Media Release
Mangaluru, Mar 18: Protothon 2026, a 24-hour hackathon aimed at transforming innovative ideas into functional prototypes, was successfully organized at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management on March 13 and 14. The event was organized by Sahyadri in association with MEITY Startup Hub – Genesis, in collaboration with Sahynex Techsolutions Pvt Ltd, Technical Career Education (TCE), and Discover Dollar Inc.
The inauguration ceremony began with a welcome address by Dr Shamanth Rai, dean–Academics. Dr Rithesh Pakkala, HoD–ISE, delivered the introductory remarks highlighting the vision of Sahynex, TCE, and Discover Dollar in promoting industry-oriented learning and innovation. The dignitaries formally inaugurated the hackathon 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. Dr S S Injaganeri, principal, appreciated the initiative and encouraged students to utilize such platforms to enhance 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 & CEO of Sahyadri, who motivated the teams and shared insights on innovation and entrepreneurship. Rakesh Kumar Desai also conducted an engaging session on problem-solving approaches, innovation mindset, and evaluation expectations.
The hackathon witnessed enthusiastic participation from engineering students across Karnataka along with students of Sahyadri. Over the course of 24 hours, teams worked intensively to brainstorm ideas, develop prototypes, and refine their solutions addressing real-world industrial challenges using emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence.
The event concluded with a valedictory ceremony on March 14. The occasion was graced by distinguished industry professionals including Rakesh Kumar Desai, Cloud Data Architect at Ecolab, and Vishwanath Pai, embedded engineer at Tiny Prism Labs Pvt Ltd, Bengaluru.
Dr S S Injaganeri delivered the closing address, congratulating the participants for their dedication, creativity, and technical expertise. After careful evaluation by the judges, the winning teams were announced and felicitated for their outstanding projects, marking the successful conclusion of Protothon 2026.
