Skip to main content

From "Arre Yaar, Chhod Na!" to Unforgettable SIH 2018 Rollercoaster

It was that lovely break after the third-semester exams. I was chilling at home, probably planning nothing more exciting than catching up on sleep, when the phone buzzed. It was my friend, Sourav. "Arre Yishnu, sunn na! There's this massive hackathon, Smart India Hackathon (SIH). Karein kya participate? (Should we participate?)" My brain, always ready for some 'panga' (a fun challenge), practically did a bhangra before I even said "Haan yaar, done!" Little did I know, that enthusiastic "yes" was a one-way ticket to one of the most intense, sleep-deprived, and absolutely mind-blowing experiences of my college days.

A few days later, back on campus, the initial excitement met Sourav's classic "practical" outlook. "Yaar, teen aur teams hain apne college se, woh bhi third year, final year waale! Unke paas experience hai. Apna chance bahut kam hai," (Man, three other teams from our college are applying, that too third and final year students! They have experience. Our chances are very slim) he mumbled, already sounding like he was preparing for the "better luck next time" speech. But I've always been a "dekha jayega" (we'll see what happens) kind of guy. "Toh kya hua? Zyada se zyada select nahi honge, na? Par agar ho gaye toh?" (So what? At worst, we won't get selected, right? But what if we do?) I argued, trying to inject some of my incurable optimism. He sighed, the way one does when dealing with an over-enthusiastic child, and showed me the problem statements. "Theek hai, Mr. Full Josh! Choose your weapon. Fundas clear hone chahiye, yeh sab tough hain." (Alright, Mr. Full Enthusiasm! Choose your weapon. Your fundamentals better be clear, these are all tough.)

I scrolled, my heart doing a little tabla solo – a mix of "wow" and "what if I mess up." Then, one problem statement just clicked, like finding the perfect piece in a complicated jigsaw. It was about simplifying the headache-inducing process of filling government forms and authenticating details over and over again. "Idea!" I thought. "What if we could pull all verified details straight from Digilocker? Ek dum automatic authentication!" It felt important, something that could genuinely help lakhs of people, and surprisingly, within our grasp. I scribbled down the first version of the idea, a bit of a "khichdi" (a mix) of thoughts. Sourav, with his " सब ठीक होना चाहिए " (everything should be perfect) attitude, took that khichdi and turned it into a proper five-course meal, refining every detail for the application.

And then, the kind of news that makes your neighbourhood aunty ask your mom for the "secret" to your success: Our idea got selected! Not just selected, but our college (let’s just say it was a place known more for its strict attendance than its national hackathon entries till then) was suddenly buzzing like a beehive. Overnight, we were "woh bachche" (those kids) who were going to represent the college on a national stage – a massive "izzat ka sawaal" (matter of honor) and a first for our institution! Our slightly dazed faces were on posters at the college gate. The pressure cooker was on, but so was the feeling of "kuch toh bada kiya hai" (we've done something big).

Next up: the "team banao" (make a team) mission. We were three, but SIH needed a full squad of six: four lads, two ladies (a non-negotiable!), plus two mentors. The great Indian talent hunt began! Ronit and Sameer, our coding ke Baadshah (kings of coding), were in. Ankita, who could explain quantum physics to a five-year-old and whose enthusiasm was infectious, joined the gang. Finding mentors who’d back our somewhat "hatke" (different) idea took some convincing, but we found our gurus. Level 1 shortlisting: Check! And just like that, with travel and stay sponsored, we were off to Hyderabad for the grand finale at CMR Engineering College. The train journey? Oh, it was epic! Full-on "masti," antakshari sessions (singing game), sharing dabbas (lunch boxes) filled with home-cooked food, nervous excitement, and a whole lot of "tension mat le, ho jayega" (don't stress, it'll happen). Stepping onto the CMR campus on March 29th, 2018, there was this palpable energy – a feeling of being part of something truly "Bharat Mahaan" (India, the Great). And the dinner they served that night? "Dil khush kar diya!" (It made the heart happy!) Definitely a good shagun (omen).

The hackathon flag-off was at midnight on March 30th, right after a 10 PM registration. Thirty-six hours of non-stop, brain-frying coding, split into three tough-as-nails levels. Our idea, at its heart, was beautifully simple: for any government service, instead of the jhanjhat (hassle) of manually filling forms and authenticating again and again, our system would securely fetch verified info directly from Digilocker. Imagine, a faceless, paperless, instantly verified process for every Indian citizen! The potential impact? Massive! "Line mein lagne ka time gaya!" (The time for standing in queues is gone!)

