Innovation met responsibility at the Federated Intelligence Hackathon in IIT Kanpur, spearheaded by National Health Authority (NHA). From January 19 to 24, 2026, this collaboration with ICMR-NIRDHDS geared up for India AI Impact Summit 2026 by pioneering privacy-first health AI. Federated models took center stage, enabling development without compromising data security.
Dr. Sunil Kumar Barnwal, NHA CEO, drove home the need for exhaustive pre-deployment testing on expansive, heterogeneous datasets. Such scrutiny guarantees trustworthy results, inclusivity, and public faith in AI-driven care. India’s focus has matured to deploying standardized, reliable models at scale.
Tying into Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY and ABDM, Dr. Barnwal envisioned adaptive AI for India’s vast diversity. The event exploded with 374 sign-ups—208 individuals, 166 teams—culminating in Rs 12 lakh awards for victors.
Inaugural addresses from Prof. Sandeep Verma, IIT Director Maninder Agarwal, and Ritu Maheshwari celebrated collaborative strides. Dr. R.S. Sharma spotlighted digital public goods for secure, interoperable ecosystems. SarmaAI CEO Vivek Raghavan championed indigenous open-source AI, fortified by superior data practices and privacy protocols.
This hackathon exemplifies how strategic partnerships are architecting a robust digital health framework, poised to deliver personalized, efficient services while upholding the highest ethical standards.