Vishwakarma Award is a thematic challenge to encourage talented student teams to build innovative, deployable prototypes rapidly and with impact. Founded by the © Maker Bhavan Foundation, the award incentivises talented student innovators and tinkerers interested in developing scalable technological solutions that tackle real-world problems that affect the nation and the world.
Winners Announced
Open Category
Choose from our themes and sub-themes to design your own solution.
- Flexibility to identify and define the problem you want to solve.
- Explore creativity and innovation without predefined limits.
- Build a project aligned with pressing societal and technological needs.
Perfect for students who want creative freedom.
Industry Problem Statement
Work on real-world problems defined by leading industry partners.
- Get access to actual problem statements from companies.
- Develop practical solutions with real market applications.
- Opportunity to interact with industry mentors.
Perfect for students who want direct industry exposure.
Vishwakarma Awards 2025 winners
Smart Mobility
Harsh Tejwani, Mohammed Ujjainwala (Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology, VESIT) developed “VAYU-SETU,” an AI-powered autonomous delivery drone that uses Visual SLAM and Edge AI to navigate both GPS-enabled outdoor and GPS-denied indoor environments.
Kamruzzaman Mondal, Shambhavi Shekhar Singh, Pritam Debnath, Srishti Paul (Adamas University) developed “VIHANG,” an intelligent pesticide-spraying drone that uses NDVI and NDRE imaging to reduce chemical usage through precision agriculture.
Intelligent Machines
Aarav Gupta, Palash Pangavhane, Jaideep Lokhande (Indian Institute of Technology Bombay) developed “Adaptive Modular Arms,” a flexible automation ecosystem enabling efficient deployment of generalist robots for high-mix, low-volume SMEs.
Atharva Sunil Chavan, Diksha Jaurker, Kaushal Gangwar, K Reddy Mohamed Sadiq, Vansh Ruhela (Indian Institute of Technology Indore) developed “Aqualoop,” a self-powered wastewater segregation system that enables closed-loop water recycling using embedded sensing and machine learning.
HealTech
Bolisetty Subbarayudu, Chiguru Varun, Gollapally Shivaraj, Shaik Taufeeq (C.R. Rao Advanced Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science) developed “Sarathi (Shruthi Bandhu),” an AI-powered smart-glasses solution that converts sign language into real-time speech for inclusive communication.
Garv Jain, Dhairya Sharma, Manit Arora, Utkarsh Ranjan, Akshadeep Anand Suryawanshi (Indian Institute of Technology Mandi) developed “FlexoGear,” a lightweight wrist exosuit designed for smooth, cost-effective rehabilitation.
How it Works
1
FORM A TEAM
And apply for the Vishwakarma Awards with a proposal.
3
MAKE A PROTOTYPE
100 teams will get expert mentor support in prototype development.
4
PITCH
Physical working prototype demonstration at the host IIT.
What Will You Get?
Best Invention: INR 100,000/- (maximum of 3 awardees)
Summer Internship 2026: Participants in the industry problem statement sub-tracks (to be updated soon) may have the opportunity to secure internships.
Certification: All semi-finalist teams will get certificates
Grants: All finalist teams will get INR 30,000/- for prototyping.
LORs: Finalists may also request Letters of Recommendation (LOR) from mentors and selection committee members.
Bootcamp and Finale: 12 finalist teams will spend 3 days at a Maker Bhavan Foundation partner Indian Institute of Technology, receiving intensive entrepreneurial training.
Who is Eligible?
Teams must consist of 2 to 5 undergraduate or postgraduate STEM students. UG and PG students will be evaluated equitably.
Students from India and four SAARC countries: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
Solutions must have a working prototype by the finale.
How to Register
You can apply for the Vishwakarma Awards 2025 by following this application link.
A team of two to five members is required.
You’ll need to submit a proposal for a prototype idea aligned with one of our selected themes.
Organiser
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