(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) With an aim to boost the domestic electronic toy sector, the IT Ministry on Sunday said it has organised first-ever“e-Toycathon 2025” event that showcased engaging and educational toys that foster creativity, learning and child development.

Organised by C-DAC under MeitY's research initiatives, 'e-Toycathon 2025' aimed at fostering innovation in the toy sector by providing a platform for young researchers and innovators to develop indigenous, sustainable solutions.

Sri Krishna college of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, won the top prize while Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida, was awarded the second prize and National Institute of Technology, Durgapur secured the the third position.

The first prize was awarded for 'Play Mat Toy', a fun and attractive play mat that has piano functional keys, animal pictures and sounds, drums, music and rhymes, etc.

The mat is made up of soft material so that it can be folded. Children can engage in both playing the piano and dancing; this allows them to enjoy the music for entertainment, while improving their music intelligence and visual training.

The second prize was awarded for 'Robo-Mentor AI' which is an innovative educational toy designed to empower children by combining the excitement of robotics with the supportive capabilities of generative AI.

The primary goal is to create a learning experience where kids can build and program their robots while receiving dynamic, personalised guidance that enhances their sense of agency and achievement, according to the a Ministry statement.

The National Institute of Technology, Durgapur secured the third place for Interactive Educational Chart. This chart is made to engage children in learning about India through activities. It is in English language with feature of choosing any regional language as well.

The chart is in interactive mode; children can press on a particular picture and get response with sounds and light.

National Institute of Technology, Srinagar and Indian Institute of Information Technology, Senapati, Manipur were given consolation prizes for Compact Mini Drone Toy and Electronic Cashier Machine Toy, respectively.

India's fast-growing toy industry is poised to capture a larger share of the global toy market, which is estimated to reach $179.4 billion by 2032.

India's toy imports have declined by as much as 79 per cent from $304 million in FY2018-19 to $65 million in FY2023-24. Meanwhile, exports have grown by 40 per cent during the same period, rising from $109 million to $152 million. As a result, India has become a net exporter of toys.

-IANS

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