SIH 2025: Part 3 - The Journey
After all the hassle, we are finally going to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh 🥳.
If you are a new vistor, then kindly read the previous parts first:
Team Brainstorm Brigade
We are still a team of 6 members (even at the time of writing this blog) but only 4 of us decided or I should say, only 4 of us were able (there's a huge difference between "decided" and "able") to take the risk.
Once again, let me introduce the list of the members who are going to the SIH Grand Finale (changing the order based on a few hidden parameters):
- Sumit Singh Rathore (Me)
- Jai Deep
- Bharti Saini
- Ankit Kulhari
Journey Begins
(random images are much better than the normal ones)
- Start Point: Pilani, Rajasthan
- Final Destination: Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
- Total Stops: 5 cities (Pilani → Chirawa → New Delhi → Vijaywada → Guntur)
Our journey started from Pilani and the first destination was Chirawa Bus Stand. It was just cold, tea, and some random talks for first 10-20 min while waiting for the bus. Nothing much to tell about.
The actual journey began from New Delhi...
From here onwards, this blog is gonna get even more interesting. Now, we are gonna see a completely different side of each member (not mine. I am always the same, in private and public both.)
The World
You won't believe it but Bharti is the only one in the entire team whose experiencing a train journey for the first, the second and the third time (we travelled in total of 3 trains). It was somewhat special but more of a reality check for her. I think now she knows how "The World" actually works, to some extend.
Personal Opinion: She is Naive (present tense is intentional) but Caring as well (I guess almost every girl is).
The Hidden Secret
I will explain the meaning of this title as we further progress into the story. For now just understand this, the secret is so deeply hidden that even I am not 100% sure of it (you can say 50-50 😏 only Ankit knows what this actually means).
NOTE
Let me just mention a few interesting rules before moving any further:
- Nothing is Confidential from here onwards. Instead it will be Censored (secret double meaning language only for us 2).
- Read the blog, enjoy the journey like we did but never memorise it. Just forget it like your Ex did. It's injurious for both, your and my future.
Although Kulhari had already participated in multiple Robowar Tournaments across multiple cities, he still acted like a child throughout the entire journey. He was kinda annoying (yeah, for me) but caring (not for me but for other 2 members or should I say, just for....) just like an older brother 😂.
The moment I said something, he started acting like a child.
"Aisa lag raha tha jaise kisi bacche se uska pasandida game khelte time phone cheen liya ho aur wo tabhi baat maanega jab ya toh ushe phone wapas milega ya phone kyu cheena iska jawab."
(Ha bhai yaha m 100% sure hu. exactly yahi lag raha tha mujhe 🙂).
For those who are still confused, let me give you a hint.
Hint: Phone = Freedom
Fir us freedom fighter ko thodi der samjhane ke baad usne apna protest roka aur nicche baith ke aaram se baat ki gayi. Badle me sart ye rakhi gayi ki wo sirf 12 baje tak kaam me hath batayega aur fir ushe apni aazadi cahiye. (can't explain more than this 😂)
The only difference was that this kid is way older and taller than normal kids and the game he was playing is known as "The Life" (ha zindagi se khel raha tha. kudhki nahi, hamari. kudh bhi jaagta raha aur humhe bhi jagaaye rakha. Sleeper shone ke liye hi book karai jaati h bhai. baith ke baate karne ke liye nahi. kuch ghante baad me baat kar lete toh duniya khatam nahi ho jaati 🙄 IYKYK).
I like to call these people as "Bada Baccha" (I even use this term for myself from time to time) but for him I will call it as "Bada Chikna Baccha" (you can't call those 4-5 hairs a proper beard) 😂.
Personal Opinion: He was kinda Childish (well, I can understand his reason for acting that way).
The Spirit
(this image was taken from Jaideep's phone)
Jaideep on the other hand was more of a focused guy. Completing his daily tasks, posting on Linkedin, and researching on new topics for the ultimate showdown which was about to start in the next 20-24 hours. He worked the entire night instead of sleeping. The Spirit and the Dedication he showed was truly remarkable (ye line kuch jyada hi formal ho gayi but I really meant it).
Personal Opinion: He was Calm and Disciplined. Jyada kuch kahna nahi padta tha. Wo bss samaj jata tha. Ho sakta h sharma raha ho aur mujhe hi nahi pata chala.
Andhra Pradesh: The Place, The People and The Food
After 22 hours long journey, we arrived at our destination Vijaywada JN. Boarded the KITS College bus from there to the Atlantis Hotel in Guntur (accomodation and meal for the night for the boys. accomodation for girls was 6-7 km away).
Everyone was talking either in English, Hindi or Telugu. I had only seen and heard it in online interviews and movies but it was my first time seeing something like this in person. They can speak 3 languages meanwhile we were struggling to even speak in English. We are okay with typing but not when communicating face to face.
The Truth: It was much easier to communicate because the people there, were more educated than us.
Learning to code or having a good physique won't help you survive in an unknown place if you can't even properly communicate with others. That's why I wanted to learn Telugu but learning it within a week isn't that easy so only managed to learn a few words and sentences.
The food: RICE (this wasn't the only food item there but the only food item that they grow in huge quantity). It was everywhere. The moment we saw rice fields from the train, we knew that we are approaching near Andhra Pradesh. A kind man from Vijaywada we met on the train helped us understand Telugu and the South Indian culture.
KITS Guntur
The next morning, we again boarded the KITS College bus, travelled to the Nodal Center, regrouped, registered at the entry gate, clicked some photos, arranged the standee, scattered the necessary items across the table, ate the breakfast & some candies (they provided at the table itself), and finally decided to start the hacking.
Soon after, we experienced different emotions with different events:
- First Mentoring Round: Almost Relaxed
- First Evaluation Round: Nervous
- DJ Night: Energetic
- Morning Yoga: Sleepy
- Second Evaluation Round: Half Asleep
- Third Evaluation Round: Worried
The Third Evaluation Round gave us some hope and 3 new connections on Linkedin 😁. Judges were so kind and friendly. They relieved all our stress.
A HUGGGEEEE THANKS to all the jury members, the staff, the workers and the students from the nodal center, and our competitiors.
You can find other half of the story here: Post on Linkedin
After it ended, we approached every team in the room and had a long conversation until the results got announced. Connected on Linkedin, shared experiences, culture and product's working such as tech stack and implementation (obviously 😂!!! everyones' using open source resources. no one there trying to build everything from scratch so why even hesitate to share). That's why it's so much fun to participate in competitions.
The results? It wasn't something we stressed over after that but it still hurt a bit when we weren't the ones holding that ₹1.5 Lakh ka check. I just wanted to hug it once.
A hug is the one and only cure to every problem in the world whether it's from that ₹1.5 lakh ka check or from.....
(Main SRK ki tarah baahey faila ke khada tha par us check ko koi aur team pasand aa gayi. Bss ek baar galey laga liya hota toh fir nahi chhordta 😌 uski toh ek alag se train ki ticket bhi book kar deta)
Time to say byee
*a soft emotional tune plays in the background*
(I can't figure out a particular bgm for this so just do it yourself)
This was the best hackathon experiene ever. After all, we are talking about Smart India Hackathon and that too in South India. Now, it's time to apply for a job somewhere or everywhere in South India if I want to continue learning their language and tradition.
The entire SIH blog is finally complete after 6 days (2-3 days for part 1 and 3 each and 2 days for coding the blog and blog slug pages). I am gonna write more of these but not as a blog but more like a personal diary.
Completed on 20 Dec 2025, Saturday, 2:18 AM.
Stay tuned for more content coming soon!