A Game of Codes : CSI SPIT Hackathon

Following tradition,CSI SPIT organized the annual SPIT Hackathon as a pre event to the techno-cultural fest of SPIT- Oculus 2019. 35 teams from over 13 cities across the country participated in the event. It was one of the biggest student body organized events SPIT has witnessed.

The inauguration ceremony was graced by Priyanka Allen of Larsen and Turbo Infotech and SPIT’s very own Dr. Prachi Gharpure.

Blockchain, an upcoming technology, served as the basis for the problem statements for the hackathon. Blockchain technology is a database where data is shared across a network of computers and is secured using cryptography which can consequently only be changed by authorized people. Xin-fin, the sponsor for the hackathon, also held a workshop on block chain a week before the event . Coding began with immense enthusiasm at 11 am on the 5th of January and maintained its vigor for the next 24 hours. The participants were provided with mentors for any guidance they needed throughout the course of the hackathon.

The final judging round was followed by a short oration by Mr. Ritesh Kakkad , the co-founder of Xinfin. He unveiled the potential of Blockchain technology and announced the top 10 teams. These teams then gave a final pitch to secure a place in the top three. Tathagat Thapiyal, Ansh Gujral and Tanmay Bhatnagar from Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala stood first with cash prizes worth 60,000. Finishing second were Riken Gala, Aadit Kachalia, Rohan Kalantri and Apurva Dani from Dwarkadas J. Sanghvi College of Engineering, Mumbai. The third place was bagged by Kyle Lobo, Calden Rodrigues, Pratz Nerurkar and JohnAnand Abraham from Don Bosco Institute of Techonology, Mumbai.

“It was an enjoyable experience which introduced us to a new technology and pushed us beyond our limits. Surely the best Hackathon I have ever attended making it totally worth coming all the way from Delhi,” said Tanmay Bhatnagar, member of the winning team.

Adding to the success of the event, Amarinder Singh, the Chief Minister of Punjab, took to twitter and congratulated the winners of the Hackathon. The CSI committee was extremely pleased with the response, and also hopes to host such events in the future. In conclusion the success of the hackathon was just a small indication of what is to follow in Oculus.

~ Report by Neha Lakhani and Aumkar Gadekar