Innovision is ACM NITK Chapter’s weeklong series of events. Each of the SIGs (Special Interest Groups) – Sanganitra, Vidyut, Yantrika, Karyavarta and Saahitya conducts its own events Cryptic, Hardwired, Jugaad, Apprentice and Literati. Innovision 2018 saw an overwhelming amount of participation from the freshers. The winners of each of the events were interviewed. The excerpts of the Interviews are as follows.
Cryptic Winners: Aniruddh Patil, Arnav Nair, Shasidhar
What made you participate in Cryptic?
It seemed like a lot of fun and the event seemed to be based off logic. It seemed like something that we would enjoy.
Which was your favourite part of Cryptic?
Second round- hands down. The black box round was sparked something in us – it threw us off. We surprisingly took the most time to do the easy questions but finished the other ones pretty quickly. One of the best things about cryptic was that it tested our logical ability and didn’t have any type of prerequisites.
Which was the hardest part of the event for you?
Most of it was fun. At no point was it too intense or overpowering, but always had the right level of challenge to stir our minds. It was always something within our reach which made it really exciting.
What has the event changed about you?
We have a new perspective on things now. We’ve learnt to look at things differently and approach problems in a systematic manner. The Third Round especially had a lot of questions that you really had to think about. We’ve also gotten to know each other a little better.
How efficient was ACM as a team in organizing the event? And what suggestions do you have for us to improve?
The only issue we had, was multiple events were being conducted simultaneously and thus we couldn’t attend the other events. But when it came to making the choice we chose Cryptic. Everything was well planned so we wouldn’t want to change anything.
What do you know about ACM and what is your opinion on Freshers Interest Group (FIG)?
ACM seems like a club that we would love to be a part of. We are a part of FIG and it’s quite helpful and informative. We have attended some of the KEP’s conducted by ACM because of the Freshers Interest Group.
Hardwired Winners: Kinshuk, Arya, Jay
How did you find the entire experience?
The overall experience was very educative. We got to learn about advanced topics that we hadn’t studied at the JEE level. Studying about op-amps was especially great. Building the circuit was a lot of fun too.
What were the challenges you faced during the event?
All of us couldn’t attend the KEP because of our class schedule and as the topics were new we found it a bit difficult to solve the questions in the following rounds. It was the first time we got to know about something called differentiator and integrator circuits.
Which was your favourite part of the event and what do you think we could improve on?
Our favourite part of the event was implementing the circuit. We liked the part where you demonstrated the functioning of the circuit without revealing the connections. Also, the first round was very fair as it included enough number of theory and aptitude questions. We were excited to solve questions in a competitive spirit after a long time.
We feel that you could include more practical questions and events. We understand that there was a lack of time but if it is possible to include such questions by even extending the time span of the event, it would be great.
What motivated you throughout the event to do better?
We wanted to explore all the events and stuff that the college has to offer. And given that we had a lot of free time on our hands, we wanted to participate in all the events. It helped that there were so many events conducted by ACM simultaneously and we were able to take part in all of them.
How did you get to know about the event?
The publicity for the event was very good. We received the messages regarding the events on our groups as well. The FIG also helped as there was clear communication on that.
At any point in time throughout the competition did you feel like you were under pressure?
Only one member of our team could attend the entire KEP due to our classes and since the theory was new to us too, it felt a bit too much at one time. But it was a good challenging experience for us.
What were your thoughts on the way the seniors conducted the event?
The event was organised very efficiently. Our doubts and queries were cleared on the spot. We felt the seniors were cordial to us and it was a very good experience for us.
What did you learn from this event?
We learnt a lot of new topics in electronics which will hopefully help us in our studies in the next semester. We also got to learn how to work as an efficient team.
How did you think ACM worked as a team? Did we work well together?
All the Innovision events were conducted and managed very well so that we could attend the events of all the SIGs despite the block timings. The first round was a bit hectic but it got better with the rounds. The final rounds were on weekends and that was good as we had a lot of time.
Which part of the event, working together as a team, changed you as a person?
The event helped us in getting rid of our nervousness in joining and participating in events. Now we feel more comfortable with the club culture.
Did this event inspire you to build something in the future?
Yes, it was a great experience for us and we want to work on more electronics projects. It has sparked interest in technical events that are going to be held during Engineer and also other workshops and events by the clubs such as ACM.
Jugaad Winners: Mithas Kumar, KV Sumanth Reddy, Adarsh Kumar
How was your experience participating in Jugaad?
