World's Largest Women-Only Gen AI Challenge Concludes with 393,071 Participants, Empowering India's Tech Future
HYDERABAD, India, April 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As India accelerates toward its Digital India 2.0 vision, inclusivity and grassroots innovation have never been more important. Against this backdrop, the SAWiT (South Asian Women in Tech) Hackathon Celebration — held yesterday at T-Hub, Hyderabad — puts the spotlight on how regional diversity and gender inclusion can fuel groundbreaking solutions. This landmark event tackled two urgent challenges - boosting women's participation in technology and breaking language barriers in tech innovation.
The celebration honored 25 winning teams from the national hackathon, each presenting groundbreaking projects built in their native languages. By empowering women to innovate in their mother tongues, SAWiT tapped into a vast, often underrepresented talent pool, further strengthening India's digital and entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Key Highlights from the Event:
- Recognition of 25 winning teams, each presenting tech innovations in regional languages.
- Inspiring keynote addresses from Smt. Divya Devarajan, IAS and CEO of the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP)
- A live demo session by LvLUP, highlighting how their platform accelerates young professionals' career journeys.
- An engaging workshop by Dr. Bhavya Gorla, Director, UR a CREATOR: 'Discover How Powerful Your Mind Is' — equipping attendees with mental resilience and leadership tools.
India's female workforce participation stood at just 24% in 2022, compared to China's 61%, highlighting the urgency for initiatives like SAWiT.AI. According to McKinsey, increasing women's workforce participation by 10% could add $550 billion to India's GDP. With Generative AI poised to transform industries, SAWiT's success in training nearly 400,000 women strengthens India's leadership in future-ready tech innovation — addressing critical gaps in diversity, particularly within the South Asian tech sector where women's representation remains around 30%.
Smt. Divya Devarajan, CEO of Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty, and Chief Guest of the celebration, said, "Empowering women to innovate in their native languages is a giant step toward true digital inclusivity. Events like the SAWiT Hackathon inspire new possibilities, ensuring that no voice is left unheard in India's tech revolution."
Subid Chakraborty, Head of Sales – Kalido, added, "This hackathon is proof that when we open the doors to grassroots innovation, we uncover extraordinary solutions that can shape the future of our country. The energy and ingenuity showcased today were truly inspiring. The SAWiT Hackathon Celebration is more than an event—it's a movement to empower women from diverse backgrounds to lead in tech. We're proud to see these innovators turn their ideas into impactful solutions."
Priyanka Kamath, Founder of 100 GIGA, remarked, "Regional diversity is India's greatest strength. By nurturing innovation in local languages and communities, we are building a tech landscape that reflects the richness of our society and empowers women to lead lasting change. Empowering women in tech isn't just about access—it's about creating spaces where their unique perspectives and regional strengths can shine. SAWiT is doing exactly that."
The event also offered valuable opportunities for media interaction with winning teams and organizers, providing a glimpse into the promising future shaped by these emerging women technologists.
About SAWiT:
SAWiT (South Asian Women in Tech) is one of South Asia's fastest-growing communities for women technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs, with over 80,000+ members. Dedicated to building a future where women lead in technology and innovation, SAWiT offers skill-building programs, leadership workshops, hackathons, and career advancement initiatives. Championing inclusivity, grassroots innovation, and regional diversity, SAWiT empowers women from all backgrounds — urban, rural, and multilingual — to thrive in tech-driven industries and lead change within their communities. With a strong presence across India and South Asia, SAWiT collaborates with global organizations, startups, and tech hubs to create real opportunities for women.
For more information, visit https://sawitnetwork.com/.
Media Contact:
Greg Atkinson
Head of Marketing, SAWiT
Email: [email protected]
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