Varanasi, Jan 5 (UNI) Students of the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) have brought laurels to the institution at the national level by winning the first prize at the prestigious Inter-IIT Undergraduate Innovation Meet 2026 held at IIT Hyderabad.
The winning team comprised Arka Jyoti Ghosh and Supratim Mahapatra, who developed this innovation under the guidance of Associate Professor Prof. Pranjal Chandra of the School of Biochemical Engineering.
The team was awarded a cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs and a winner's shield for their innovative project, "Handheld Micro-imaging Device." This cutting-edge imaging technology was developed at IIT (BHU), Varanasi.
The national-level competition received hundreds of innovation proposals from various IITs across the country. After a rigorous evaluation process, only 21 innovations were selected for live demonstration at IIT Hyderabad.
Among these, the IIT (BHU) project successfully made it to the top finalists and ultimately emerged as the overall winner, surpassing all other competitors.
The award ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Padma Shri Dr. B.V.R. Mohan Reddy, Founder Chairman, Cyient Limited and Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Hyderabad; Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce and Information Technology Department, Government of Telangana; and Prof. B.S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad.
The presence of these distinguished personalities underscored the national significance of the event.
Commenting on the innovation, Prof. Pranjal Chandra said, “The handheld micro-imaging device is a robust, indigenously developed technology that can prove extremely useful in imaging various cellular structures, including cancer cells and microbial systems. Its key features are its miniaturization and automation.”
Congratulating the team, the Director of IIT (BHU) Varanasi, Prof. Amit Patra said, “Winning the top prize at a highly competitive platform like Inter-IIT is a significant achievement for IIT (BHU) Varanasi. This success reflects the institute's culture of innovation, practical research, and commitment to preparing young innovators to solve real-world problems.”

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