Bhubaneswar: In order to promote innovation and entrepreneurial thinking among the youth, Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE), in collaboration with Research and Entrepreneurship wing of IIT Bhubaneswar and UNICEF, organises OdiaPreneur Smart Odisha Hackathon 3.0. Students from Higher Secondary Schools and Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas can take part in the state-level hackathon.
DHSE director Niyati Pattnaik launched the OdiaPreneur web portal in Bhubaneswar Saturday. Through this portal, students can showcase their creative ideas and, with the guidance of their mentors, register their innovative concepts online.
Over 3,000 students from across Odisha are expected to participate in the hackathon scheduled from December 2025 and January 2026. More than 900 innovative ideas are likely to be submitted. Participation will primarily include students of classes XI and XII.
The event was attended by OAVs SPD Smita Raut, IIT Bhubaneswar Assistant Professor Naresh Chandra Sahu, UNICEF education specialist Lalita Pattnaik, department’s deputy director CH Vijayalakshmi, and SAMS OIC Umakant Sethy among others.
Speaking on the initiative, DHSE director stated that the OdiaPreneur Smart Odisha Hackathon will collect the best innovative ideas from students across the state. “The programme would not only encourage creativity but also offer students opportunities to interact with industry and entrepreneurs, helping them learn from real-world experiences,” she added.
Expressing IIT Bhubaneswar’s enthusiasm, Sahu said that the institute is proud to collaborate with DHSE to empower the next generation of innovators in Odisha. “The hackathon will provide students with a platform to display their talent, creativity, and problem-solving abilities, while experts will mentor them to achieve excellence,” he added.
UNICEF’s Lalita Pattnaik appreciated DHSE’s efforts and noted that the hackathon would help channel students’ innovative thinking towards solving real social challenges.
