GCT Coimbatore, DCKAP Incubation Center – பொறிக்களம், (Porikkalam’ 2026)

600+ Students, 2 Days, And the Spirit of Innovation: Porikkalam 2026

On September 25 and 26, Government College of Technology, Coimbatore (GCT), in association with the DCKAP Incubation Center, hosted Porikkalam 2026.

It was a first in GCT’s history in many ways because it was an interdisciplinary event where all departments came together and hosted Porikkalam as their flagship event. We are really glad and thankful that we were able to execute it.

Our Vision For GCT

One of our shared goals is to transform GCT into a premier research institution and startup hub in the country. Though things have not been great over the last 10–15 years, the transformation has finally begun, and Porikkalam showed what was possible.

First of Its Kind

This event was the first of its kind for GCT because it was an inter-college symposium. Over 600 students from different colleges participated, with 17 technical and non-technical events conducted across the two days.

We received 700+ applications, and 600+ students showed up and participated across the 17 events.

What’s Behind The Name (பொறிக்களம்)?

When we decided we wanted to host an event of this sort, we had to come up with a name. We were sure that it needed to be in Tamil and also written in Tamil.

Along with the core team of students behind the event and folks from DCKAP, we started brainstorming names. We ended up with பொறியியல் (Engineering) + களம் (Arena) = பொறிக்களம் (Engineering arena).

It was a true display of teamwork, where we all worked together and arrived at the name பொறிக்களம்.

It really worked.

Executed By Students

One thing that is special about GCT is that it is a student-driven college. They take ownership and make things happen.

Though we provided the direction and fine-tuned it, it was completely executed by the students, with the support of the professor. Dr. Balakrishnan. Balakrishnan S

Student Startup Showcase (துளிரா) – THULIRA

We had a student startup showcase, and 19 student startup teams participated, showcasing their startup ideas and products.

It was just awesome to see the young minds at work. A lot of their ideas and startups originated from problems they had experienced themselves, and this is a great sign.

The Hackathon

Students also hosted a hackathon, with over 50 teams participating.

17+ Events, 600+ Students

From hackathons and paper presentations to robotics, circuit debugging, civil engineering challenges, water rocketry, and more, there was something happening across the campus throughout the two days. 

We also had Tech Talks from people from industry and the startup ecosystem. It was an opportunity for students to hear directly from people working on real-world problems and building products and companies.

The cultural performances by the MUfx and Parai teams added another dimension to the event.

It was great to see students from different colleges come together, compete, collaborate, and learn from each other.

A Great Display Of Teamwork

As you can see in this picture, this is the team that worked on Porikkalam.

There was a core team and a lot of student volunteers. It was just awesome to sit back and see their energy.

A Great Learning Experience. I’m Thankful.

Porikkalam was a great learning experience for me in terms of executing on a vision and operating on shared goals. I’m thankful for the takeaways.

When I was talking to students, they said that they had not seen something of this sort happen at GCT, and it was a great experience for them.

For me, that was one of the most rewarding parts of Porikkalam  seeing students take ownership and make it happen.

Yes, The Hindu Published An Article About Our Event

A Big Thank You

Porikkalam would not have been possible without the support of our former Principal, Dr. K. Manonmani. She really set the stage for us.

A big thank you to Dr. Purusothaman Thiyagarajan, Principal of GCT, Coimbatore, for believing in Porikkalam and taking this forward. I’m really glad that our Principal visited the event multiple times and got to see students at work.

Thanks to Professor Dr. Ilamathi P, Porikkalam Event Convenor.

Thanks to Professor Dr. Balakrishnan S, for being a bridge between GCT and DCKAP.

Thanks to Srija Santhanam and Sunil Mithran T K . This whole event would not have been possible without your leadership.

Thanks to the DCKAP team, Dipthi Rajagopal, Shiva Kumaar, Vel Venkatesh, and Madhava Kumar.

And Finally, the GCT Students

A big thank you to the GCT students.

You guys were the highlight of Porikkalam 2026, and the work you put in showed. We were mere spectators on the event day, and it was great to see you execute.

Seeing the possibilities and a bright future already in action at my alma mater is deeply inspiring. Let us transform GCT into a premier research institution and startup hub in the country.

This Is Just the Beginning. It is Day Zero.

Thank you.

Karthik Chidambaram