Muscat – A team of students from Indian School Muscat (ISM) has won the Most Innovative Green Project Award at Innovation Hackathon 2026 organised by Middle East College in collaboration with Mazoon University College and the Kerala Engineers Forum.

Team Faseela – comprising Mohammed Maaz Quadri, Aarohi Hegde, Anurag Sashidar and Basaayir Rehman – presented their innovative prototype project titled ‘Code for the Earth’ during the event held on April 11 under the theme ‘Build Sustainable Ideas for the Future of Oman’. Around 60 teams from across Oman participated in the hackathon, showcasing creative solutions aimed at addressing real-world challenges.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, team leader Aarohi said the students independently designed and developed the prototype before presenting it to the judges during the competition.

“After building the prototype we explained our idea in detail to the judges. The hackathon gave us a valuable opportunity to present our concept and share our ideas on how technology can help reduce waste from date palms,” she said.

The project focuses on tackling waste generated from Oman’s large date production sector. The team developed Faseela, a sustainable platform aimed at ensuring that no part of the date palm goes unused. The concept includes converting surplus or low-quality dates into value-added products while promoting environmentally friendly packaging made from palm leaves and date seeds.

Aarohi explained that Faseela is an Arabic word referring to the shoot of a plant. “As an organisation, this name reflects our mission and reminds us that despite humankind’s neglect of environmental responsibilities, it is never too late to take action,” she said.

As part of the proposal, the team introduced a smart collection system called the Dates Bin, powered by Raspberry Pi technology, where users can deposit date seeds and earn reward points redeemable through the platform.

She said the initiative aligns with the sustainability goals of Oman Vision 2040 and aims to support farmers while promoting environmentally responsible production.

Aarohi added that the students hope to take the project beyond the prototype stage.

“In the future, we would like to industrialise this project and implement it on a larger scale. We are looking for support from organisations aligned with Oman Vision 2040 and hope that a company will come forward to sponsor the initiative so it can be practically implemented,” she said.

The students said their project demonstrates how young innovators can contribute practical solutions for sustainability and environmental protection in Oman.