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Many talented athletes in rural and remote regions are unable to access formal selection and trial systems, causing their potential to often go unnoticed. To address this critical issue a student-led innovative initiative has emerged from the country’s largest government hackathon. This solution claims to identify and assess sports talent using only a basic smartphone and artificial intelligence (AI).
Record Participation at Smart India Hackathon 2025
This year witnessed unprecedented participation at Smart India Hackathon 2025. A total of 1,391,884 students registered, while 68,766 teams submitted 72,165 ideas. These ideas were based on 271 different problem statements.
Under a problem statement issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, nearly 500 teams competed at the national level in this category, making it one of the most competitive tracks of the hackathon.
Student Team ‘Antardrishti’ Achieves National Success
The team ‘Antardrishti’ from Scaler School of Technology was declared the “Outstanding Winner” in the Fitness and Sports category. The team developed an AI-based mobile app aimed at making sports talent assessment simple, accessible and uniform across India.
A Last-Minute Idea Change That Led to Victory
Interestingly, this was not the team’s original project. They had spent nearly two weeks working on a traffic management solution. However, in the final phase of the hackathon, they decided to pivot and work on the problem of sports talent assessment.
In a short span of time, the team developed a new solution and submitted the required videos and presentations. They cleared the internal selection rounds, qualified for the grand finale held in Kanpur and ultimately emerged as national winners.
The Core Challenge of Identifying Sports Talent in India
This problem statement was presented by the Sports Authority of India. Identifying sports talent in India’s rural and underdeveloped regions is difficult due to the lack of adequate sports facilities, trained coaches and resources to conduct regular trials.
As a result, sports-related opportunities often remain concentrated in urban areas, leaving a large number of talented athletes deprived of access to national platforms.
The Solution: Turning a Smartphone into a Fitness Assessment Tool
The mobile-first AI app developed by the team transforms an ordinary smartphone into a fitness assessment device. Athletes can record their fitness tests even without an internet connection and upload the data once connectivity becomes available.
Using on-device AI, the app analyzes videos, counts movements and repetitions and detects errors or potential manipulation. This reduces dependence on trained evaluators and enables standardized testing based on uniform criteria across different locations.
Designed for Real-World Conditions
The app evaluates performance based on age and gender. It measures key fitness parameters such as strength, stamina, endurance, and agility. No specialized equipment, wearable devices or testing centers are required only a smartphone camera is sufficient.
In this way, the platform can support large-scale talent identification across the country, especially in districts and villages where formal sports trials are rarely conducted.
National Recognition and the Road Ahead
Team members Jasleen Chhabra, Siddhant K., Asmit Banik, Piyush Goyanka, Shambhu Yadav and Tanish Kothari won the national championship and received a cash prize of ₹1.5 lakh.
Their solution was deemed “Outstanding” because of its potential for immediate nationwide implementation. However, the team views this achievement as just the beginning. They are now working on improving the app’s user interface and expanding its capabilities, with the goal of integrating it into a formal sports talent identification system in the future.
This initiative points toward an India where sports opportunities are determined not by geographical limitations but by talent, ability and dedication. Through the effective use of technology, it represents an important step toward ensuring equal opportunities in the world of sports.
