IIT Guwahati Hosts State Level Exhibition for Design for Bharat
On December 22, 2025, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati hosted the State Level Exhibition for Design for Bharat as part of the upcoming Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2026, scheduled for January 2026. This initiative, organized by the Department of Design at IIT Guwahati, aims to inspire young innovators to contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 through creative solutions addressing various social, cultural, and economic challenges.
About the Design for Bharat Initiative
The Design for Bharat initiative is a national design challenge that encourages youth to engage in critical thinking, teamwork, and innovation. By providing mentorship from industry experts, the initiative allows participants to showcase their projects on a national platform. This year, the theme of the competition is “Duality (Dwividhta),” which invites participants to explore the transformative ideas that often emerge from the in-between spaces.
Thematic Categories
The competition includes seven thematic categories:
- Health, Wellness, and Mental Health
- Education and Learning
- Connectivity and Transport
- Agriculture
- Sports and Hobbies
- Safety and Protection
- Sustainability
Event Overview
Professor Pratul Chandra Kalita, Head of the Department of Design at IIT Guwahati, shared insights about the event. “As the nodal institute for our state, we received 15 submissions from young designers. After an initial evaluation by our departmental jury, 13 promising entries were shortlisted for participation in the state-level exhibition,” he stated.
The exhibition featured 10 teams competing with their innovative designs. Notable dignitaries present at the event included:
- Rahul Dev Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of Gargya Group of Companies (Chief Guest)
- Pranabjit Hazarika, Assistant Vice President of TCPL Packaging (Guest of Honour)
- Neelkamal Das, Administrative Officer of Assam State Space Application Centre (ASSAC) (Guest of Honour)
Inspiring Addresses
During the event, Professor Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT Guwahati, emphasized the importance of building a culture of innovation for academic and professional excellence aimed at inclusive development. The distinguished guests delivered insightful addresses, sharing valuable perspectives from the fields of entrepreneurship, industry, governance, and academia. Their collective words of encouragement motivated participants and broadened their understanding of practical problem-solving, contributing to national development.
Exhibition Highlights
Shortlisted participants showcased their design concepts through detailed posters and product demonstrations. The internal jury of the Department of Design, which included Professor Pratul Chandra Kalita, Professor Amarendra Kumar Das, and Professor Supradip Das, interacted with the student teams and reviewed each entry based on various evaluation parameters.
Acknowledging the Top Projects
After thorough assessment, the jury declared the top three rank holders:
- First Rank: Priyam Jyoti Das from Golaghat Engineering College with his project “Waste to Green Energy and Organic Fertiliser.” He will represent Assam at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026.
- Second Rank: Team North Lakhimpur University, comprising Aryan Kashyap, Saurav Biswas, and Dikshita Chakraborty, for their prototype “Terrabot – Agricultural Rover.”
- Third Rank: Shared by Partha Protim Patir of IIT Guwahati with his prototype “Ad-Well” and Kashyap Gogoi of Swahid Peoli Phukan College, Sivasagar, with his project “Natural Dye Extraction from Locally Available Plants.”
Conclusion
The State Level Exhibition for Design for Bharat at IIT Guwahati not only provided a platform for young innovators to showcase their creativity but also fostered a spirit of collaboration and problem-solving among the youth. As the country moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, initiatives like these play a crucial role in empowering the next generation to address pressing societal challenges through innovative design.
Note: The information presented in this article is based on the event details as reported on December 24, 2025.
