Six teams win awards across three innovation tracks as organisers plan to make the hackathon a recurring platform for young innovators in Nagaland.
A 26-hour hackathon bringing together 113 students from eight colleges and universities concluded at Sovima on October 16, with six teams receiving awards across three innovation tracks and organisers expressing plans to make the event a recurring platform for young innovators in Nagaland.
Held on October 15 and 16, Code For Nagaland was organised by NEXUSCIPHERGUARD INDIA in collaboration with ICFAI University Nagaland. The event carried a total prize pool of Rs 1 lakh and aimed to encourage students to develop technology-based solutions, apply classroom knowledge to practical challenges and collaborate under tight deadlines.
The competition featured three tracks: Naga Heritage, Culture and Community Tech; Campus, Youth and Community Life; and Wildcard Track: Open Innovation. Each track recognised a first- and second-place team.
In the Naga Heritage, Culture and Community Tech category, Team 4th Dimension from the School of Engineering and Technology, Nagaland University, Meriema Campus, secured first place, while Team Merge Conflict from St Joseph’s University, Chümoukedima, finished second.
Team Brogrammer from ICFAI University Nagaland won the Campus, Youth and Community Life track, followed by Team L from the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), Kohima.
In the Wildcard Track, Team Set Kalua from Nagaland University’s School of Engineering and Technology, Meriema Campus, emerged as the winner, while Team Ostereo-Ai from the National Institute of Technology Nagaland secured second place.
The non-stop format required teams to develop and refine their projects, troubleshoot technical problems and prepare their solutions for evaluation within 26 hours. Participants had to manage time, divide responsibilities, adapt to setbacks and work together to deliver workable outcomes.
The programme also featured mentors and speakers from fields including artificial intelligence, technology and wellness, providing opportunities for participants to seek guidance, exchange ideas and network with professionals and students from other institutions.
The projects were evaluated by a panel comprising Neikepekho Shosahei, Associate Director (Entrepreneurship) at YouthNet; Rishav Sethi, Chief Executive Officer of NITI Group; and Er. Shanchamo Yanthan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Technology at Nagaland University’s School of Engineering and Technology, Kohima Campus, Meriema.
Pangerkumzuk Longkumer, CEO and Director of NEXUSCIPHERGUARD INDIA, said the initiative was intended to give students opportunities to build, experiment and test their ideas in a practical setting, while developing skills beyond technical knowledge.
He said the organisers planned to make Code For Nagaland a recurring event and expand it into a larger platform for students across the state. Future editions would be shaped by lessons from the inaugural event and feedback from participants, mentors, judges and institutional partners.
Masetshiba Imsong, Director of Operations at NEXUSCIPHERGUARD INDIA, said the value of the hackathon extended beyond the final results, with teamwork, planning, coordination and the ability to respond to changing circumstances forming important parts of the experience.
The organisers said their longer-term goal was to connect educational institutions, students, mentors and professionals, helping young people develop practical solutions through technology and continue refining their ideas beyond the competition.
