Kolkata, September 30, 2026: Techno India University, West Bengal, came alive with ideas, innovation and technological creativity as it hosted AI Unleashed 2026, organised by Technothon, on September 30. The event brought together students from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) and Master of Computer Applications (MCA), giving them a platform to showcase their AI-driven projects and explore practical solutions to real-world challenges. With 26 teams participating, the event fostered an atmosphere of healthy competition, collaboration and learning.
The day began with participants arriving at the venue, setting up their projects and making final preparations for the exhibition and evaluation. The Technothon Core Team supported the participants throughout the process, assisting with registrations, logistics and coordination to ensure a smooth start to the event. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Prof. (Dr.) Saikat Maitra, Vice Chancellor, Techno India University; Prof. Dr. Sujoy Biswas, Registrar, Techno India University; and Prof. Ishan Ghosh, Dean of Student Affairs, Techno India University, along with Heads of Departments, faculty coordinators and distinguished guests. The ceremony began with the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp, setting the tone for a day centred on knowledge, innovation and the possibilities of technology.
Addressing the participants, Prof. Ishan Ghosh highlighted the importance of moving beyond learning towards meaningful implementation. He said, “Learning in our days is very easy. We can learn at any time. But implementing it in the proper way is a big, big challenge.”…“Now is the high time to take care of another subject that you have learned or you are learning in detail. That is values and ethics.”…“We need to be very, very, very careful because we are the software engineers, and the future is in our hand.”
Prof. (Dr.) Saikat Maitra highlighted the importance of responsible, secure and sustainable AI development. Speaking about the deployment of Artificial Intelligence, he said, “The question is not only the deployment of AI. The question is how best the AI agents are working while maintaining all the security protocols.”…“Everything is nothing but mathematical expression. How best you understand that will determine how best you develop these systems.”…“You can make your existence sustainable, and then you can take care of the sustainability of society, community and the world.”
Reinforcing the rapidly evolving nature of Artificial Intelligence, Prof. Dr. Sujoy Biswas observed, “AI is changing not only every year; it changes every single day. And if you cannot keep up with the daily changes, you are not going to survive.”…“AI may be one of the most powerful technologies humanity has ever created, but the future will not be decided by AI alone. It will be decided by human intelligence empowered by AI.”…“Technology without values can become dangerous. Intelligence without humanity can become meaningless.”…“Let us unleash intelligence. Let us unleash innovation. And above all, let us unleash human potential.”
Following the inauguration, the judging session commenced, with participating teams presenting their projects to the evaluation panel. The projects were assessed on parameters including innovation, technical implementation, feasibility, scalability, societal impact, creativity and presentation skills. The internal judging panel comprised Prof. Avijit Gayen, Department of CSE; Dr. Abhishek Majumdar, Head of Department, CSE (Artificial Intelligence); Dr. Kalpita Dutta, Head of Department, CSE; and Dr. Heleena Sengupta, Head of Department, Civil Engineering. The external judging panel included Mr. Ranit Saha and Mr. Ritu Raj.
The exhibition featured a diverse range of technology-driven projects. Among the showcased innovations were an encrypted, air-gapped communication system using LED light, ESP32, smartphone cameras, OpenCV, AI and encryption; NIVARA, a smart drainage management platform aimed at reducing urban waterlogging; MINDO, an AI-powered counselling system; JeevaDrishti, an AI-based microscopy analysis platform for cell detection and classification; and a user-controlled robotic car. Other projects included a Smart Bus Ticketing System, PawAI, which explores animal communication and emotion interpretation through AI and machine learning, and PalmPass AI, a contactless metro access and automated fare payment system using palm-based biometric authentication.
The event concluded with an award ceremony recognising teams for their innovation, technical excellence and presentation capabilities. The awards were presented by Prof. Ishan Ghosh, Dean of Student Affairs, Techno India University, who congratulated the participants for their dedication and innovative spirit.
Team ShivShakti, led by Priyanshu Prasad Sinha, emerged as the Winner, with team members Manshi Jha, Ritolibdho Gomesh, Badhan Nandi and Charles Phillips Moharer. Team PanchaBhuj, led by Asish Bose, secured the First Runner-Up position, while Team Nexus, led by Sudip Pradhan, was named Second Runner-Up.
The Best Innovative Award went to Team PanchTatva, led by Ranjan Kumar Shaw. Team FusionX, led by Soumya Roy Chaudhuri, received the Best Presentation Award, while Team CodeCraft, led by Archisman Saha, won the Best Frontend Award. Team KARMA, led by Ankit Raj, received the Jury’s Choice Award, and Team KINETIC, led by Tauqueer Ahmad, received the Sponsors Choice Award.
AI Unleashed 2026 provided students with a platform to move from ideas to working technological solutions while gaining practical exposure to project development, teamwork, technical communication and problem-solving. The event reflected Technothon’s commitment to fostering innovation-driven learning and encouraging students to explore emerging technologies with creativity, responsibility and a strong sense of purpose.