The Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) of the University of Kashmir felicitated winners of an idea contest titled ‘Ideathon-2022’.KU Registrar Dr Nisar A Mir chaired the prize distribution ceremony and awarded winners from different categories. IDEATHON-2222 a call for Innovative Ideas, was organised by CIIE to scout the innovative ideas across the length and breadth of the region from 14 Nov 2022 to 30 Nov 2022. Centre received scores of ideas and which were evaluated using the expertise and winners were declared in each category.  In Category-A, Amaan Abaas from IOT Zakura bagged the first position for ‘Smart MCB’, while Manan Malik and Farhana Fayaz bagged the second position for ‘CO Detection Ventilation System’. The third prize went to Aleeza Riyaz and Wafai Tazkiya from Green Valley Education Institute for ‘Auto Billing Trolley’. In Category–B, the team including Sajid Noor, Jehangir Hameed Lone, Kashif Ahmad, Shahid Ahmad and Sadaf Bashir bagged all three positions for innovations including Dual Ventilator, Ingenious Incubator and Smart Braille Device. In Category-C, the team members including Musharaf Aijaz, Huzaifa Naseer and Hurmat from NIT Srinagar bagged the first position for ‘Innovate For a Sustainable World’, while Waseem Nadaf bagged the second position for Water Purification Bottle and Jehangir Ahmad Dar, a grassroots innovator, bagged the third position for Indoor Solar Cooker.

Appreciating the students for their active participation in Ideathon-22, Dr Nisar said the University of Kashmir will provide its full support for hand-holding of young students to develop an innovation and entrepreneurial mindset. He said the CIIE must encourage and facilitate young innovators to secure patents for their innovations and become truly self-reliant.

Director DIQA Prof Manzoor A Shah, who was a guest of honour, said the University of Kashmir has been chosen to hold Youth20 events as part of the country’s G20 Presidency, where innovations and entrepreneurship are the focal areas.

Director IOT Zakura Prof Gowhar Bashir Vakil highlighted the achievements of CIIE, including grant of patents for its innovations.

The function was attended by faculty members including Dr Bilal A Malik, Dr A Mueed Hafiz, Dr Junaid Hassan Masoodi, Er Rouf-ul-Alam Bhat, Er. Qazi Junaid Ashraf and Er Adil Mudasir.

Junaid Ayub and Uzma Maqbool conducted proceedings of the event.