Toycathon

Galgotias University hosted the grand inauguration of the three-day Toycathon-2022 on May 24, 2022. The event was graced by Prof. Rajendra B. Kakde, Advisor, All India Council of Technical Education as the chief guest, and Mr. Pankaj Pandey, Member of the Ministry of Education (Innovation Cell) as the special guest.

During the event, Prof. B. Kakde highlighted the evolution of toys from simple wooden toys to interactive and technologically advanced ones. He emphasized the need to develop toys that not only entertain but also educate children about our culture and the life of great men. Mr. Pankaj Pandey stated that Toycathon is the result of Hon’ble Prime Minister's vision, which aims to establish new dimensions in the development of Indian toys.

Arindam Mandal, another guest at the event, stressed the importance of the toy market in the global economy and how toys can bring joy and happiness to our lives. He added that Toycathon is an opportunity to relive childhood memories and create innovative toys that reflect our Indian culture.

A total of 42 teams from educational institutions from eight states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Kerala, and Uttarakhand, participated in this competition. The 250 students who participated in the event worked continuously for the next 72 hours to make the technology of toy making in the country stronger and easier. The main objective of this competition was to discover and redesign traditional Indian toys.

The competition was organized under the aegis of the Innovation Cell, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Toycathon 2022 was launched by the Government of India as an opportunity to promote innovative toy and game ideas across India under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.”

Galgotias University played an essential role in the self-reliant India campaign by organizing this competition. Dhruv Galgotia, Chief Executive Officer of Galgotias University, wished the participants of Toycathon an event that showcases the Indian culture, ethos, and rich civilization through innovative digital and paper-based toys available globally. He expressed his confidence that the next three days would be full of innovation and action, and each participant would give their best. AICT Chairman Anil Sahasrabuddhe, Director of Innovation Cell in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Mohit Gambhir, and Chief Innovation Officer Anil Jere played an important role in preparing the outline of this program to make India self-reliant in the world of toys.