“This is the beginning of a big revolution of the AI journey in India, and students are at the forefront of it,” said Rahul Attuluri, Co-founder & CEO of NxtWave, at the national finale of theOpenAI Academy x NxtWave Buildathonheld at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan during theIndia AI Impact Summit 2026.
The Buildathon brought together India’s brightest young innovators, many traveling from smaller cities to present working AI prototypes rather than conventional presentations. Over 70,000 students registered nationwide, but only 90 teams made it to the final stage. Organised under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s IndiaAI initiative, the event marked a shift in AI innovation beyond metropolitan engineering colleges, with nearly 60% of finalists coming from Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions.
The top prize of Rs 5 lakh went toTeam Unfazedfrom Pillai HOC College of Engineering and Technology, Maharashtra, for theirLUMOS AIwearable device. Inspired by a visit to an orphanage, the device enables independent communication and environmental awareness for blind, deaf, and mute individuals simultaneously. Designed for real-world use at a projected cost of Rs 10,000, the product was developed over six months. Judges praised its practicality and immediate usability.
First Runner-Up: Project K (NIAT, AMET, Tamil Nadu)– Rs 3 lakhAI-powered traffic system transforming cameras to prioritise ambulances, reduce congestion, and save lives.
Second Runner-Up: ProteinX (BV Raju Institute of Technology, Telangana)– Rs 2 lakhAI-driven CAD copilot converting text prompts into 3D printable models, accelerating engineering workflows.
Third Runner-Up: LineLens (MS Ramaiah Engineering College, Karnataka)– Rs 50,000Research productivity tool turning browsers into intelligent CRMs with automated discovery and collaboration tracking.
Fourth Runner-Up: RudraX (NIAT, VGU, Rajasthan)– Rs 50,000iSARTHI, AI-powered road auditor transforming vehicles into infrastructure inspection tools.
Bonnie Chatterjee, Global Head of Solution Architecture at OpenAI, highlighted that projects reflect a shift from experimentation to deployment, positioning India as a global AI talent hub.
Rama Devi Lanka, Lead Architect at NITI Frontier Tech Hub, NITI Aayog, called students the “first generation of AI nation-builders,” urging ongoing mentorship and ecosystem support.
Rahul Attuluri emphasised that the Buildathon moves students from learning technology to solving tangible societal problems. Participating teams will now be connected to incubators and investors to scale their ideas.
The Rs 10 lakh prize pool was framed asseed fuel, while the broader success underscored the potential of regional students to build generative AI solutions for public benefit. The Buildathon concluded with optimism: India’s next wave of AI builders has already begun.
