Hyderabad: Team COACT, a group of student innovators from GITAM (Deemed to be University), has achieved a remarkable feat by winning the prestigious APSCHE Student Innovation Award, earning recognition from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The team consisting of K. Ushashasri Devi, P. Sushma Devi, (GITAM School of Business) and M.Rahul (GITAM Institute of Technology), incubated their idea at the varsity’s Venture Development Centre (VDC). Their groundbreaking innovation, Beye, aims to address menstrual hygiene problems for visually-challenged girls and women.
The APSCHE Student Innovation Award, organized by the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE), acknowledges and promotes innovative ideas and projects developed by students in the state. This year, the award ceremony had numerous participating teams, each showcasing their unique prototypes and demonstrating their potential to transform the future.
Team COACT’s solution stood out among fierce competition, showcasing their dedication to practical and efficient problem-solving. Their dedication to making a positive impact on society reflects their commitment to innovation and social responsibility. They are incubated with VDC, an abode for various entrepreneurship activities on campus with a dedicated team of trained and verified venture coaches, and a wholly student-run E-Club.
Speaking about success garnered by the GITAM students, Mr Balkumar G Marthi, Dean – Entrepreneurship & Innovation said, “I am absolutely delighted to see that our VDC Student Venture Team members K Ushashri Devi, P Sushma Devi and M Rahul have won recognition and a cash award from the Andhra Pradesh Government. Their winning idea is about feminine hygiene solutions and addresses an issue of great social importance. The team has overcome several hurdles, but the potential to help society makes the efforts worthwhile. Congratulations to the VDC Coaches, Gayathri and Chandrika for their constant and high-quality coaching support.”
The team’s success not only brings glory to the University but also serves as an inspiration for other students to explore their potential and contribute to national development. On earning the recognition, the team said, “We are obliged to be part of the VDC, which paved our path for success. This has been a great journey from being a finalist of the APSCHE Excellence Award and receiving the coveted award from the honourable Chief Minister, Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy sir.”
Moving forward, Team COACT aims to further develop its prototype into a market-ready product, creating tangible benefits for society. Ms Sreedevi Devireddy, Director – Venture Development Centre said, “India is home to a third of the world’s blind population. The country has around 12 million individuals with visual impairment as against the global total of 39 million, according to a report published by the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB). We are indeed proud of our students for winning such a prestigious award. It is heartening to see today’s youth being cognizant and empathetic towards others with different abilities and challenges. This all-embracing inclusive attitude will define their success in life.”
