Not many educational institutions would encourage its students to host an event titled ‘Death Race,’ after a violent Hollywood movie, and even less so when they involve parameters such as ‘offensive’ and ‘defensive’ weapons.
However, that is precisely what the Amrita University here did for its three-day national level student technical festival - Anokha - which began on Thursday. The Hindu is the media partner for Anokha.
Explaining the contest, its coordinator says students have to design a remote-controlled toy car capable to slug it out with other cars in an arena, using weapons. The preliminary round of this contest is a track filled with obstacles to test a vehicle’s design, speed and build.
The aim of the event is to encourage teamwork, ingenuity and the passion for science and technology.
Anokha 2015 features over 75 technical events in the engineering disciplines of robotics, aerospace, civil, mechanical, electrical, electronics, instrumentation, information technology and computer science. Events focussed on social media, business, marketing, innovation, photography are also being held.
Nearly 15,000 students from 350 colleges and universities across India are taking part. Eighteen workshops on cutting edge areas such as quad copter and industrial robotics are also being held.
Students from Amrita’s partner universities in the U.S. and Europe are also taking part.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has come to the techfest for the first time.
Its Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram put up a stall featuring models ranging from its first ever rocket launched, to the Mangalyaan – India’s Mars mission.
Expo in-charge from ISRO K. Suresh explains to an eager group of students how ISRO evolved over the years.
He shows them a picture of a young scientist by name A.P.J. Abdul Kalam working on a Sounding Rocket that was transported on a bicycle to a church that was doubling up as a space centre.
Anokha was not all about science and Technology alone. ‘LeadersMeet,’ which simulated the procedures of Security Council of United Nations was also held on Day One. Debates were held on topics such as “The threat to international peace and security arising from the conflict in Syria and the Middle East.”
Prof. Prashant R.Nair, Faculty Convener, says success stories of persons from different walks of life such as Kargil war hero, a social worker and wildlife photographer would also feature during this meet.
