Overcoming the Odds: How We Made It to SIH 2024

The final judging round left us uncertain. After hours of grueling effort and sleepless nights, we faced our last round of evaluation. But the last round of feedback was brief, the judges didn’t offer much insight, and we couldn’t help but wonder—had we done enough?

When our problem statement was finally announced, the air felt charged with tension. And there it was, the final announcement, the reverberating words across the auditorium, “The Winner for Problem Statement 1789 is…”

The pause that followed was almost unbearable, stretching time as we waited, hearts racing, until our team’s name was declared, igniting a surge of joy and relief we could barely contain. We exchanged glances, and in a split second, we were on our feet, rushing to the stage.

Hey everyone, I'm Kamini Banait, and this is my retelling of our journey to winning SIH 2024.

How it all began?

September marked the start of a journey none of us could have fully anticipated. The talk of Smart India Hackathon 2024 buzzed around campus, it was a challenge and I couldn’t shake off the idea of participating. So, I reached out to my friends to form a team and soon, we had six enthusiastic individuals ready to embark on this adventure together. What began as a simple idea to participate quickly evolved into a shared commitment to create something impactful. The energy was infectious, and we knew we were in for a memorable endeavor.

Selecting the Right Challenge

Our first challenge was selecting a problem statement that resonated with the entire team. We wanted something that aligned with our skill sets but also felt meaningful. It was important to ensure that everyone could actively contribute to the project.

Some ideas seemed too ambitious for the limited time, while others felt too straightforward. After a lot of back-and-forth, we decided to focus on simplicity, prioritizing functionality and user impact over complexity. That is how, we came to build Khetideals, a platform for connecting farmers, buyers, sharecroppers, and landlords to facilitate contract farming.

Planning, Workflow, and the Internal Hackathon

The time we spent preceding internal hackathon, sketching out workflows for every aspect of our project, ensuring nothing was left to chance, was strenuous but exhilarating. The goal was simple: to create something intuitive yet impactful. Frequent team meetings became our routine. Each session was a space for coming up with fresh ideas, tracking developments, and setting clear objectives. To keep the momentum going, we divided the work based on everyone’s strengths, making sure each member felt integral to the team.

And so, we managed to pull together a working prototype just in time for the internal hackathon. We walked into the event hopeful, yet aware of the competition around us.

The feedback, we received during the internal hackathon, was of immense help. It highlighted areas we hadn’t considered and validated the core of our idea. And when the results were announced, hearing that our team was selected for the next stage was a moment of pride and relief.

But just as we geared up to submit our solution to the SIH website, an unexpected twist threw us off balance: our chosen problem statement had already hit its submission limit.

Turning Challenges Into Triumphs

It felt like the end of the road.

But giving up wasn’t an option. We collectively decided to pick another problem statement. With the tight deadline in mind, we chose a problem statement that would be manageable for us to develop a project around, while ensuring it had practical value and could make a meaningful project. Therefore, we settled on the idea of creating a hardware inventory management system for police, and we envisioned it as Surakshasanchay. This time, we made sure to closely monitor the submissions to ensure our solution was submitted well before the deadline.

With less than a week to brainstorm, refine, and prepare everything from scratch, we dove in headfirst. Late-night brainstorming sessions became the norm as we pushed ourselves to build an effective solution, where every process was visualized with precision, every detail scrutinized.

When the submission deadline arrived, we knew we had done our best. But with only days of effort compared to the weeks or months others might have had, we weren’t hopeful about making it to the finale. Then came the news—our team was among the five selected for the SIH 2024 finale. That moment was a turning point. From then on, we knew there was no option but to give our all and emerge as winners.

The 36-Hour Sprint of Creativity and Code

The days leading up to the hackathon were filled with excitement, but also a fair share of stress. While we were all passionate about our project, there were moments of disagreement on how to tackle certain tasks and how the workload should be divided. However, we eventually worked through these differences, and with everything in place, we prepared for the journey ahead.

Our departure to the SIH Finale was a mix of nervous anticipation and excitement. We were traveling from Bangalore to Bhopal—a long 24-hour journey that gave us time to continue working on the project even while on the train. We arrived just the night before the finale, giving us just enough time to settle in and prepare mentally for the big day.

Then, the 36-hour hackathon began. The hackathon was intense, but every minute spent working on the project felt like an exciting opportunity to push ourselves further. There were three judging rounds in total, and the first one kicked off with a mix of restless energy and eager tension. We presented our project, showcasing what we had already built and what we were planning to add in the upcoming rounds. The judges listened carefully, asked a few questions, and offered some valuable feedback.

Fortunately, many of the points they raised were already on our radar, and we took detailed notes, ready to implement the necessary changes. We also had three mentor sessions throughout the hackathon, which gave us further insights into how we could improve our project. The mentors provided helpful guidance, and it felt like we were on the right track.

The Final Push: Exhaustion and Last-Minute Adjustments

By the time we reached the second judging round, we had worked tirelessly to incorporate the feedback and refine our project. The judges were impressed with our progress, and their positive reaction gave us a boost of confidence. However, they still had a few suggestions for improvement, and we were back to the grind once again.

Pressure mounted as the clock ticked down, but the thrill of completing the project within such a tight timeline kept us going. Exhausted but determined, we pushed ourselves to finish the final version just in time for the last judging round.

When the judges arrived for the final evaluation, their reaction was subdued. They asked us a few questions about the final project, but didn’t offer much in terms of detailed feedback. We were left feeling uncertain, wondering if this was it.

The Countdown for Results

As the final judging session came to an end, we anxiously awaited the announcement of the winners. It felt like a long wait, filled with uncertainty, but when our team’s name was finally called, the moment was surreal. We had done it—we were the winners. It wasn’t a grand moment of surprise, but the quiet satisfaction of knowing that our hard work had truly paid off.

The congratulations poured in from all directions, and it was clear that this victory wasn’t just ours—it was shared with everyone who had helped and supported us along the way. My teammates from Team 405_Resolved— Bhoomi, Shruti, Prajwal, Ritvik, and Aryan—were integral to this triumph, demonstrating teamwork at its finest. Their unwavering commitment and individual contributions were key to this achievement. Our seniors from Point Blank played an equally essential role, guiding us through the internal hackathon, offering invaluable advice, and sharing tips that helped us fine-tune our project. Their mentorship, coupled with the support we received throughout the process, made our win certain.

Looking back, this experience was more than just a competition. It was about growth, collaboration, and learning from those who had walked this path before us. We are grateful for the opportunity to participate, and it’s a memory we’ll cherish forever. And as we move forward, this episode serves as a reminder of what’s possible when we believe in ourselves and each other.

"It always seems impossible until it’s done." – Nelson Mandela

Here’s to new challenges, bigger goals, and even greater victories ahead!