Theย Department of Information Technology at Vivekanand Education Societyโs Institute of Technology (VESIT), Mumbai, this week organized itsย first-ever two-day offline hackathon, โGenesis 2026โย marking a significant milestone in experiential and innovation-driven learning. Centered on the theme,ย โBuilding Intelligent, Sustainable, and Decentralised Solutions for the Future,โย the hackathon brought together students across all departments and academic years.
The competition was divided into three tracks: Track 1 โ Sustainability (focused on Solid Waste Management), Track 2 โ Artificial Intelligence, and Track 3 โ Blockchain. Tracks 1 and 2 each carried a prize pool of โน25,000, with โน12,000 awarded to the first prize winner, โน8,000 to the second prize winner, and โน5,000 to the third prize winner. The Blockchain track recognized four winners, each receiving 100 USDC as part of the crypto-based rewards initiative.
A key highlight of the event was the collaboration with theย Solid Waste Management (SWM) Department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) under Project Swechchha. This partnership enabled students to work on real-world civic problem statements, reinforcing the role of technology in urban sustainability and social responsibility. The initiative was coordinated byย Dr. Shanta Sondur, the project Swechchha Coordinator.
A total of approximatelyย 552 entriesย were recorded, reflecting strong interdisciplinary participation and a culture of problem-solving across diverse technological domains. The hackathon was conducted under the guidance of the Internalย Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) in association with the Institutionโs Innovation Council (IIC) through the QuestIT platform of the Department of Information Technology. The dedicated Blockchain track, featuring crypto-based USDC rewards, provided participants with exposure to decentralised technologies and digital ecosystems. Simultaneously, the AI and Sustainability tracks emphasized deployable, real-world solutions addressing pressing civic and environmental challenges.
The event was conducted under the leadership ofย Dr. Jayalakshmi Nair, Principal, VESIT, and guided byย Shri Manoj Sabnis, Head of the Department of Information Technology. Coordination was led byย Mrs. Charusheela Neheteย andย Mrs. Kajal Jewaniย (OuestIT in-charge), with significant contributions fromย Mr. Varun Rahatgaokar, Mr. Anish Tawadeย (Council Member, QuestIT), faculty mentors, and student volunteers.ย Chief Guest Mrs. Vidya M. Swamiย shared insights on innovation and learner-centric education, while sponsorship support from Shri Rakesh Kumar of Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Co. strengthened industryโacademia collaboration. This partnership enabled students to work on real-world civic problem statements related to urban waste management, reinforcing the role of technology in advancing sustainability and social responsibility
Speaking on the objectives of the event,ย Dr. Jayalakshmi Nair, Principal, VESIT, said: โThis yearโs hackathon reflects our commitment to moving learning beyond classrooms into real-world problem solving. As our first offline edition, it brought students together to collaborate intensively on emerging domains like Solid Waste Management, Blockchain, and AI, developing deployable solutions under industry-like conditions. By integrating interdisciplinary teamwork, hands-on innovation, and strong industry engagement, we aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice while nurturing socially responsible technologists.โ
