Mumbai, August 2023 - The Government of India organized the prestigious Kavach 2023 Cyber Security Hackathon in which the talented students from NMIMS Indore STME have achieved a significant milestone by securing a place among the top 5 teams. Approximately 20,000 to 30,000 teams from across the country participated in the event focusing on advanced CCTV analytics.

The hackathon, initiated by the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell and AICTE, in partnership with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, along with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), was launched with the goal of conceiving and crafting innovative solutions. These solutions would leverage live CCTV feeds to autonomously identify and address incidents encompassing street crime, violence, burglary, theft, infiltration, and unauthorized access. The NMIMS Indore STME team, led by Sam Varghese, emerged successful in crafting an exceptional machine learning model. This model undertook real-time analysis of CCTV footage, promptly detecting accidents and unlawful activities, and transmitting instant alerts to the nearest authorities.

With a sense of joy, Sam Varghese, the leader of the team, expressed, "I am still in awe! Among the multitude of teams specializing in advanced CCTV analysis across the country, we were selected as one of the top 5. It's truly incredible! We are elated to realize that the Government of India has recognized our diligent efforts and commitment at a national scale. This is an absolute privilege."

"Our idea is great, but we always had this uncertainty of selection because there is so much cutthroat competition," said Avni Bhardwaj, a team member. Although it took a little time to process the news, deep inside, it was expected.."

It is with great pride that NMIMS Indore STME nurtures such innovative and talented students. The team received valuable guidance and support from Dr. Aaquil Bunglowala, the head of STME.

It was challenging for the students to balance their academic commitments with the project and form an efficient team. In spite of these obstacles, they were able to overcome them through their determination, perseverance, and the use of advanced technologies, like TensorFlow and YOLOv7.

Their invention holds significant societal impact. Through the implementation of their sophisticated machine learning model, incidents can now be swiftly identified, analyzed, and communicated, enabling timely intervention by relevant authorities. This technological advancement has immense potential to elevate public safety measures and diminish response times, potentially leading to life-saving outcomes.

NMIMS Indore STME extends heartfelt congratulations to Sam Varghese and the entire team, comprising Chaitanya Kusumakar, Sudhanshu Rastogi, Avni Bhardwaj, Sanskriti Sharma, and Arohi Jain, for their remarkable triumph in the Kavach 2023 Cyber Security Hackathon. Their exceptional accomplishment underscores the institution's dedication to fostering talent and fostering a culture of innovation.

About STME-Indore

SVKM's NMIMS is a Tier-1 university under the Autonomous Universities category, according to University Grants Permission (UGC), India, which is home to the School of Technology, Management & Engineering. There are many educational, fun, cultural, literary, and life-changing activities offered at NMIMS Indore. Learning opportunities abound in this lively environment. As we grow on this campus, we are guided by professional faculty and equipped with modern learning equipment. Among the nation's premier centers of educational excellence and research, STME is recognized for its high academic standards, research focus, faculty from top national and international institutes, and strong industry links.