SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Nov 18: The two-day state-level innovation festival Idea Tribe, organised by the Institution Innovation Council (IIC 8.0), began at BIT Sindri on Tuesday, bringing together young innovators from across Jharkhand.
Teams Present Innovative Concepts on Day One
On the inaugural day, participant teams from RVS Jamshedpur, GEC Bokaro, GEC Godda, GEC Koderma, University Polytechnic Dhanbad, BIT Sindri, and several other technical institutions showcased their innovative ideas across various domains.
Innovation Must Drive Social Change: Chief Guest
Chief guest Harinder Singh, CEO of Asarfi Hospital, said that innovation becomes truly meaningful only when it brings positive change to society and the community. He extended his best wishes to all participants and organisers.

Evaluation to Focus on Clarity, Practicality and Social Impact
Guest of honour Arpana Rawal, entrepreneur (ESG & Consulting), informed participants that clarity, practicality and social impact would be prioritised as key evaluation criteria. She emphasised the importance of maintaining a balance between technological simplicity and local needs.
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BIT Sindri Director Highlights Importance of State-Level Platforms
BIT Sindri director Prof. (Dr.) Pankaj Rai said that state-level platforms like Idea Tribe play a vital role in strengthening the culture of innovation among students. He added that such events inspire youth to engage with real-world problems and develop meaningful solutions for society.
Festival Aims to Build Innovators and Future Entrepreneurs
IIC 8.0 chairman and programme coordinator Prof. (Dr.) Prakash Kumar said the objective of Idea Tribe is not only to encourage young innovators but also to help build future entrepreneurs within the tribe community and empower Jharkhand’s broader startup ecosystem.
Panel of Judges Includes Industry and Academic Experts
The panel of judges included Prof. (Dr.) Prakash Kumar, Arpana Rawal, Ravi Ranjan Singh (Startup Jharkhand), Debasis Chatterjee (Senior Manager—Technicals, TEXMiN Hub, IIT ISM Dhanbad), Sumit Kumar (director & CEO, VISAPEN), Sujit Srivastava (assistant director, MSME Dhanbad), Dr. Janardan Prasad (alumnus, BIT Sindri), Prof. S. C. Dutta (vice president, IIC 8.0), Prof. Vijay Kumar Besra (R&D officer, IIC 8.0), Prof. Mukesh Chandra (Innovation Coordinator, IIC 8.0), and Rajen Dasgupta (executive officer, TEXMiN IIT ISM Dhanbad).
Prof. Prakash Kumar said that throughout the day, participating teams presented numerous innovative ideas related to health, environment, digital transformation, rural development, sustainability, and several state-specific issues.








