How we got shortlisted for SIH Finale
Hey, I’m Ajink! Today, I’m excited to share the story of how our team made it to the finals of the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2024. The process was challenging, exhilarating, and full of learning moments that shaped our journey. In this blog, I’ll break down our team’s journey to selection and reflect on what we learned along the way.
1) Building the Team
The first and most crucial step in participating in SIH is building the right team. SIH is a collaborative hackathon, and it requires a diverse set of skills to address the challenges effectively. Not only does SIH recommend having at least one girl in the team, but having team diversity also strengthens problem-solving approaches. So, when we were forming our team, we focused on bringing together a mix of talent. Our team consists of six people—four boys and two girls—all of whom bring unique strengths to the table.
2) Choosing a Problem Statement (PS) & Internal Hackathon
Selecting the right problem statement is perhaps the most important step in the journey because it defines the entire focus of your project. This year, SIH provided an extensive list of problem statements (2024 Problem Statements). We reviewed the list carefully, matching each PS against our team’s strengths.
One of our team members, Aniket Kodur , has a solid background in cybersecurity, so we decided to focus on PS 1745, which included cybersecurity challenges. SIH 2024 also allowed us to select a second problem statement, so we broadened our scope and selected PS 1677 for additional flexibility and options in case one solution didn’t meet the criteria.
The process was a team effort. We spent hours discussing each PS, evaluating feasibility, and thinking about potential impacts. With Nirakar Jena and myself doing the technical development side, we felt confident in tackling these two challenges.
Internal hackathon was ohk , total 40 teams participated and 25+5 selected
3) Creating the Presentation and Video
Once we finalized our problem statements, the next challenge was crafting our presentation and video. Here’s where things got intense! Effective communication is critical to convey complex solutions simply, and we knew that an impactful presentation could make a big difference in the selection process.
We initially started working on PS 1745, dedicating about 7-8 days to creating a polished PPT and an informative video. We used a mix of tools to make our presentation more engaging:
- AI tools helped us understand Problem Statements .
- Canva was our go-to for designing visuals and layouts.
- For both PS 1745 and PS 1677, we created a simple prototype to illustrate our proposed solution in action, which I and Nirakar did together {it was simple and basic version of our project without backend }.
This visual approach proved essential for the video, making it easier for the judges to understand our work. Meanwhile, Karthik Nair and Nirakar took the lead in explaining these prototypes in the video, providing clarity and a well-rounded explanation of our solutions.
Our timeline was tight. In fact, our internal assessments {college exams } coincided with our project preparation, making things challenging. For PS 1677, we had only about 3-4 days to prepare everything. But we adapted quickly! Sharvari Dubey and Renuka Randhir played key roles here, organizing the structure of the use-case diagrams and drafting clear, concise PPT content. Their work ensured that every slide communicated exactly what it needed to without overwhelming the viewer. The structured text was essential in guiding the audience through our project’s purpose and impact.
Throughout this process, we were incredibly fortunate to have the guidance of our mentor, Dr. Sanjay Patil. His insights were instrumental in refining every aspect of our work—from the presentation structure to the technical elements of our project. His support helped us sharpen our ideas and ensured that we were fully prepared for the SIH submission.
By taking the name of Vighnaharta Shree Ganesha, we submitted both our solutions on the SIH website, hoping our hard work and dedication would shine through.
Here is our shortlisted PPT 1677
4) Screening Results: A Bittersweet Surprise
After submitting our presentations and videos, it was time to wait. The screening results came, and we were thrilled to find out that our team had been selected! However, there was a twist: while PS 1677 was shortlisted, PS 1745 did not make it. We’re not entirely sure why—perhaps the evaluators felt our second submission resonated more with the criteria. Or, it could be that the strength of our PS 1677 proposal overshadowed the other submission.
Nonetheless, we were over the moon with the news. Being selected for the finals validated the countless hours we’d invested and reinforced our commitment to taking our ideas further.
5) Lessons and Looking Forward to the Finale
As we prepare for the SIH 2024 finale, we’re gathering everything we’ve learned along the way. This journey has highlighted the importance of teamwork, clear communication, and effective time management. We couldn’t have reached this point without everyone’s contributions—from the work Nirakar and I put into the prototypes, to Karthik’s video , Sharvari’s and Renuka’s meticulous content planning, and Aniket’s guidance in helping everyone understand the problem. Each of these elements helped create a cohesive, well-rounded submission that brought our ideas to life.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue building on this foundation, refining our prototypes, and preparing for the next round. This has been an invaluable experience, and we’re more motivated than ever to represent our college at the SIH 2024 finals.
Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward on this journey! You can also follow me on my YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes updates, team insights, and tips on SIH preparation. Thanks for reading, and wish us luck at the finale!
Thank you for following our journey!
