Students take part in Kritansh-12, the annual techno-management fest of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Feb. 14: Creativity reigned on the campus of KIIT University as techno freaks and business wizards put on their thinking caps and showed their innovative side at Kritansh-12, the tech institute’s annual techno-management fest that got under way today.

Besides huge students’ participation from the host university, hundreds of others from various engineering institutes and B-schools across the country have registered for the three-day fest, the theme of which is Techno Cosmo Ares.

“The theme represents the battle between technology and a sustainable earth. Ares is the Greek god of war,” said Haris Vin Zaman, a final-year student of KIIT and one of the coordinators of Kritansh-12.

On the first day, the participants locked horns in as many as 48 challenging and interesting activities divided into eight sections such as Joie De Vivre, Gurukul, Play, Kreative Eye, Corporate Finestra, Learn Create and Robosphere. In the management segment, there are events such as Bulls and Bears (a virtual share trading game), Genesis (innovative ideas of budding entrepreneurs), Consiglere (case studies and intensive business solutions for industrial problems), Ad Valorem (advertisement campaign), and Does Gray Matter (a technical and biz quiz).

One of the events, Ground Zero, the sole role of which is to let your hair down and have maximum fun, attracted many students, particularly those who did not take part in any of the technical dos.

“Since it is Valentine’s Day today, we are playing a lot of unconventional games in which we call participants to come on to the stage to sing and dance.

“They are being given fun tasks to do such as proposing to a fellow participant randomly. There will be a live band performance in the evening as well,” said Satyendra, another student coordinator, adding that prize money of Rs 10 lakh was up for grabs.

There was also an exhibition and competition called “Innovation Intensified” that aimed at providing a platform to showcase different scientific models. The first edition of Kritika, a students’ magazine of KIIT, was unveiled today. The Meth, a book by a second-year engineering student of the university, Tanmay Kulshestra was also released on the occasion.

On the second day, popular novelist Chetan Bhagat and editor of Reader’s Digest, Mohan Sivananda will visit the campus and interact with the participants. On the third and final day, there will be a performance by Bollywood singer Ashutosh Ganguly, more popularly known as Ash King, who has crooned Te Amo, Suno Aisha and Dil Gira Dafatan, among others.