The Smart City Research Center (SCRC) at IIIT Hyderabad, in collaboration with the iHub Data Foundation, proudly represented the institute as an exhibitor at the India Mobile Congress (IMC-2025), Asia’s premier technology and telecom gathering held from October 8–11, 2025, at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

This year’s theme, “Innovate to Transform,” emphasized India’s growing role in driving digital sovereignty, sustainability, and next-generation technology adoption. The event brought together over 400 global companies, 7,000 delegates, and innovators across 150+ nations to explore solutions in 6G, AI, cybersecurity, IoT, and green technology.

Innovations for a Smarter Future

The IIIT Hyderabad and iHub Data Foundation teams showcased a diverse set of live demonstrations that bridged research, innovation, and real-world applications.

Highlights from the IIIT Hyderabad pavilion included:

1. Ask Agastya: A collaborative project with the Agastya Foundation designed to provide “Any Time Learning” resources for underprivileged students using simple mobile phones and voice-based interfaces in local languages.
2. BharatGen: A government-backed initiative advancing sovereign AI for India through Indic Vision-Language Models, such as Patram and eVikrAI, developed by teams at IIIT Hyderabad.
3. ctOP (City IoT Operations Platform): A oneM2M-compliant City IoT platform enabling seamless interoperability and efficient management of urban IoT devices for smarter, more responsive city operations.
4. Towards Carbon-Free Campus (Net Zero Initiative): A comprehensive sustainability framework promoting energy efficiency, renewable adoption, and carbon footprint tracking to achieve near-zero emissions.
5. Wi-SUN (Wireless Smart Utility Network): A secure, low-power mesh networking protocol ideal for smart city utilities, enabling efficient scaling of monitoring systems and sustainable infrastructure management.
6. Smart Mobility: Drone-based infrastructure monitoring, VIOLA (Violation Analytics for Traffic Enforcement), and a Smart Autonomous Wheelchair promoting inclusive mobility.
7. India Data Org: A data-sharing and governance framework designed for public digital infrastructure.
8. Customer Engagement: Platforms enhancing digital interaction between citizens and city administrators.

Engaging with Industry and Government Leaders

The booth became a hub for engagement, hosting prominent visitors such as Mr. Ashish Kumar (Dehradun Smart City), Mr. Krishna Kumar (Wi-SUN Alliance, Bangalore), and Mr. Venu Madhav Raidu (Qualcomm). The Smart City Research Center initiatives attracted considerable attention in the exhibition.

Their interactions sparked valuable discussions around interoperability, scalability, and deployment of smart city solutions across India.

A few applauses from the visitors:

“BRIGADE KGA KAMAL DEV – A very insightful visit. You are ahead of your peers in the well-rounded and practical realization of the Smart City concept in its ideal form.”

“Ankit Pal (Prof. IIT Delhi)- True example of sustainability.”

The event concluded on an inspiring note, celebrating innovators for their creativity and leadership in shaping India’s digital future. The interactions and collaborations at IMC 2025 reaffirmed SCRC’s mission to build smarter, sustainable, and technology-driven urban ecosystems that improve everyday life for citizens. One of the Exhibitors, Peri Reddy, a software engineer, exclaimed, “IMC-2025 was more than a technology gathering; it was a space where ideas turned into possibilities, collaborations, and the future of technology felt within reach. We’re proud to be part of it and look forward to the journey ahead”.

SCRC at IIIT Hyderabad remains committed to collaboration and innovation, continuing its journey toward a more connected, sustainable, and data-driven India.

 October 2025