Mangaluru: Protothon 2026, a 24-hour hackathon aimed at transforming innovative ideas into functional prototypes, was successfully organised at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, Mangaluru, on March 13 and 14. The event was conducted in association with MEITY Startup Hub – Genesis, in collaboration with Sahynex Techsolutions Pvt. Ltd., Technical Career Education, and Discover Dollar Inc..
The programme began with a welcome address by Dr. Shamanth Rai, Dean–Academics. Dr. Rithesh Pakkala, Head of the Department of Information Science and Engineering, introduced the objectives of the hackathon and highlighted the vision of the collaborating organisations in promoting industry-oriented learning and innovation. The dignitaries formally inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp.
The Chief Guest, Rakesh Kumar Desai from Ecolab, encouraged participants to think creatively, collaborate effectively and develop impactful solutions to real-world challenges. Principal Dr. S. S. Injaganeri appreciated the initiative and urged students to utilise such platforms to strengthen their innovation and problem-solving abilities. The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by Tejas Nayak of Sahynex Techsolutions Pvt. Ltd..
Following the inauguration, participants attended a pre-hackathon talk by Johnson Tellis, Trustee and CEO of Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, who motivated the teams and shared insights on innovation and entrepreneurship. Rakesh Kumar Desai also conducted a session on problem-solving approaches, innovation mindset and evaluation criteria.
The hackathon witnessed enthusiastic participation from engineering students across Karnataka along with students of Sahyadri. During the 24-hour event, teams worked intensively to brainstorm ideas, develop prototypes and refine solutions addressing real-world industrial challenges using emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence.
The event concluded with a valedictory ceremony on March 14. Industry professionals including Rakesh Kumar Desai, Cloud Data Architect at Ecolab, and Vishwanath Pai, Embedded Engineer at Tiny Prism Labs Pvt. Ltd., graced the occasion. Principal Dr. S. S. Injaganeri congratulated the participants for their dedication, creativity and technical expertise. Winning teams across various tracks were announced and felicitated for their outstanding projects, marking the successful conclusion of Protothon 2026.
Winners
AI & ML Track:
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Team Boss Bandiths – St. Joseph Engineering College
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Team The Vanished 3 – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
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Team Tech Titans – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
Data Engineering Track:
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Team Prahara – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
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Team Decoders – Mysore University School of Engineering
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Team Innovotrix – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
Robotics Track:
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Team Bot – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
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Team Zero Gravity – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
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Team Blind Riders – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
Embedded Systems Track:
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Team Nirvana – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
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Team Prahar – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
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Team Pyro – Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management
