Engineering students showcase real-world AI design tool on national stage

New Delhi: Students from Telangana brought laurels to the state by securing a podium finish at the national finale of the OpenAI Academy x NxtWave Buildathon held during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, Delhi.

The team from BV Raju Institute of Technology clinched the 2nd Runner-Up title and won ₹2 lakh for their AI-powered innovation, ProteinX. The project functions as a CAD copilot that enables natural-language-based engineering design, demonstrating real-world application of advanced AI tools. The Telangana team comprised Manne Lakshmi Vara Prasad (Team Lead), G. Ruthwik, and P. Vishwak. Their solution impressed the jury for its effective use of Large Language Models (LLMs), scalable architecture, and strong practical relevance. The recognition places Telangana firmly on the national AI innovation map, particularly highlighting the growing strength of Tier-2 engineering institutions in cutting-edge technology development.

The buildathon was organized by OpenAIin collaboration with NxtWave under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s IndiaAI Mission. Over 70,000 students from seven states participated, with only 90 teams advancing to the national finale.

With a total prize pool of ₹10 lakh and ecosystem support for scaling innovations, the event spotlighted emerging talent from across the country. Telangana’s strong showing at the national stage underscores the state’s rising prominence as a hub for applied AI innovation driven by young engineers.