India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), on Monday (April 6, 2025) announced the top five winners of TruthTell Hackathon, a global challenge to combat misinformation and manipulated media through technology.
The winners were felicitated at a showcase event where the top 25 shortlisted innovators demonstrated their working prototypes to a panel of industry experts. Selected from over 5,600 registrations from across the globe, the five winners got a cumulative cash prize of ₹10 lakh.
Team Unicron from Delhi won for their innovative work — “Anvesha”, in detecting misinformation across text, images, and videos. Team Alchemist from Dehradun was recognised for “VeriStream: Fact-First in Every Frame”, a holistic solution that uses LangChain-powered Natural Language Processing (NLP), dynamic knowledge graphs, GIS insights, and Explainable AI to detect and correct misinformation in live broadcasts.
Team Whooshing Liars from Bengaluru received the award for “Nexus of Truth”, an AI-powered tool designed to detect deepfakes, fact-check news articles, and flag false content in real time, with multilingual support and live-streaming alerts.
Team Bug Smashers from Delhi was awarded for “Live Truth”, an AI powered misinformation detector, a solution that combines local Large Language Models and fact-checking APIs to provide real-time credibility scores, along with community-driven validation through GPS-based SMS verification during live broadcasts. Team Vortex Squad from Bengaluru won for “Real-Time Misinformation Detection and Fact-Checking System”.
Innovative approaches
“Each of these teams demonstrated innovative approaches aimed at improving media integrity and combating misinformation during live broadcasts. Their solutions, ranging from AI verification tools to manipulated media detection systems, will now be showcased at the upcoming WAVES Summit in Mumbai from May 1-4, 2025,” said the Ministry.
Speaking at the event, ICEA chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said, “The rapid spread of falsehoods, especially in this digital age, presents a serious challenge. However, with the bright and innovative minds we have here today — including a remarkable 36% female participation — I am confident we will create robust, future-ready solutions. These aren’t just prize-winning ideas; they are blueprints for how India can lead the world in building ethical, AI-driven solutions for complex digital threats.”
Launched in October 2024, TruthTell Hackathon received over 450 unique idea submissions from students and professionals across over 300 cities.
Published – April 07, 2025 08:46 pm IST