The Amrut AICTE Millet Recipe Competition was a celebration of the boundless possibilities of millet-based cooking. This national-level culinary contest gave aspiring chefs a chance to reimagine millets — transforming these humble grains into extraordinary culinary creations. The competition shone a spotlight on the significance of sustainable and nutritious eating, championing millets as a key ingredient in our future food practices.
The journey began in January 2024 when an overwhelming 1,298 teams from across India brought their game to the table. Among them were five teams from the NIPS Hotel Management Institute in Calcutta. Months of rigorous evaluation culminated in the Grand Finale at the prestigious AICTE headquarters in New Delhi on October 25, 2024. The top 88 teams earned the honour of competing in this ultimate showdown — and NIPS had not one but two teams representing it. Team 1 (in pic) had Sajid Ali Laskar, chef Pratip Nath, Sanchita Mondal and Parikshit Barua, while Team 2 had Somen Ghosh, Ahana Dey, Deep Mondal and Ashish Ghosh.
In the finale, participants competed in three major categories — breakfast or snacks, lunch or dinner, and desserts. Each category was further divided based on the percentage of millet in the meal — 30 to 50 per cent, 50 to 70 per cent and above 70 per cent. Participants had to prepare two dishes within an hour, achieving a perfect balance of flavour and nutrition. As the day unfolded, the air was flavoured with anticipation and the aroma of dishes being crafted with precision and passion.
Amidst this intense competition, Team 1 of NIPS Institute of Hotel Management emerged victorious, clinching the top spot in the lunch or dinner 30 to 50 per cent category. Their dishes not only wowed the judges with their creativity and nutritional value but also proved that millets can seamlessly blend into everyday meals.
Record jobs
Durgapur Government College in West Burdwan district recently organised a three-day placement initiative, Pragati. There was a job fair, a food festival, felicitation of toppers and the annual cultural programme. The job fair turned out to be a success with 25 companies from several sectors — including information technology services, consulting, e-commerce, manufacturing, communication, banking and finance, healthcare and pharmacy — participating. A total of 350 alumni and students received offer letters during the fair. The institution had also organised recruitment drives in May 2024, when 120 students were recruited by four private companies. A total of 470 alumni and graduating students have received offer letters from May 2024 to date because of the innovative career counselling and placement initiatives of the institution, a record-breaking statistic for general stream placements. This success has primarily been the outcome of free-of-cost skill development sessions in English, soft skills, basic computer, CV writing and interview training imparted by the institution in collaboration with Anudip Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that empowers students with technology and skills to prepare them for jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities.
