Jalandhar, September 25, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
More than 6,000 students of Lovely Professional University (LPU) formed over 900 teams for Gear UP Season 5, the university’s internal gateway to the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2026, creating the largest edition of the campus-based innovation challenge so far.
The 36-hour hackathon brought student teams together to develop and refine solutions to real-world challenges across hardware and software domains ahead of the national SIH selection process.
This year’s Smart India Hackathon features 226 problem statements across 18 themes, including 172 software and 54 hardware challenges. The themes cover areas such as smart automation, disaster management, blockchain and cybersecurity, med-tech, biotech and health tech, smart education, agriculture and rural development, space technology, robotics and drones, transportation and logistics, renewable and sustainable energy, clean and green technology, smart vehicles, heritage and culture, and travel and tourism.
Dr. Col. Rashmi Mittal, Pro Chancellor of LPU, and Sudhanshu Karnatak, Chief Business Officer, Global, RMX Group, inaugurated the initiative.
Dr. Rashmi Mittal said LPU aims to provide students with an environment that encourages creativity, experimentation and the practical application of ideas.
“LPU believes that young minds thrive when they are given the freedom to think beyond the obvious and turn their ideas into action. We endeavor to create an environment where curiosity, creativity, and the courage to experiment become an integral part of the student experience,” she said.
Gear UP Season 5 is part of LPU’s broader focus on providing students with opportunities to build, test and compete beyond the classroom. The university said the initiative aligns with its Edu-Revolution approach, which places practical exposure and application at the centre of the student experience.
LPU has also highlighted its previous performance at the Smart India Hackathon, where Team Stellar Six and Team Sci Divine emerged winners in the Software and Hardware categories, respectively.
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