BHU students bag third prize in National Handloom Hackathon 2026
Varanasi, August 13
Asim Mondal, a Research Scholar in Textile Design, Department of Painting, Faculty of Visual Arts, Banaras Hindu University, has brought laurels to the University by securing Third Position in the "Sustainability & Environmental Impact" Category of the National Handloom Hackathon 2026, along with his team.
The National Handloom Hackathon 2026 was organised as an initiative of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The competition was held on August 1 at R&D Park, IIT Delhi.
The hackathon was conducted in three stages and witnessed participation from approximately 2,500 participants from across the country. In the first stage, the team's innovative idea was shortlisted among the Top 100 entries across various categories. The team was subsequently invited to Delhi for the second stage, where, after presenting its idea, it was selected among the Top 40 teams.
In the final stage, the shortlisted teams were provided with expert guidance and mentorship to further develop and refine their ideas. The team presented its final concept before the jury and successfully secured Third Position in the "Sustainability & Environmental Impact" Category.
Asim Mondal was supported by his team members, Kriti Mishra and Abhideepsh Prashant Sagar, both students of the Faculty of Law, BHU. In recognition of this remarkable achievement, Asim Mondal and his team members were awarded medals and certificates at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, during the First Conclave of the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT) - SUTRA 2026, organised on the occasion of National Handloom Day.
This achievement is a matter of great pride for BHU and the Department of Painting, Faculty of Visual Arts. It reflects the team's creativity, innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and commitment to sustainable development and the advancement of the handloom sector.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Congratulations to Asim and the team! But I have to point out a small oversight in the article - it mentions the team secured third place in the Sustainability category, but doesn't elaborate on their specific idea or innovation. Would have been nice to know what made their concept stand out among 2500 participants. Still, kudos to BHU and this talented team.
So inspiring! Handloom sector has so much potential for sustainable development. 2500 participants is a huge number, and to rank in top 3 in their category is no small feat. Also appreciate the fact the hackathon was held at IIT Delhi - great platform. All the best to the team for future endeavours! 🌟
Impressive achievement! Its wonderful to see the next generation bringing fresh ideas to the handloom sector while keeping sustainability at the forefront. India's rich heritage combined with new thinking is what makes initiatives like this so special. Congratulations to all three team members.
Beta, this is very encouraging! Seeing students from traditional institutions like BHU combined with modern hackathon thinking is great. And they got mentorship from experts at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre too. This is real Bharat innovation - knowledge and tradition meeting new age challenges. 🇮🇳
Really good to see a Government of India ministry organized hackathon yielding this kind of cross-disciplinary result. The fact that a law student pair alongside a textile design scholar made it work shows genuine teamwork. Keep pushing this kind of innovation in handicrafts.
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