It was really good as it was something that was drastically different from what we were used to. It bought us out of our comfort zone and made us think outside the box which was a task by itself. We had a lot of fun.
What was the most challenging part during the build of the trebuchet/catapult?
According to us, the rounds got progressively tougher and the round we found the hardest was the third round as it required us to have a rotating base as well as the ability to shoot. The string part was the hardest of all as it was making our model highly unstable. We had to come up with an out-of-the-box solution.
Did this include a learning curve for you guys or was it purely mechanical?
Yes, it did. We had to remain positive no matter how many times we failed and really had to use our imagination as we had to consider the stability, time management and trajectory of the projectile. We also had to make certain sacrifices with respect to the model and our ideas. We learnt how to work as a team.
Why do you think you guys were the winners?
We were crowned the winners not because our model was the best but rather was most suited for the task. Our model was compact and stable and had a turning base. We also managed time effectively.
Do you guys look forward to joining this club next year?
Oh definitely. We were very happy when they said that since you have come first, you can use this as a reference. We really look forward to it.
Apprentice Winner: Ashwin
How would you describe your overall experience?
It was amazing. The pressure interviews were especially gruelling. It was a different experience, one I learnt a lot from, especially because I feel I’m not good at public speaking.
What caught you off guard?
The pressure interviews. I was very unsure of what was going to happen because I’ve never faced something like this before.
Given a chance, is there anything you would like to rectify?
The ad we had to make for our B plan. We had no experience. It didn’t come together despite the effort. It was something I wish we could’ve done better.
What gave you the edge over the other participants?
Rather than just being good at communication or having organising skills, the fact that I was able to do it together made the difference.
Also in the final round, my case study was on UPI payments and since I already knew about it, I was able to save some time on research. My main focus was on answering the questions to the best of my ability rather than worry about the aesthetics of my presentation.
How have the qualities you’ve developed over the years help you?
The team spirit and leadership skills I’ve developed really made the difference. Though I wasn’t the leader of my team, I stepped in and took charge when he wasn’t able to do so.
How do you think ACM organised the event?
The seniors worked really hard, putting in a lot of time and effort. I felt it was a long event, and yet many seniors were present throughout. I got to interact with a lot of them, which was certainly a plus point.
How could the event be improved?
Perhaps it could be scheduled over many days with fewer hours per day. It would certainly help reduce the burden.
What have you learnt from this rich experience?
I learnt how to make a B Plan and be more precise in the case study presentation. I thought case studies are a big thing when in reality they aren’t. Properly answering the questions posed in the study is important. I greatly improved my public speaking skills, and it gave my confidence.
Has Apprentice inspired you?
It’s encouraged me to take up business, and I would love to learn more. The memories, the interactions with seniors, and the team bonding is something I’ll always cherish.
Literati Winners: Anshuman Sinha and Prajna N Hebbar
How was your experience at Literati?
It was a lot of fun! The format of both the rounds was unlike that of the other quizzes that we’ve attended earlier. The first round was written, something that we like to do. We could take our own time. But, the second round was more quiz-oriented, so we had to respond spontaneously. It was brain work and we had to be quick with our answers. It was really different and that was the highlight of the whole event – something new, original and exciting.
What were your favourite moments during the event?
In the first round, there was a passage on the sunflower and I liked writing on it. In the second round, the special moment was when we won, of course. Also, there was a question in the second round, which we did not get the answer for, we should’ve, but we didn’t. We regretted it, but it was nice, we really liked it. We connected with it.
What did you take away from this event?
We learnt a lot of stuff. Being in a team with a person for the first time is a novel experience. We knew each other prior to the event, but, just for a few days. So this was good chemistry session. Moreover, until now, we wrote only when we felt like it, or was in the mood for it. After the event, writing seems like something to be taken seriously. We feel the need to write more often.
What were the main challenges you faced?
We faced quite a few challenges, one being the team itself. Between the two of us, I came here to win, and he came here to have fun. I was very competitive and he was not. So that was a bit of an issue, although I think we did pull it off. Also, since the event was very different, every round came to us as a new challenge.
Are you satisfied with how the seniors organised the event?
Really satisfied! They did a great job and made it very enjoyable for us.
Considering the fact that this was the first time Literati was held, is there anything you’d wanna see going forward?
Keep the format, don’t change it. It is the highlight like I said, and it’s what makes it so interesting.