Team RuDRA's participation in Raisina Hackathon 2025

The Raisina Hackathon, a key feature of the prestigious Raisina Dialogue, showcased the brilliance of India’s youth in addressing global challenges and shaping critical agendas. Representing Rural Data Research and Analysis (RuDRA), Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, three students from C-TARA, Akshara Viju, Somdeep Kundu, and Gayatri Vhanbatte, participated in this esteemed forum. The event, co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation, focused on three pivotal themes: Foreign Policy and Security, Climate Change and Sustainability, and Digital Futures. 

Under the Digital Futures theme, Somdeep presented on leveraging geospatial cloud computing using high-quality ISRO satellite datasets to transform the remote sensing landscape in India and for the global Earth Observation (EO) community. He expanded on the vision of the National Geospatial Policy, 2022, emphasizing the potential of such datasets as a global public good. Akshara, on the other hand, addressed the critical challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation in India. She highlighted instances of manipulated content undermining democracy, targeting opposition, and human rights activists while stressing the urgent need for digital literacy to combat these issues effectively. Under the Climate Change and Sustainability theme, Gayatri focused on the pressing need to address the dual challenges of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. She emphasized the concept of Green Premiums, which quantify the additional cost of adopting zero-carbon technologies compared to traditional carbon-emitting alternatives. She proposed that reducing these premiums through innovation and inclusive policies could make clean energy solutions more accessible to all societal sectors. This approach, she argued, aligns with India’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and creating a more sustainable and equitable future. 

The event underscored India’s aspirations for sustainable growth, digital innovation, and environmental harmony. Eminent speakers like Dr. Raghuram S., Joint Secretary at MEA, and Samir Saran, President of ORF, along with the ideas presented by youth participants, highlighted the transformative potential of young Indians in building a resilient, equitable future for the nation and the world.