Odisha’s University Of Technology & Research Wins Seventh National Social Enterprise Idea Challenge

Bhubaneswar: Students of Odisha University of Technology and Research, Bhubaneshwar, won the seventh edition of the National Level Social Enterprise Idea Challenge organised by Azim Premji University.

Fifteen teams were shortlisted from close to 100 entries from universities and colleges across the country for the final round. The submissions were broadly in the domain of education, livelihood, health, sustainability and governance.

The winning team comprised Anup Paikaray, Akankhya Dhupal, Priyanka Senapati and Divyanshu. Their entry was “Chuliv,” the world’s first heat-powered air blower for mudstoves, reducing carbon emissions by 60% and improving stove performance by 40%. The automatic, non-electrical device absorbs excess heat, enhancing stove performance and contributing to tree preservation. It aligns with SDG 13, SDG 3, and SDG 7, promoting affordable, clean energy without significant changes to cooking methods.

Nazrul Haque, Mentor for the Social Enterprise Cell at Azim Premji University said, “It is heartening to see that young students are acutely aware of social issues and are deeply interested in finding solutions. A majority of the winners in the last six editions of the challenge have set up organisations that are contributing to social change. Many have succeeded in raising additional financial and mentoring support from incubators and leading organisations like IIT Kanpur, IIM Bangalore and YCombinator.”