Written by Shambhavi Pandey
The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) celebrated the grand finale of its 110-hour national hackathon on Monday at the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre in Kolkata, marking the 110th Foundation Day of the institute. The event was graced by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav as Chief Guest, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), including Sushil Kumar Awasthi, Director General of Forests, Nameeta Prasad, Joint Secretary, and Ramesh Pandey, Additional Director General of Forests.
The hackathon, which began on May 22 in honour of the International Day for Biodiversity, saw participation from 305 registered teams across the country. Following three progressive rounds—including regional showcases, a national-level screening, and semi-finals held in Pune on June 9—five teams from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Digha in West Bengal, Solan in Himachal Pradesh, and Shillong in Meghalaya qualified to the final round in Kolkata.
Welcoming the guests and participants, ZSI Director Dr Dhriti Banerjee said, “You are already a winner. Innovation in conservation is not a competition to be won only once—it’s a lifetime of commitment which needs to be honoured daily.” Applauding the finalists, she emphasised how the hackathon has served as a powerful platform to foster environmental solutions led by youth.
MoEFCC Director General of Forests Awasthi echoed her sentiment, calling the event “a good stage for us to move forward in the field of biodiversity”. He noted that hackathons like these serve as collaborative spaces for professionals and individuals to solve environmental challenges with creativity and determination.
In his keynote address, Minister Bhupender Yadav lauded the uniqueness of each team’s presentation and highlighted that most of the finalists hailed from remote corners of the country. He referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mission LiFE campaign launched on World Environment Day 2023, which outlines seven lifestyle changes—from saving water and energy to managing waste and promoting healthy living—as key to sustainable development.
“This country provides its youth with many opportunities,” he said, adding that their involvement in environmental innovation will be crucial to making the vision of a ‘Vikasit Bharat’ by 2047 come true. The Minister stressed the need to “link research with policy and the economy”, urging deeper collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and technologists.
The author is an intern with The Indian Express
