NI Bureau
April 11, 2025
A student- teacher team from Guru Kashi University (GKU) has broken into the Global Top 10 at IDEATHON 2025, an international innovation challenge hosted by Florida International University, USA. Competing in the Health Tech & Well-being category, the team was lauded for its human-centered, scalable digital healthcare solution aimed at underserved communities.
The prestigious IDEATHON brings together bright minds from leading global institutions to tackle urgent global challenges across health, sustainability, and digital well-being. GKU’s success marks a significant step forward for Indian academia on the world stage.
The winning team comprised Dr. Manita Paneri, Dr. Vikas Gupta, student Suraj Kumar, and mentor Mr. Rajender Kumar. Their innovative project focused on bridging gaps in preventive healthcare through affordable and scalable digital interventions, targeting vulnerable and underserved populations.
Speaking on the achievement, Chancellor S. Gurlabh Singh Sidhu said:
“This accomplishment highlights the global calibre of our students and faculty. It is heartening to see our university contribute meaningfully to international dialogue in the field of healthcare innovation.”
Vice Chancellor Dr. Rameshwar Singh echoed this pride, emphasizing GKU’s commitment to impact-driven research:
“This recognition reflects the values we stand for at GKU—collaboration, innovation, and the pursuit of socially relevant research. I hope this achievement motivates more of our students to think globally and act with purpose.”
IDEATHON 2025 featured a rigorous selection process and attracted entries from some of the world’s most reputed institutions. GKU’s entry stood out for its practical application of technology in solving real-world healthcare issues, especially in resource-constrained settings.
Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Manita Paneri shared:
“This is more than a moment of celebration—it’s a reminder that meaningful change in healthcare doesn’t always require massive infrastructure. Sometimes, it just needs a fresh perspective and the willingness to collaborate across disciplines.”
Dr. Vikas Gupta, celebrating the global recognition, added:
“We’re thrilled to see our students being recognized on a global platform like this. What started as a conversation in a classroom turned into a project that now stands among the world’s best ideas in health innovation.”
For Guru Kashi University, this recognition is not just a win but a validation of its growing focus on applied research, social innovation, and experiential learning. The university has announced plans to support the further development of the team’s project and foster similar opportunities for students to tackle global challenges.
