The Central University of Karnataka (CUK) started CS-AITHON 2026 on January 30. This national hackathon, set up by the Department of Computer Science, aims to boost innovation and problem-solving using new tech. The event is a part of the AI Impact Summit–2026, a Government of India project. Chandrasekhar Buddha, CEO of Anuvadini AI and AICTE's chief coordinating officer, gave the opening speech. He said, "It is important to develop indigenous, secure, and inclusive digital platforms." He urged students to focus on "innovative, India-centric technological solutions that address national needs while ensuring data security and self-reliance." Battu Satyanarayana, CUK's Vice-Chancellor, said emerging technologies play a big role in "digitalisation, smart agriculture, and nation-building." He asked students to turn their ideas into workable solutions supporting the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. Srikantaih K.C., Head of Department and dean of the School of Computer Sciences, welcomed participants. He said the hackathon is a key platform for young innovators to work together and demonstrate their skills. Nagaraj V. Dharwadkar, nodal officer, shared that 102 teams with nearly 300 students sent abstracts in the first phase. After screening, 40 teams with about 120 students from states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Kerala made it to the offline, on-campus hackathon.