Dharmendra Pradhan Launches India’s Largest School Hackathon — Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025

In an extraordinary display of unity, creativity, and technological spirit, over 3 lakh schools across India came together for a single purpose — to innovate. On a bright morning that marked a new chapter in India’s education and innovation landscape, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the Viksit Bharat Buildathon (VBB) 2025, calling it “a historic step towards building a Viksit (Developed) and Samriddh (Prosperous) Bharat.”

For the first time ever, millions of students from every corner of the country — from the valleys of Kashmir to the coasts of Kanyakumari — logged in simultaneously for what is being hailed as India’s largest live school innovation challenge.

“A Viksit and Samriddh Bharat will be built on the shoulders of our talented school students,” said Dharmendra Pradhan, addressing participants virtually. “The future of a developed India by 2047 will be written by our young innovators, thinkers, and problem-solvers.”

Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 isn’t just another competition. It’s a movement — one that aims to turn schools into innovation playgrounds, where students learn not just equations and grammar, but the art of creating, solving, and building.

Conceptualized under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat@2047, the initiative targets students from Classes 6 to 12, nurturing a spirit of design thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.

Dharmendra Pradhan’s interaction with students from PM SHRI Government High School, Khorda (Odisha) — his own alma mater — was among the most heartwarming moments of the launch. He also spoke with students from Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, and Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 2, Delhi Cantt, where young innovators proudly showcased projects ranging from low-cost health devices to eco-friendly energy solutions.

“What I saw today reflects the power of imagination that defines India’s youth,” Pradhan said. “These students are not just learning — they are solving real problems.”

A 120-Minute Innovation Marathon

The highlight of the day was a two-hour live innovation challenge, where over one crore students brainstormed, designed, and built prototypes in real time.

Teams of 3–5 students collaborated digitally, working on four national themes that directly connect with India’s development vision:

1. Atmanirbhar Bharat – Building a self-reliant India

2. Swadeshi – Celebrating indigenous innovation

3. Vocal for Local – Promoting homegrown enterprises

4. Samriddhi – Focusing on sustainability and prosperity

Armed with markers, laptops, and big ideas, students turned their classrooms into mini innovation hubs — working on projects such as AI-driven farming tools, flood-resilient housing, clean energy devices, and affordable health tech.

From the Himalayas to the Islands: One Nation, One Innovation

One of the most inspiring parts of VBB 2025 was its inclusivity.

A special “School Spotlight” segment brought together 150 schools from aspirational districts, hilly states, and frontier regions, proving that innovation isn’t confined to metro cities.

In Ladakh, students presented solar-powered classroom heaters; in Assam, teams showcased bamboo-based flood-resistant homes. From the islands of Lakshadweep to the forests of Chhattisgarh, the energy was the same — young India is ready to build.

“Every school, whether in the Himalayas or on an island, is part of India’s innovation journey,” said Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL).

India’s Innovation Map: 3 Lakh Schools, One Vision

The scale of participation was staggering.
Over 3 lakh schools across the country registered for the Buildathon, turning it into a truly nationwide innovation network.

Leading contributors included:

• Uttar Pradesh – 78,206 schools

• Maharashtra – 41,198 schools

• Gujarat – 20,017 schools

• Madhya Pradesh – 18,129 schools

Even smaller territories made their mark — Ladakh (358 schools) and Lakshadweep (9 schools) — underscoring the movement’s reach and inclusivity.

This broad participation reflects how innovation is being integrated into India’s education system under NEP 2020 and the PM SHRI Schools initiative.

For Deepak Bagla, Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission, the Buildathon represents something far greater than a one-day event.

“VBB 2025 makes innovation a mass movement — connecting schools in remote villages to those in bustling metros,” Bagla said. “This is how India will build its innovation-led future.”

Under initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), National Innovation Week, and Startup India Learning Program, students are being introduced early to AI, robotics, IoT, and entrepreneurship — building a startup mindset before they even graduate.

From Classroom Projects to Future Startups

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon is planting the seeds of a startup culture at the school level.

Students are encouraged to look at real-world problems — whether it’s access to clean water, renewable energy, or waste management — and design solutions that could one day become viable startups.

This approach bridges education with entrepreneurship, ensuring that India’s next generation of innovators, engineers, and founders emerge not just from elite colleges, but from every corner of the country.

Education experts believe such initiatives could dramatically boost India’s Innovation Readiness Index, strengthening its roadmap to Viksit Bharat 2047 — a developed India powered by homegrown ideas.

Laying the Foundations of a Tech-Led Bharat

As the event concluded, one sentiment echoed across all screens and classrooms — India’s youth are ready to lead.

“This generation will build an India that not only consumes technology but creates it,” said a senior official from the Atal Innovation Mission.

Through VBB 2025, the Ministry of Education has reimagined what a school can be — not just a place of learning, but a launchpad for innovation.

Millions of students building together, thinking together, and dreaming together — that’s the new face of India’s innovation journey.

The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 is more than an event. It’s a national awakening — one that blends education, innovation, and technology into a shared mission.

As India moves closer to its 2047 vision, it’s clear that the real laboratories of change are no longer just in universities or research centres — they’re in the classrooms of every school where children dare to dream, create, and innovate.

The spirit of VBB 2025 captures the essence of a rising India — an India where every student is a builder, every school is an innovation hub, and every idea counts toward a Viksit Bharat.