Annual competition

Become a pioneer in the future of agentic AI with Jatayu Season 5

A unique competition fostering out-of-the-box thinking to turn ideas into reality!

 

Jatayu

What is Jatayu?

First launched in 2021, the “Jatayu” innovation ideathon is a competition that brings together engineering students to challenge their problem-solving skills and solution-building competencies. Season 5 invites passionate problem-solvers from esteemed colleges ACROSS India.

The idea of Jatayu, “Spread your wings and reach for your dream,” was born with a vision to foster innovation by partnering with academia, especially with students pursuing the third year of their graduation degree through a controlled and integrated environment, with Virtusa providing mentorship to students on domain and next-gen technologies. 

Stats over the last 4 seasons of Jatayu

39+

Problem statements solved

100+

Colleges participated

12000+

Teams engaged

What is unique this year?

Theme – Agentic AI

Agentic AI marks a new chapter in the field of artificial intelligence. It’s about systems that don’t just assist but take initiative, adapt to changing needs, and deliver outcomes with purpose.

This year, we’re taking a futuristic leap into the future where AI evolves from assistance to full autonomy, solving complex problems with minimal human input. From creating original content and automating complex workflows to speeding up decision-making and delivering personalized experiences, Agentic AI is transforming the way we work. It also opens doors to new possibilities, such as generating synthetic data and optimizing processes, which helps businesses achieve efficiency at scale.

As part of the challenge, students are required to register as teams (minimum 3 members and maximum 5 members per team) and go through the following stages:

Jatayu Season 4

Eligibility criterion

Students who are ready to work in groups and possess good analytical and cognitive thinking skills, with a passion for problem-solving and application development, all while balancing academics. You are eligible if you’re:

  • Currently pursuing your final year (2026 Pass outs) – CS/IT/ECE with a 6.5 CGPA mandate.
  • Studying at a Virtusa-partnered campus
  • Able to dedicate the next 4-5 months to this competition

Leverage for participants

  • Work on the latest, new-age tech
  • Access to mentors at Virtusa
  • Patenting opportunities for select solutions
  • Long-term internship at Virtusa
  • Full-time employment opportunity
  • Big cash prizes, multiple awards, and much more

Grand Prize

$1000 USD for every winning Solution

(Paid in Local Currency)

$750 USD for the runner-up solution

(Paid in Local Currency)

Prize money stands the same per use case – season 4 witnessed 7 winning teams taking home the grand prize of 1000 USD each and 7 runner-up teams taking home the grand prize of 750 USD each.

 

 

Important Timelines

Registrations open: 02-January-2026

Registrations close: 17-January-2026

Student testimonials

Leadership testimonial

Jatayu Season 4 was a remarkable celebration of innovation, collaboration, and the transformative impact of generative AI on the industry. Last year’s theme highlighted how genAI can transform problem-solving, inspire creativity, and drive real-world impact. It was inspiring to see students from across the country push boundaries, build groundbreaking solutions, and demonstrate the promise of the next generation of technologists. Virtusa is proud to provide a platform that nurtures this talent, empowers young minds, and enables them to be at the forefront of technological transformation.

Venkatesan Vijayaraghavan,
Chief Operating Officer

Terms and Conditions

  • Virtusa maintains the right to ask for documentation proving your eligibility at any time during the process.
  • Virtusa has the exclusive authority to disqualify any participant(s) or team(s) during the process for any irregularities.
  • The competition's terms and conditions are subject to change per business needs.
  • You cannot assign your access privileges to anyone without obtaining Virtusa's written authorization.
  • If any members decide to back out at any point in the competition, the entire team will not qualify for the further process.
  • You agree to alert Virtusa immediately if you learn of the unauthorized use of another participant's identification or any other competition-related violation. You can contact us by writing to us at campuslife@virtusa.com

Previous winners and finalists

Glimpses into Jatayu Season 4: Witness the transformation