Indian Students' 'Photonics Odyssey' Wins Global Acclaim at NASA Hackathon

A team of students from Chennai won the 'Most Inspirational' award at the NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025 for their project, Photonics Odyssey. The project aims to deliver low-cost, high-speed internet to remote Indian villages, using a model inspired by ISRO's philosophy. The team's innovation focuses on affordability and public benefit.

Chennai-based engineering students have achieved global recognition by winning the 'Most Inspirational' award at the NASA International Space Apps Challenge 2025. Their project, 'Photonics Odyssey' or AakashNet, aims to bridge India's digital divide by delivering high-speed, affordable internet to remote villages. The project draws inspiration from ISRO's cost-efficient technology.

The NASA challenge, one of the world's largest annual hackathons, drew over 18,000 entries worldwide. The Chennai team's unique submission stood out by focusing on public impact over commercial gain. With NASA's endorsement, the team seeks institutional backing to develop their concept into a public digital utility.

Photonics Odyssey differentiates itself by using local manufacturing and public-sector support to reduce costs, prioritizing public service over profit. The team's next steps involve collaborating with ISRO for technical validation and development, with a long-term focus on public benefit rather than hasty commercialisation.

(With inputs from agencies.)