade your points for a coffee discount at the campus café, free entry to a cultural fest, or coupons from local eco-friendly stores. Suddenly, living sustainably doesn’t feel like a sacrifice—it feels like a win.

How It Works

Here’s how it could work in practice:

• Drop your waste into the right recycling bin → scan the QR code → earn points instantly.

• Walk or cycle to campus instead of driving → track it on the app → more points.

• Attend a tree-planting event → register through the app → more points again.

All of these points get stored in your personal profile. When you’ve saved up enough, you can browse the “marketplace” in the app and redeem rewards. To make it fun, we could even add leaderboards for individuals, classes, or clubs, so sustainability becomes a friendly competition across campus.

Who Benefits

Students benefit first, because they’re being rewarded for habits that also make them healthier and more responsible. The university benefits, because less waste and more eco-friendly practices improve campus life and show that our community cares about the planet. Local businesses benefit, too, because they can partner with us and connect with young, eco-conscious customers.

And, of course, the biggest winner is the environment. Less waste, more trees, cleaner air—it’s the kind of change that starts small but grows big.

Why It Matters to Me

I’ve always believed that people want to do the right thing, but sometimes the right thing feels like too much effort. I’ve also seen how small changes—like carrying my own bottle—can inspire friends to follow. The Green Points Marketplace is my way of turning that inspiration into a system. It’s not just about telling people to “be sustainable.” It’s about making sustainability fun, rewarding, and something we actually want to do.

Y

Plastic bottles are cheap but create long-lasting pollution. While bamboo bottles are strong and reusable, they can be costly to scale. Sugarcane bagasse bottles are biodegradable and low-cost, but may lack durability. We model a hybrid solution can combine the best of both worlds.

Gap in Current Solutions

• Bamboo bottles alone = durable, stylish, but relatively expensive.

• Sugarcane bagasse bottles = biodegradable, affordable, but weaker. Currently, no widely available packaging option balances strength, sustainability, and scalability.

Raw materials needed i.e;

• Sugarcane waste (bagasse): Can be sourced from the campus itself from the vendors selling sugarcane juice and can also be bought for cheap from vendors outside the campus as they do not have a use for the bagasse and they just dump them along the streets, which will create a better environment on the streets as well as letting the vendors make a quick buck out of materials they don't need. 
• Bamboo: Due to it's rapid growth patterns, yield/harvesting cycles and it's ability to provide continuous yield after the first harvest because it regenerates from the root system, we can either set up a small area for cultivating bamboo or get it sourceed from a local farm.  

Proposed Solution We propose bamboo–sugarcane hybrid bottles, where:

• Sugarcane bagasse pulp forms the outer shell (cheap, moldable, biodegradable).

• Bamboo fibers are added for reinforcement (durability, crack resistance).

• Food-grade biodegradable lining ensures leak-proof performance.

Beneficiaries

• Beverage vendors (college canteens, juice stalls, cafés) who get affordable eco-bottles.

• Students & consumers who want green alternatives.

• Environment, with reduced plastic waste and use of agricultural by-products.

• Local artisans/farmers, through bamboo and sugarcane by-product utilization.

Motivation Both bamboo and sugarcane are abundant in India, often underutilized or discarded. By combining them, we can create a new class of affordable, eco-friendly packaging material.

Technical Details & Pilot Plan

1. Prototype: Mix bagasse pulp with bamboo fibers → mold into 250–300 ml bottles.

2. Campus Pilot: Supply a batch of 20–30 bottles to juice stalls and canteens.

3. Feedback: Collect responses on strength, usability, and pricing.

4. Iteration: Adjust fiber ratios for optimal performance.