VMPL
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 30: VIT Bhopal University, in partnership with the Johns Hopkins University (JHU), USA, has announced Health Hack 2026: Improving Health Access for All, an international hackathon scheduled from February 10-12, 2026. The initiative aims to accelerate practical, technology-led solutions for healthcare access, particularly for rural and underserved communities.
The announcement follows the strong impact of Health Hack 2025, held in February last year, which brought together researchers, clinicians, technologists, and students to address real- world healthcare challenges through data-driven and AI-enabled innovation. Under the leadership of VIT Bhopal's senior management, including Hon'ble Chancellor Dr. G. Viswanathan, Vice President Mr. Sankar Viswanathan, Assistant Vice President Ms. Kadhambari S. Viswanathan, and Trustee Ms. Ramani Balasundaram, the event featured keynote addresses, technical sessions, workshops, and competitive problem-solving tracks that resulted in several promising healthcare prototypes. The outcomes reinforced VIT Bhopal's growing reputation as a hub for applied healthcare research and industry-academia collaboration. The 2026 edition builds on this impact made possible through collaborative research-led efforts.
From getting participation from premier institutions including IITs, NITs, IIITs, government medical colleges, and international universities in the previous edition, Health Hack 2026 is expected to expand its footprint further by welcoming data scientists, engineers, healthcare professionals, innovators, and students from India and abroad. Participants will work in interdisciplinary teams of up to six members, addressing focus areas such as telemedicine for equitable access, predictive analytics for preventive care, AI-driven chronic disease management, mental health accessibility, and related health-tech challenges.

Designed to go beyond a conventional hackathon, Health Hack 2026 will emphasise scalable, real-world prototypes. Participants will gain access to robust datasets, APIs, and mentorship from industry and research partners, including Intelehealth and the Gupta-Klinsky India Institute. Hosted across state-of-the-art facilities on VIT Bhopal's 300+acre campus, the event will encourage solutions spanning early disease detection, personalised medicine, secure health data systems, and ethical AI frameworks, with a clear focus on communities that face systemic barriers to healthcare.
Participants will benefit from hands-on exposure to interdisciplinary collaboration, sharpen skills in AI, data analytics, and healthcare engineering, and network with global experts from VIT Bhopal and JHU's Whiting School of Engineering, home to the world's top-ranked biomedical engineering programme. Winning teams will receive cash prizes of ₹1,00,000 for first place, ₹50,000 for second place, and ₹25,000 for third place, along with mentorship support to further develop their ideas. More importantly, the hackathon offers a platform to contribute to solutions with tangible social impact.
Registration and Key Dates
Final Phase: February 10-12, 2026, at VIT Bhopal
For more details, visit: https://vitbhopal.ac.in/health-hackathon/; or contact healthhack@vitbhopal.ac.in
About VIT Bhopal University:
VIT Bhopal University, a multidisciplinary university established in 2017 in Madhya Pradesh, carries the legacy of the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) group of institutions. Set on a 300-acre green campus, the university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across engineering, management, sciences, and allied disciplines. The university features a 100 percent doctoral faculty and the CALTECH initiative, a unique technology-driven teaching-learning model that integrates industry practices, research exposure, and experiential learning. VIT Bhopal also runs the STARS programme (Support the Advancement of Rural Students), providing 100 percent free education, lodging, and boarding to meritorious students from rural backgrounds. With strong industry partnerships and a focus on outcome-based education, the university prepares future-ready graduates for a rapidly evolving world.
For more information, please visit: https://vitbhopal.ac.in/
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