A smart, automated ration distribution project, designed by the faculty members of Excel Public School in the city in a bid to reform the Public Distribution System (PDS), has won the first prize at the recently held ‘My Mysuru Ideathon: Ideas for Future’.

Mahesh M.B. and Sudhakar L., faculty members of Excel Public School, came up with the innovative project titled ‘Ahara Dhaara’ under the Smart Infrastructure and Mobility category of the Ideathon.

“The idea proposes a fully automated ration distribution kiosk that uses RFID cards, biometric verification, and OTP-based access to enable secure, 24×7 collection of rations, reducing corruption, improving accessibility, and restoring dignity to beneficiaries,” said a press statement here.

The Ideathon, part of My Mysuru Vision 2030, an initiative led by MP for Mysuru Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, had sought to crowdsource citizen-led solutions for building a smarter, sustainable, and inclusive Mysuru. The 2025 edition drew over 2,500 entries, out of which 340 were shortlisted. The Grand Finale was held on September 20, 2025, where top 10 teams presented their projects before an eminent jury, the statement said.

The winners were presented with a tropy and a cash prize of ₹25,000 for project ‘Ahara Dhaara’, which was hailed as a “transformative and high-impact innovation with the potential to streamline essential public services”. The statement quoted Mr. Yaduveer as saying that the concept aligned with Vision 2030’s focus on inclusion and technology-driven governance, noting that such ideas could play a vital role in shaping Mysuru’s next phase of civic development.

While Mr. Mahesh said that winning the Ideathon was “an incredibly rewarding experience not just as recognition, but as validation that technology can truly simplify lives when it is built with empathy”. Mr. Sudhakar said, “Ahara Dhaara was born out of everyday challenges we saw around us, and this win inspires us to take it further from the concept to a working model that can bring pride and dignity to how citizens access essential services”.

Meanwhile, the organisers have expressed interest in supporting a pilot implementation of ‘Ahara Dhaara’ “in line with Vision 2030’s goal of integrating community-driven ideas into actionable city projects,” the statement said.

Excel Public School’s principal Mathew K.G. said that the project reflected the culture of innovation nurtured at their school, while chairman and managing director of Excel Group Sudhanva D. appreciated the faculty for their creative contribution.