'Design for Bharat': Assam Students Present Innovative Designs at IIT Guwahati Exhibition

The Department of Design at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati hosted a state-level exhibition as part of preparations for the upcoming Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) 2026, an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The event was held on the IIT Guwahati campus and brought together young designers from across Assam.

The exhibition was organised under “Design for Bharat”, a national design challenge aimed at encouraging youth to come up with practical and creative ideas that can contribute to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The programme focuses on nurturing innovation, teamwork and problem-solving, while offering participants expert guidance and a chance to showcase their work at the national level.

This year’s theme, “Duality (Dwividhta)”, invited students to explore ideas that lie in the spaces between contrasts, where new and transformative solutions often take shape. Projects were submitted across seven broad areas, including health and wellness, education, transport and connectivity, agriculture, sports and hobbies, safety, and sustainability.

Speaking about the event, Prof. Pratul Chandra Kalita, Head of the Department of Design at IIT Guwahati, said the institute, as the nodal centre for Assam, received 15 entries from young designers. After an initial screening, 13 were shortlisted, and 10 teams eventually took part in the state-level exhibition.

The event was attended by several guests from industry and public institutions. Rahul Dev Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of Gargya Group of Companies, was present as the chief guest, while Pranabjit Hazarika from TCPL Packaging and Neelkamal Das from the Assam State Space Application Centre attended as guests of honour. IIT Guwahati Director Prof. Devendra Jalihal highlighted the importance of building a strong culture of innovation for inclusive growth and long-term development.

During the exhibition, participants presented their ideas through posters and live demonstrations. A jury comprising faculty members from the Department of Design, along with invited dignitaries, interacted with the teams and evaluated the projects.

After deliberation, the jury announced the top performers. Priyam Jyoti Das from Golaghat Engineering College secured first place with his project on converting waste into green energy and organic fertiliser. He will represent Assam at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2026 in January. The second prize went to a team from North Lakhimpur University for their agricultural rover prototype, Terrabot. The third position was shared by Partha Protim Patir of IIT Guwahati for his project Ad-Well and Kashyap Gogoi of Swahid Peoli Phukan College, Sivasagar, for his work on natural dye extraction from locally available plants.

Organisers said the exhibition not only gave young innovators valuable exposure but also boosted their confidence to use design-led solutions to address real-world challenges and contribute to the nation’s development goals.

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