Nearly 400 participants are likely to participate in the competition | Photo Credit: Betelgejze Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) will organise Global Hyperloop Competition (GHC) 2025, Asia’s first international hyperloop competition, from February 21 to 25. This will be held in a 450-meter test track at the IIT Madras’s Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, near Chennai, says a release. Nearly 400 participants are likely to participate in the competition held in India’s first hyperloop test track. The competition will be conducted by IIT Madras, IITM Pravartak and SAEIndia, and supported by the Ministry of Railways. A key objective of the event is to showcase and propagate hyperloop concepts worldwide, fostering a transformative spirit among young minds in the field of transportation, says a release. The competition will be held at the IIT Madras’ unique Hyperloop test infrastructure built with the support of the Indian Railways, ArcelorMittal, L&T and HindalCo. Hyperloop involves an electromagnetically levitating pod in a vacuum tube, eliminating friction and air drag, potentially allowing the pod to reach high speeds of over 400 kmph. It is the 5th mode of transportation, a high-speed train that travels in a near-vacuum tube. The reduced air resistance allows the capsule inside the tube to reach speeds of more than 1000 km/h. Elon Musk, who heads SpaceX and Tesla, proposed the idea of Hyperloop to the world in 2013 through a whitepaper – ‘Hyperloop Alpha’ the release said. Satya Chakravarthy, Faculty Advisor, Hyperloop IIT Madras, said, the competition is testament to what students can achieve when given the right opportunities and platforms. “Our vision goes beyond competition with aims to inspire and equip the next generation to redefine what’s possible in transportation,” he said. By bringing together key Hyperloop stakeholders from US, Europe and Turkey, and other parts of the world , the competition aims to accelerate adoption of sustainable and ultra-fast transit systems. It will provide a global platform for students, researchers and industry leaders to exchange ideas, expertise and inspire the next generation of engineers and designers who can envision and build the future of mobility. There are three categories in which the competition will be held. In the Pod Demonstration, the teams will showcase their Hyperloop pod prototypes, demonstrating advanced speed, stability, and safety features on the cutting-edge test track. The Hyperloop InnoQuest will be a case study competition aimed at tackling the real-world challenges in implementing Hyperloop technologies. The DesignX will be a platform for design enthusiasts to present innovative concepts and ideas, pushing the boundaries of Hyperloop technology and its applications, the releases said.