MHA Hosts Grand Finale of Vimarsh 2023 - 5G Tech Hackathon Spurs Solutions for Law Enforcement

New Delhi :The Grand Finale of Vimarsh 2023, a national hackathon focused on leveraging 5G technology to address challenges faced by Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), concluded with great enthusiasm and innovation at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), North Block, today.

The event, held in collaboration with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and the Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TCOE), brought together minds from various sectors to tackle pressing issues in law enforcement through technological advancement.

The Chief Guest, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, IAS, Union Home Secretary, presided over the ceremony, alongside esteemed guests including Balaji Srivastava, IPS, Director General, BPR&D, Tapan Kumar Deka, IPS, Director, Intelligence Bureau, and Dr. Neeraj Mittal, IAS, Secretary (Telecom), among others.

Vimarsh 2023 aimed to foster innovation through a rigorous selection process, which began with the formulation of nine problem statements in consultation with LEAs, DoT, TCOE, and BPR&D. These problem statements, along with detailed multimedia descriptions, were made available on the dedicated website, www.vimarsh.tcoe.in.

The hackathon progressed through three stages of idea screening, with Stages I and II conducted virtually, and Stage III held physically at the private 5G testbed at IIT Madras, Chennai, where Proof of Concepts (PoCs) were demonstrated. The jury, comprising members from academia, BPR&D, I4C, DoT, and industry, evaluated the PoCs meticulously.

During the Grand Finale, eight winning teams, each addressing one problem statement, and seven runners-up were announced. Each winning team was awarded Rs. 1.5 Lakhs, and the runners-up received certificates of appreciation. Notably, Problem Statement No. 1 did not have a qualified winner, and Problem Statement No. 3 had no runner-up.

To further support innovation, Rs. 2.5 lakhs have been allocated for each problem statement to facilitate the productization of PoCs in collaboration with LEAs, enabling the development of prototypes incorporating feedback and necessary customization.

The Union Home Secretary, in his interaction with the winners, commended the collaborative efforts of BPR&D and the Deptt of Telecom, highlighting the significance of the hackathon in fostering innovation in the realm of 5G technology.

The successful conclusion of Vimarsh 2023 underscores the importance of leveraging technology to address pressing societal issues and showcases India's commitment to innovation and progress in the digital age.