FrostHacks 1.0, a 36-hour on-campus hackathon, marks a new chapter in the technology culture of the Academy of Technology in Adisaptagram, Hooghly. It highlighted our passion, determination and ability to turn ambitious ideas into reality. As one of the organisers, I am proud of my team for making this event — held from February 7 to 9 — a resounding success.
In early 2024, after participating in multiple hackathons, a couple of my friends and I had a bold idea — why not bring the hackathon experience to our own institute? Our vision was clear: to host an event that would inspire students to explore technology, build real-world projects and upskill like never before in a fast-paced, overnight environment. The first step? Assembling a passionate team that could turn this vision into reality.
Then we launched our website, opened registrations and began pitching to sponsors and partners. The response was incredible — students from all over India signed up! One of the biggest obstacles we faced was the rescheduling of the event. Originally planned for November 2024, unavoidable circumstances pushed it to February 2025. It was a tough blow but with the unwavering support of our faculty, we stayed focussed. We were fortunate to have Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as our official evaluation partner, along with a panel of distinguished judges from the IITs and NITs. Through it all, chairman trustee Anindita Banerjee remained our pillar of strength.
The two days of FrostHacks 1.0 had the campus buzzing as participants dived into coding, building applications, websites and prototypes under the guidance of mentors and interim evaluators. At the end of the day, everyone learned something new, had a great time, connected with fellow technology enthusiasts and, most importantly, left feeling happy and fulfilled.
FrostHacks proved what we can achieve when we dream big and work together. It will inspire future batches to innovate, collaborate and push limits, with its impact reaching far beyond our college walls.
Aratrik Bandyopadhyay
Fourth year CSE, Academy of Technology and lead organiser, FrostHacks 1.0
Legacy ties
The Asiatic Society inked a deal with iLEAD, a Calcutta-based college, to conduct research and document India’s rich historical and archaeological heritage, using cutting-edge technology, such as artificial intelligence. The deal includes documenting the marine archaeology of the Sundarbans and Murshidabad, manuscript preservation and translation of ancient manuscripts written in classical languages (such as Brahmi) into English. The institute also has plans to produce documentaries and web series exploring the history of India, the legacy of the Asiatic Society as well as on notable historical personalities and events. In addition, there are plans to develop educational booklets on the historical significance of Indian textiles for public awareness.
Speaking on the partnership, Lt Col. Anant Sinha, administrator of the Asiatic Society, stated, “This collaboration marks a transformative step in the way we study and preserve India’s historical treasures.”
Echoing this sentiment, Pradip Chopra, chairman of iLEAD, said, “We are excited to bring modern technological advancements into historical preservation. This initiative aims to not only protect invaluable records but also engage new generations in India’s history through immersive documentaries and digital content.”
