ANNAM.AI
CoE under Ministry of Education
Annam.AI Hackathon 2025
Fueling Innovation in Food & Sustainable Agriculture with AI
Be part of an 8-week, full-time hackathon-style internship powered by
IIT Ropar’s ANNAM.AI! Compete for ₹50 lakhs in prizes and unlock
200 exclusive internships designed to transform the future of agriculture using artificial intelligence.
* Please refer to the FAQ section before filling out the form.
Annam.AI Hackathon 2025
Fueling Innovation in Food & Sustainable Agriculture with AI
Be part of an 8-week, full-time hackathon-style internship powered by IIT Ropar’s ANNAM.AI! Compete for ₹50 lakhs in prizes and unlock 200 exclusive internships designed to transform the future of agriculture using artificial intelligence.
* Please refer to the FAQ section before filling out the form.
Meet Our Mentors
Soma Dhavala
Soma Dhavala, Adjunct Faculty at IIT Jammu and Sector Expert (Agri & AI), has nearly 20 years of experience in AI across domains like agriculture, healthcare, and education. Founder of mlsquare, he promotes equitable ML. He has led AI projects globally, taught at IIIT-B, and holds multiple advanced degrees, 40+ publications, and patents. His approach blends theory and practice in building reliable AI solutions.
Dr. Niranjan Vilas Deshpande
Dr. Niranjan Vilas Deshpande is a robotics engineer and researcher specializing in autonomous systems, reinforcement learning, and AI. With a PhD from Université Grenoble Alpes/INRIA, he has led R&D in autonomous shuttles and last-mile delivery at OttonomyIO and INRIA, France. His work spans IEEE publications, urban navigation, and generative AI, with a global perspective from France and India.
Rajsekar Manokaran
Rajsekar is an AI and cloud tech. expert with more than a decade of industry experience solving AI problems in vision, text and voice. He's helped build, deploy and optimize various AI & SaaS platforms across the industry, and the social sector. He also holds a PhD in theoretical computer sciences: algorithms and complexity, which he uses as a mathematical lens to computing and AI.
Dr.Indu Joshi
Dr. Joshi, is an Assistant Professor at IIT Mandi’s School of Computing & Electrical Engineering, leading deep learning research in biometrics, medical imaging, and computational biology at the MANAS lab. With postdoctoral experience at TU Munich and Inria, France, and a PhD from IIT Delhi, he invites motivated candidates to explore PhD opportunities in cutting-edge AI research.
Bikramjeet Kalsi
Bikramjeet Kalsi, founder of JBN Technologies, is a product strategist with 9+ years of experience in edtech, HR tech, and AI. He builds AI-driven career assessment and skilling tools for top institutions. With expertise in product management, curriculum design, and psychometrics, he offers a strong mix of technical and market insight, making him a valuable mentor and hackathon judge.
Jigar Doshi
Jigar Doshi, a deep learning expert applying AI for social impact in public health and climate at Artpark, IISc. His work with ARMMAN was featured in Gates Notes. Previously at Wadhwani AI and CrowdAI, he led impactful projects in healthcare, agriculture, and disaster tracking. A Kavli symposia speaker, he holds degrees from Georgia Tech and NJIT, with research spanning multimodal AI and robotics.
Dr. Ritesh Kumar
Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Principal Scientist at CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh, leads research in computational olfaction and AI-driven agriculture. With 15+ years of experience and 45+ publications, he has pioneered odor prediction, source localization, and AI applications in agri-tech. A former Royal Society Newton Fellow, he actively mentors startups and collaborates with industry to translate cutting-edge research into impactful solutions.
Chandan Jayaram
Chandan J is a Senior Research Scholar at the Learning Systems and Multimedia Labs, IISc Bengaluru. His research interests intersect technology and sustainability. Deeply passionate about organic farming, he is also a dedicated student of Indian history, philosophy, and classical music, reflecting a unique blend of scientific inquiry and cultural depth.
Kalapriya Kannan
Kalapriya Kannan is an expert in large-scale systems, analytics, and AI platforms, with experience in data center discovery, SDN, blockchain, and machine learning. A key contributor to IBM AIF360 and FactSheets, she focuses on building scalable analytics for high-volume data. Passionate about education, she teaches at IITs, BITS, NITK Surathkal, and serves as Adjunct Faculty at BITS and SREC, Coimbatore.
Prof. Kavya Dashora
Prof. Kavya Dashora works at the intersection of nanotechnology and sustainable agriculture, focusing on nanosynthesis, nanotoxicity, and green crop production. She led the development of India’s first plant-based egg and researches plant-based meats for sustainable nutrition. Her work aligns with the UN SDGs, promoting innovation in food systems and environmental health.
Soma Dhavala
Soma Dhavala, Adjunct Faculty at IIT Jammu and Sector Expert (Agri & AI), has nearly 20 years of experience in AI across domains like agriculture, healthcare, and education. Founder of mlsquare, he promotes equitable ML. He has led AI projects globally, taught at IIIT-B, and holds multiple advanced degrees, 40+ publications, and patents. His approach blends theory and practice in building reliable AI solutions.
Rajsekar Manokaran
Rajsekar is an AI and cloud tech. expert with more than a decade of industry experience solving AI problems in vision, text and voice. He's helped build, deploy and optimize various AI & SaaS platforms across the industry, and the social sector. He also holds a PhD in theoretical computer sciences: algorithms and complexity, which he uses as a mathematical lens to computing and AI.
