CSE Students Win 2nd Prize in Build with AI Hackathon

Vidya students demonstrated exceptional technical expertise, teamwork, and innovation, impressing the judges with their project presentation and problem-solving approach and winning accolades at the national-level hackathon.

Chanjal Chandran(S6,CSE Dept) and Liya S Chittilappily (S6,CSE Dept) secured the Second Prize at the prestigious "Build with AI" 8-hour Hackathon held at MES College of Engineering on 31 March 2026.

The event, organized by  Learn MESCE in collaboration with Google for Developers, brought together aspiring developers and technology enthusiasts to design functional AI solutions using advanced Google technologies.

The Winning Innovation: AI for Agriculture

Representing Team Spark, Chanjal  and Liya developed a web application aimed at supporting the agricultural sector.

Their project, a Paddy Field Insect Detection Website, leverages Artificial Intelligence to identify pests in real time. By analyzing images of paddy crops, the system detects harmful insects and provides immediate feedback, enabling farmers to take timely and targeted action while reducing excessive pesticide usage.

Event Highlights

The hackathon was a highly competitive 8-hour sprint (9:00 AM - 4:30 PM), where participants ideated, developed, and presented AI-based solutions before a panel of expert judges. Key highlights of the achievement include:

• National-Level Competition: Participation from students and professionals across the country made the second-place finish highly significant.
• Technical Excellence: The team effectively utilized Google Cloud resources and mentorship support to refine their AI model.
• Social Impact: The project was widely appreciated for its relevance to sustainable agriculture and its potential application in Kerala’s farming ecosystem.