India-Israel hackathon spurs youth-led restorative healthcare innovation

Jerusalem,UPDATED: Aug 14, 2026 04:00 IST

The first India-Israel Hackathon, organised on the theme of restorative healthcare, has drawn a strong response from young innovators from both countries, with participants working on technology-driven solutions to challenges in healthcare and rehabilitation. Ambassador of India to Israel JP Singh felicitated the winners of the hackathon this week.

The initiative brought together 1,300 students and individuals from India and Israel to address 14 problem statements, with teams developing solutions aimed at rehabilitation and improving quality of life. The hackathon also led to the formation of mixed India-Israel teams and, according to the Indian mission, highlighted the scope for student-led innovation in tackling real-world healthcare problems.

Among the winning solutions in Israel was a wheelchair-mounted limb mobilisation system that uses the natural rotation of a wheelchair's front wheel to enable controlled leg movement without electricity. The solution is intended to offer a simple and potentially accessible approach to assisted limb mobilisation and rehabilitation.

The winning solutions in India included a system that uses real-time video processing and automated movement analysis to assess the limb movements of injured patients. By comparing their movements with those of healthy individuals, the system can objectively track rehabilitation progress, identify areas that need improvement, and support more personalised and effective recovery.

Ori Kadvil, a member of the Indian Jewish community in Israel, conceived the hackathon as an initiative, while other community members also took part in organising it, the Indian mission said. "The initiative provided a platform for the community to strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Israel while harnessing the creativity and technical skills of young students for solutions with wider societal impact," the mission said in a statement.

The theme of restorative healthcare was chosen with a focus on developing practical and accessible solutions for rehabilitation and a better quality of life. Problem statements for the hackathon were sourced from hospitals, start-ups and universities in both countries. Four problem statements were identified on the Israeli side, while 10 were taken up on the Indian side, with Thapar University serving as the nodal partner in India.

The hackathon was held through a series of rounds. The first round focused on introducing the problem statements, familiarising participants with the healthcare ecosystems of India and Israel, and helping teams to form. In the next round, teams developed and refined their proposed solutions with guidance from mentors and experts. The final round ended in an intensive innovation marathon, during which the teams presented their solutions for evaluation.

The solutions developed during the hackathon showed significant potential for piloting and further development, with participating teams exploring routes towards commercialisation and wider deployment. The Indian embassy said, "The First India-Israel Hackathon, conceived as a platform for community engagement and innovation, evolved into a meaningful celebration of India-Israel friendship, youth-led innovation and technology for social good." It added, "The initiative demonstrated how collaboration between young people and communities across the two countries can generate solutions with the potential to contribute to the welfare of society and the global good. The Embassy of India looks forward to supporting and strengthening such initiatives and to the next edition of the India-Israel Hackathon."

With PTI Inputs

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