Bikramjeet Kalsi
Bikramjeet Kalsi, founder of JBN Technologies, is a product strategist with 9+ years of experience in edtech, HR tech, and AI. He builds AI-driven career assessment and skilling tools for top institutions. With expertise in product management, curriculum design, and psychometrics, he offers a strong mix of technical and market insight, making him a valuable mentor and hackathon judge.
Dr. Niranjan Vilas Deshpande
Dr. Niranjan Vilas Deshpande is a robotics engineer and researcher specializing in autonomous systems, reinforcement learning, and AI. With a PhD from Université Grenoble Alpes/INRIA, he has led R&D in autonomous shuttles and last-mile delivery at OttonomyIO and INRIA, France. His work spans IEEE publications, urban navigation, and generative AI, with a global perspective from France and India.
Dr. Indu Joshi
Dr. Joshi, is an Assistant Professor at IIT Mandi’s School of Computing & Electrical Engineering, leading deep learning research in biometrics, medical imaging, and computational biology at the MANAS lab. With postdoctoral experience at TU Munich and Inria, France, and a PhD from IIT Delhi, he invites motivated candidates to explore PhD opportunities in cutting-edge AI research.
Jigar Doshi
Jigar Doshi, a deep learning expert applying AI for social impact in public health and climate at Artpark, IISc. His work with ARMMAN was featured in Gates Notes. Previously at Wadhwani AI and CrowdAI, he led impactful projects in healthcare, agriculture, and disaster tracking. A Kavli symposia speaker, he holds degrees from Georgia Tech and NJIT, with research spanning multimodal AI and robotics.
Dr. Ritesh Kumar
Dr. Ritesh Kumar, Principal Scientist at CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh, leads research in computational olfaction and AI-driven agriculture. With 15+ years of experience and 45+ publications, he has pioneered odor prediction, source localization, and AI applications in agri-tech. A former Royal Society Newton Fellow, he actively mentors startups and collaborates with industry to translate cutting-edge research into impactful solutions.
Chandan Jayaram
Chandan J is a Senior Research Scholar at the Learning Systems and Multimedia Labs, IISc Bengaluru. His research interests intersect technology and sustainability. Deeply passionate about organic farming, he is also a dedicated student of Indian history, philosophy, and classical music, reflecting a unique blend of scientific inquiry and cultural depth.
Prof. Kavya Dashora
Prof. Kavya Dashora works at the intersection of nanotechnology and sustainable agriculture, focusing on nanosynthesis, nanotoxicity, and green crop production. She led the development of India’s first plant-based egg and researches plant-based meats for sustainable nutrition. Her work aligns with the UN SDGs, promoting innovation in food systems and environmental health.
Kalapriya Kannan
Kalapriya Kannan is an expert in large-scale systems, analytics, and AI platforms, with experience in data center discovery, SDN, blockchain, and machine learning. A key contributor to IBM AIF360 and FactSheets, she focuses on building scalable analytics for high-volume data. Passionate about education, she teaches at IITs, BITS, NITK Surathkal, and serves as Adjunct Faculty at BITS and SREC, Coimbatore.
Why Join the Annam.AI Hackathon?
The Annam.AI Hackathon is a one-of-a-kind initiative to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence in revolutionizing India’s food and agriculture systems. Hosted by the Centre of Excellence in AI for Agriculture at IIT Ropar and supported by the Ministry of Education, this 8-week hackathon combines real-world data, expert mentorship, and a research-driven approach to solve India’s biggest agri-tech challenges.
Hackathon Goals
- Soil Health – Predictive and diagnostic tools using AI
- Smart Irrigation – Optimizing water usage through ML models
- Pest Management – Real-time monitoring and AI-based identification
- Crop Monitoring – AI tools for growth analysis and yield prediction
- Post-Harvest Systems – Enhancing storage, logistics, and supply chain using tech
Who Can Apply?
The Annam.AI Hackathon welcomes a diverse group of participants from across India. Whether you’re a student or a professional, there’s a place for you here:
- UG, PG, and PhD students – From all academic disciplines
- Working professionals – Engineers, researchers, and agri-tech innovators
- Participation Mode – Join online or in-person at IIT Ropar
- Team Support – Every team will be guided by expert advisors from ANNAM.AI
Timeline & Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Last Date to Register | 9th May 2025 |
| Launch & Orientation | 20th May 2025 |
| Final Submission | 20th July 2025 |
Expected Deliverables:
- 🔹 AI Model / Prototype
- 🔹Documentation & Codebase
- 🔹Demo Video
Awards & Recognition
🎖️
₹5,00,000
1st Prize
🎖️
₹4,00,000
2nd Prize
🎖️
₹3,00,000
3rd Prize
🎖️
₹2,00,000
4th Prize
🎖️
₹1,00,000
5th Prize
Other Opportunities
200 Honorable Mentions- ₹15,000 each
Top teams may be selected for future projects under ANNAM.AI with full mentorship and funding support.
What You’ll Gain
📜
Official Certificate of Completion
From IIT Ropar
👨🎓
200 Internship Slots
With real-time mentorship
🏛️
Academic Credit Transfer
(10-credit elective; subject to your university’s approval)
🌐
Contribution to AI Projects
National-level AI-based agri-tech projects
Don’t miss the chance to enhance your academic and professional journey!
Aligning with India’s AI Vision
This hackathon contributes to India’s national mission: “Make AI in India & Make AI Work for India.”
Winning innovations may be deployed as Phase II solutions under the Centre of Excellence at IIT Ropar.