To mark the 110th Foundation Day of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the Western Regional Centre (WRC), Pune organized a dynamic Level-1 Hackathon Competition on May 24, 2025, focused on the theme “Deccan Peninsular Biodiversity.” The 110-hour long innovation marathon brought together minds passionate about biodiversity conservation—from researchers and environmentalists to biologists—fostering creative and practical solutions to safeguard one of India’s richest ecological zones.
Anshu Kashid
Pune| May 30, 2025: The event witnessed participation from reputed institutions across Maharashtra and Telangana, including Hyderabad and Pune. A total of five teams actively competed in the hackathon, while two registered teams could not attend.
Participating Teams:
Team 1: Dr. Mithila Chinchalkar & Dr. Ravindra Kshirsagar (Modern College, Ganeshkhind, Pune), Team 2: Dr. Azraj Satish Dahihande, Dr. Sidharth Pagare & Mr. Vinay Dethe (KAANMS College, Satana, Nashik), Team 3: Mr. Chaitanya Bhosale & Mr. Prathamesh Tapase (JSPM University, Pune) – Spot registration, Team 4: Mr. Mubeen Shaikh (Modern College, Ganeshkhind, Pune) – Spot registration, Team 5: Dr. P. R. Sushama, Dr. Mehtab Yasmeen & Dr. Hajera Sana (University of Hyderabad), Team 6 & 7: Registered but did not attend.
Jury Panel:
A panel of distinguished experts evaluated the teams:
Dr. Basudev Tripathy, Scientist-E & Officer-in-Charge, ZSI WRC Pune, Dr. Anil Mahabal, Retd. Scientist, ZSI WRC Pune, Dr. R.M. Sharma, Retd. Scientist, ZSI WRC Pune, Dr. Warsha Wankhede, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Dr. Aparna Sureshchandra Kalawate, Scientist-E, ZSI.
Winners:
First Prize: Team 3 – Mr. Chaitanya Bhosale & Mr. Prathamesh Tapase (JSPM University, Pune), Second Prize: Team 2 – Dr. Azraj Dahihande (KAANMS College, Satana), Third Prize: Team 5 – Dr. P. R. Sushama, Dr. Mehtab Yasmeen & Dr. Hajera Sana (University of Hyderabad).
A Mission LiFE pledge was also taken during the event, reaffirming the commitment to sustainable and responsible use of natural resources.
In his address, Dr. Basudev Tripathy, Officer-in-Charge, congratulated all the participants and underlined the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing biodiversity conservation challenges. The event proved to be an inspiring platform for knowledge-sharing, innovation, and raising awareness about the ecological significance of the Deccan Peninsula.
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/newsdotz/
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@NewsDotz
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573903448264
Read – https://newsdotz.com/