Jais, Amethi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 30: The Social-Technical FestSOUHARDYA 2026 of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT), Jais, was inaugurated on 30 October 2026, focusing on social responsibility, technological innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and community engagement. The two-day festival brings together students, researchers, faculty members, experts and school students to explore how technology, creativity and collaborative efforts can address real-world societal challenges.
The inaugural ceremony underscored the central philosophy of SOUHARDYA: technological advancement must be accompanied by social awareness, inclusivity, civic responsibility and a commitment to improving people’s lives. The speakers encouraged students to preserve India’s rich cultural heritage while embracing emerging technologies, cultivating scientific curiosity and applying their knowledge to address challenges faced by communities across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Harish Hirani, Director, RGIPT, urged students to look beyond academic scores, degrees and conventional career paths and measure success by the problems they solve and the positive difference they make in society. He emphasised that significant social challenges can also create opportunities for technological innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable business development.
Drawing upon examples such as SELCO India and the Amul cooperative model, the Director highlighted how innovative and socially responsive enterprises can improve livelihoods while creating sustainable economic value. He encouraged students to pursue both social impact and financial success, emphasising that addressing a significant societal problem can provide the foundation for a successful enterprise. He advised aspiring entrepreneurs to begin by identifying genuine problems, understanding the needs of the people affected, developing practical solutions, testing them under real-world conditions and ensuring that the solutions are affordable, reliable and financially sustainable.
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The Director particularly encouraged participants in NIRMAAN and SOCI-O-THON to look beyond competition outcomes and focus on developing solutions that can be implemented in practice. He urged students to evaluate the effectiveness of their ideas, measure their impact and explore opportunities to develop promising projects into research initiatives, start-ups and sustained community-development programmes.
The programme featured valuable perspectives from distinguished guests. Dr. Arvind Singh, Convener of the Social Council, highlighted the importance of preserving traditional art and cultural heritage while embracing technological advancement. The Dean, Student Affairs, RGIPT, described SOUHARDYA as a platform for promoting social awareness, community engagement and responsible innovation. Dr. Harish Kumar of Defence Material and Stores Research emphasised self-reliance, indigenous innovation and the importance of learning from mistakes. Prof. Bineesha, Environmental Scientist and Advisor, encouraged students to adopt inclusive, creative and entrepreneurial approaches to addressing societal challenges and highlighted the opportunities emerging from the integration of entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.
Prof. Mahesh G. Thakkar, Director of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, emphasised the close relationship between science and society. He encouraged students to cultivate scientific curiosity, observe their surroundings and apply scientific knowledge to practical problems, while underscoring the importance of civic responsibility and meaningful social engagement.
The festival features several activities designed to encourage creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration and socially relevant innovation. These include NIRMAAN – National Social-Technical Conference; SOCI-O-THON – Social Innovation Challenge; the Science and Social Exhibition; PRATIBIMBH – Short Film Competition; and a reel-making competition centred on social themes. Around 250 students from neighbouring schools participated in the Science Exhibition, creating opportunities for young learners to engage with science, technology and creative problem-solving.
Emphasising that the impact of SOUHARDYA must extend beyond the two-day festival, Prof. Hirani encouraged the Social Council and students to translate promising ideas into sustained initiatives. These could include science-mentoring programmes for school students, food-waste reduction, energy conservation, digital-literacy initiatives and collaborative projects addressing the needs of nearby communities. He stressed the importance of setting achievable targets, assigning clear responsibilities, establishing timelines and measuring outcomes to ensure that initiatives deliver tangible and lasting benefits.
Recognising the creativity, ambition and technology-driven mindset of Gen Z, the Director emphasised RGIPT’s vision of nurturing approximately 100 student teams every year as innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs. The initiative aims to empower young minds to identify real-world societal challenges, leverage emerging technologies, and transform innovative ideas into practical, scalable and sustainable solutions. By encouraging students to move beyond conventional career aspirations and become problem-solvers, start-up founders and job creators, RGIPT seeks to channel Gen Z’s entrepreneurial energy towards meaningful social impact, economic value creation and national development.
SOUHARDYA 2026 will continue on 31 October 2026, bringing together students, researchers, innovators and members of the wider community. Through this initiative, RGIPT seeks to strengthen the connection between technical education and societal needs, inspire entrepreneurial thinking among young people, and encourage the transformation of knowledge and creativity into practical solutions that generate lasting social and economic value.
Regards Prof. Harish Hirani, Director, RGIPT
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