The India Design Week (IDW) 2026 – South Grand Finale, a student-focused design challenge, was conducted at Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College (SREC), recently.
The programme was organised by the ICT Academy in collaboration with Autodesk.
The event witnessed participation from 5,758 students representing more than 100 educational institutions, supported by 184 academic and industry mentors from across the country. The South Grand Finale marked the concluding phase of this multi-stage student engagement initiative.
The programme featured student workshops, where participants received hands-on training on Autodesk Fusion 360 and Autodesk Revit platforms from certified professionals.
Inter-college competitions were also conducted, where students presented their innovative designs, and finalist teams were shortlisted based on evaluation.
In the South Grand Finale, the shortlisted teams competed in a 24-hour on-site design challenge, showcasing their technical and creative abilities.
The finale featured two specialized tracks: Autodesk Revit Track, focused on Building Information Modelling (BIM) and architectural design, and Autodesk Fusion Track, focused on product design and mechanical engineering concepts.
During the 24-hour challenge, teams worked within defined constraints to develop innovative solutions, applying technical knowledge and collaborative problem-solving skills. The submissions were evaluated by a panel of industry experts and academic professionals.
The programme also included expert talks and technical interactions, design evaluations by professionals, and academic and industry exchange sessions.
All participating teams were awarded certificates, and outstanding entries were recognized based on predefined evaluation criteria.
A representative from Autodesk India highlighted that such academic-industry collaborations provide students with valuable exposure to industry-standard digital design tools and real-world learning environments.
Soundarrajan, Principal of SREC, welcomed the gathering. Sundar Ramakrishnan, Managing Trustee, SNR Sons Charitable Trust, delivered the presidential address, emphasizing the Trust’s commitment to research-driven education, sustainable technologies, and global academic engagement.
Karuppuswamy, Vice Principal, and Praveenkumar served as Convenors of the event.
Key representatives present at the event included Akhilesh Sahi, Lead – India Academic, Autodesk; Srikanth, CEO, ICT Academy; Anand Pujari, Senior Manager, Autodesk; and Arun Kumar, Account Manager, Autodesk.
