‘Retrofuture’ being the theme of Matrix 2017, nothing else would have been a better way to get in the ‘Matrix’ mode than the Techrace. A traditional treasure hunt with the shine of modern technology. The faster you decrypt the clues, the more you explore the city. What made it special was that it was a treasure hunt across the most vivid and bustling parts of Mumbai. A chance to see Mumbai with a different pair of lenses. The hunt ran over an app, where each clue was revealed after scanning of the QR code.
On 10th September 2017 at 7.30 am over 200 participants, gathered at the quadrangle of SPIT. At the registration desk, the Techrace app was given to the participants. This was followed by Zumba, to pump up the energy levels. After performing Zumba on some great music with amazing people, everyone was excited for the fun ahead. Snacks and beverages were served, rules explained, and the participants were set to go! The volunteers were all set at the respective locations to provide the participants with the QR code which unveiled the clue to the next location. The clues covered all locations starting from the amphitheatre at Andheri to Marines. The clues got trickier, as the race progressed. The competition got fierce as everyone wanted to finish at the top. The amazing Mumbai transport added such twists and turns that the all the participants hoped that the odds would be in their favour. One could not help but admire how well the app had been developed. The race ended at Marines, where all the participants were left in awe at the beautiful view of the sea.
The first 25 teams to reach marines proceeded to the next round, UNO. Now, these top 25 teams gave each other a tough fight by applying the wild cards on each other and finally Mahesh Tambse and Harit Bandi emerged as winners. They were rewarded a cash prize of 5000/- and many exciting goodies. Manish – Pratyush came second and won 3000/- for themselves. All the participants were engrossed in sharing their funny experiences during the run. While sharing went on, one could hear ‘click’ of the camera as a dozen of pictures were clicked.”Techrace was great fun! There was not a single moment to spare as we had to keep our eyes on the ball while we tried to figure out the next destinations” Garima Kaushik, FE Computers. It was a perfect way for the non-Mumbaikars to discover the travel routes, the trains, and in the true sense know what it is to travel like a Mumbaikar. The event also indirectly helped in building the bonding between the first-years. Smiles on the faces of the participants, relief on the faces of the organizers, amidst the beautiful view at Marines, it was a place one would want to be. Techrace 2017 was a perfect blend of technology and leisure. This event surely got everyone excited for the upcoming Techfest -Matrix. Kudos to the organizers for making it such a huge success. “Techrace has always helped for bonding between the first years. Even though organizing it was exhausting, it was all worth it” Wesley Pereira, Head of Marketing.