Student festivals will reshape nations’ technological future: Sridhar Babu

IIT Hyderabad inaugurated the 17th edition of its flagship techno-cultural festival, Elan & nVision 2026, at its Kandi campus. IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu opened the three-day event, which is expected to draw over 30,000 participants from across India.

Sangareddy: Elan & nVision 2026, the 17th edition of IIT Hyderabad’s techno-cultural festival and South India’s largest student-run fest, was inaugurated on Friday at the institute’s campus at Kandi by IT Minister D Sridhar Babu.

The three-day festival, being held from January 9 to 11, would bring together over 30,000 students, innovators, artists and young entrepreneurs from across the country, featuring high-impact technology competitions, innovation showcases, cultural performances and thought-provoking dialogues that reflect IIT Hyderabad’s vibrant student ecosystem.

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Addressing the gathering Sridhar Babu said ELAN & nVision is the best platform for young minds to share knowledge and engage with emerging technologies at a time when innovation is reshaping every aspect of human life.

As students stand at the crucial intersection of academics and invention, the IT Minister wished that the Elan & nVision would bring together youth, academia, and industry to shape the nation’s technological future.

He hailed IITH’s cutting-edge innovations, including the autonomous navigation vehicle, and urged students to go beyond being job seekers to become incubators of ideas and pioneers of tomorrow’s technology.

A Celebration of Technology, Culture and Youthful Innovation, Guided by this year’s powerful theme, “The Last Ronin,” Elan & nVision 2026 symbolises resilience, independence and the relentless pursuit of excellence—values that resonate deeply with India’s next generation of innovators and leaders.

The theme reflects the spirit of standing strong, forging new paths, and blending creativity with purpose.

Speaking on the occasion, Director of IITH Prof BS Murty said Elan & nVision embodies the spirit of IITH’s—where technology, creativity and culture come together to shape responsible innovators.

“The festival provides a platform for students to think beyond classrooms, collaborate across disciplines, and transform ideas into impactful solutions, aligned with the institute’s ethos of Inventing and Innovating in Technology for Humanity,” he said.