This year’s Samsung Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) 2025 challenge has offered young minds across India including students in Kolkata, a clear picture of how AI can directly improve lives. The competition encouraged school and college innovators to build solutions linked to health, hygiene, sanitation, nutrition, and emotional wellbeing.
From AI-powered bionic hands to speech-to-text glasses and predictive health apps, students showcased practical ideas designed for dignity and accessibility. Teams from Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Odisha presented strong prototypes that reflect the country’s growing confidence in homegrown technology. The national theme winner, Paraspeak, designed by 16-year-old Pranet Khetan, is a compact device that converts disordered speech into fluent output. The project fills a major gap in India’s AI datasets and impressed judges for its empathy-led design.
In Kolkata, students from tech institutes in Sector V and EM Bypass say SFT inspires them to think beyond classroom theory, especially as the city’s startup culture expands. Teachers believe such platforms help young people understand how AI can be socially responsible and community-driven. Winners will gain mentorship, prototype access at IIT Delhi, and incubation support of up to ₹1 crore, helping them scale their ideas for wider impact.
