Puttur: A 32-hour non-stop hackathon titled Innovate Hack 2K26 was successfully conducted at St Philomena College (Autonomous), Puttur. The event was jointly organized under the aegis of Startup Karnataka, K-Tech Innovation Hub, the college’s New Age Incubation Network, and the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC). The valedictory and prize distribution ceremony was held at the college Innovation Centre.
The programme was presided over by the Principal, Rev. Dr Antony Prakash Monteiro, while the Vice Principal, Dr. Vijayakumar Moleyar, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. In his presidential address, Rev. Dr Monteiro emphasized that any creative endeavour demands perseverance and effective execution. He observed that students are seldom accustomed to working overnight under competitive deadlines and described the hackathon as a valuable life lesson. “Whether you win a prize or not, we now have 26 new ideas. If implemented properly, these ideas can certainly lead to success. Always strive to create something useful for your family, institution, and society,” he said, urging students to remain grateful to all who supported them.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Vijayakumar Moleyar. noted that achievements must become enduring memories in the history of the institution and reminded students that such milestones are possible only through sustained effort.
District Innovative Associate Abhishek Suvarna of the New Age Incubation Network welcomed the gathering, while Dr Geetha Poornima K., MIS Executive of the Network, proposed the vote of thanks. The prize distribution was conducted by Project Coordinator Dr Vinayachandra. Student representatives Sheethal (II BCA – AI & ML) and Delisha Lobo (I MCA) shared their experiences. Suraksha S., member of the IIC unit, compered the event.
Judges for the hackathon included Anubhav, Dhanush, and Nikhil from InUnity, Mangaluru, along with Venugopal of The Web People, Puttur. Senior students P. M. Venugopal, Karthik K. R., Havyas, Jeevan, Disha Pearl Mascarenhas, Gaurish, and Mohammed Ashik served as mentors. Harshit R., Coordinator of the Postgraduate Department of Commerce and IIC member, managed logistics. Akshatha B., Assistant Professor in the PG Department of Computer Science, headed the technical committee, assisted by faculty members Neelam Kuttappa, Rashmi V., and Shodhan PG, who supervised students throughout the 32-hour event. Students Likhith, Bhavath, Pranam, Sumanth, and Prakruth of II BBA extended logistical support.
The hackathon featured three thematic tracks: Edutech (9 teams), Agritech (9 teams), and Smart City & Sustainable Environment (8 teams). In the Edutech category, Team Code Catalyst won ₹1,000 and a trophy; in Agritech, Team DevEx secured Rs. 1,000 and a trophy; and in Smart City, Team Logic Loop received Rs. 1,000 and a trophy. Special category awards of Rs. 2,000 and a trophy each went to Team Hack Verse (Edutech), Team Mind Forge (Agritech), and Team Code of Duty (Smart City).
In the overall championship, Team Astros clinched the first prize of Rs. 7,500 and a trophy, Team Hack Sprint secured the second prize of Rs. 5,000 and a trophy, and Team Innovatrix won the third prize along with a trophy.
In a statement, Dr Vinayachandra highlighted that since the establishment of the Institution’s Innovation Council, the college has consistently promoted innovation and creativity. He credited Correspondent Very Rev. Fr Lawrence Mascarenhas and Principal Rev. Dr Monteiro for establishing the Innovation Centre, which previously hosted an 8-hour hackathon. He described the 32-hour Innovate Hack 2K26 as the first continuous hackathon of its kind in the history of Puttur. He also acknowledged the guidance of Dr Ruben S., Dean, School of Engineering, St Aloysius (Deemed to be University), and thanked alumni and industry partners including The Web People (Puttur), Tech Grey Logics (Mangaluru), L Point (Mangaluru), RV Intergraphics (Puttur), and Soja Computers (Puttur).
The event initially saw participation from 30 teams comprising three to four members each. Following the first round, 26 teams were shortlisted, all presenting innovative ideas across the chosen domains.