The first six hours were a whirlwind – setting up, getting our tools and tech stack ready, and hammering out the first prototype. When the government judges came for the initial review, they actually praised our approach! "Achha kaam kiya hai, bachchon!" (Good work, kids!) they said, even giving us tips for the next stage. The eight of us – myself (Yishnu, the "idea-wallah" and solution architect), Sourav (our cool-headed Team Leader and tech guru), Swarnali (another tech powerhouse), Ronit and Sameer (our web dev ninjas), and Ankita (our star communicator) – were a well-oiled machine, albeit a very noisy and excited one. Energy levels were sky-high. Code, prototype, test, repeat. The air crackled with "josh" (enthusiasm).

Honestly, I was loving every minute of the organized chaos. They had made "poora intezaam" (all arrangements). An endless supply of delicious food (seriously, our table was never empty – "pet pooja" first!), all sorts of chai and coffee to keep the brain cells firing, and even stress-buster sessions with rocking music and impromptu dance-offs when the caffeine just wasn’t enough. It was an incredible feeling to be surrounded by some of India's brightest young minds, all fired up to build solutions for the country. "Kya talent tha yaar!" (What talent, man!) Meeting them, exchanging ideas, seeing their passion – it was truly inspiring.

We cleared the second round too, buzzing with more feedback. The judges suggested direct links for even faster processing – a brilliant idea, but it opened up a Pandora's box of security concerns. That became our "Chakravyuh" (a deadly battle formation from the Mahabharata). We brainstormed, argued, and coded like madmen, trying to find a "jugaad" (innovative fix) that didn't compromise our core principle of rock-solid security.

As the hours ticked by, the initial adrenaline rush gave way to a zombie-like state of exhaustion. Before that final round, most of us were barely functioning, having skipped sleep for over 30 hours. The urge to just find a quiet corner and pass out was overwhelming. "Bas, ab aur nahi hota!" (Enough, can't do it anymore!) That security concern, unfortunately, proved to be the speed bump we couldn't quite cross in time. We couldn't resolve it to everyone's satisfaction within the given constraints. So, no winner's trophy for us. We got our participation certificates (you can check out mine here: Link to My SIH 2018 Participation Certificate Here), a lot of pats on the back, and the promise of a very, very long sleep. It was quite the journey, and we managed to click a few memories amidst the coding frenzy (see some of our team photos here: Link to Our SIH 2018 Team Photos/Album Here).

But you know what? Walking away from SIH 2018, I didn't feel like a loser. Not one bit. The experience was, for lack of a better word, "zabardast!" (awesome!). What I packed in my mental bags from those 36 hours (and the weeks of prep) was pure gold:

  • "Jo Hoga Dekha Jayega" Attitude Works: That initial "yes" to Sourav, despite the "kya pata?" (who knows?) feeling, flung open doors I didn't even know existed. Sometimes, you just have to take the leap.
  • The Power of "Arre, Try Toh Karein!": Pushing past those initial "it's too tough" doubts was key. A little bit of encouragement can ignite a rocket.
  • Teamwork Bole Toh Full Power: Our "rang-birangi" (colorful/diverse) team, each bringing their unique "superpower," was our biggest strength. From Sourav’s calm leadership to Ankita’s clear explanations, everyone was indispensable. "Ek aur ek gyarah hote hain!" (One and one make eleven - meaning strength in unity).
  • Build, Get Feedback, Iterate – Superfast Indian Style: The hackathon is like a pressure cooker that turns raw ideas into something solid, fast. The judges' feedback, even the "yeh nahi chalega" (this won't work) parts, was a gift.
  • Winning Isn't the Only "Mithai" (Sweet): The friendships forged, the sheer "mazaa" (fun) of building something meaningful, and the "haan, humne kar dikhaya!" (yes, we did it!) feeling – those are the real prizes. We were trying to solve a real problem for millions of our fellow Indians, and that, my friends, was a high unlike any other.

So, guys out there, if an unexpected opportunity lands in your lap, even if it sounds a bit "filmy" or the odds make your sensible uncle nervous, my advice? Give it a shot. "Chance pe dance maar lo!" (Take a chance!). You might not always bring home the biggest trophy, but the journey, the "seekh" (learnings), and the sheer, unadulterated experience of trying to build something "dhaasu" (amazing)? That, my friend, is always a win. And who knows, you might just surprise yourself (and make your entire collegewallahs feel proud!). Plus, the free food at such events is usually totally worth it!