Participating in the Smart India Hackathon 2023 was a transformative experience. It provided us the opportunity to collaborate with some of the brightest minds from across the nation. The atmosphere was charged with creativity, enthusiasm and a shared passion for finding innovative solutions to real-world challenges. Our team was called Buzz 6 and comprised Jayobrata Roy Chowdhury, Nilanjan Dey, Arindam Das, Milan Adhikary, Rupsa Dey and I, all third-year electrical engineering students, under the mentorship of Abhinaba Dutta and Debjani Bhattacharya. The development phase of our project was an exhilarating rollercoaster of coding marathons and late-night debugging sessions. We navigated the challenges with aplomb, emerging victorious in the final round. Our winning solution was an AI-driven drone application that excelled in soil erosion detection with a specific focus on anomaly detection. The process involved using high-resolution drone images that underwent advanced pre-processing and machine learning, enabling us to pinpoint anomalies in soil erosion severity. The solution integrated GIS tools for spatial context, a feedback loop for user validation and an alerting system for timely intervention. Continuous monitoring through drone flights enhanced early anomaly detection, enabling scalable and effective soil erosion management. Winning the hackathon is not just a personal victory but a testament to the effort, determination and innovative spirit of our team, Buzz 6.
Prerna Routh
Third year, electrical engineering, Academy of Technology, Adisaptagram, Hooghly
Tryst with science
With second buzz
The Sixth Regional Science and Technology Congress (Region 3) was held in Durgapur Government College in collaboration with the department of science and technology, and biotechnology, Government of West Bengal, on January 9 and 10, 2024. It brought together researchers, scientists and industry experts to make students aware of the latest advancements in science and technology and encourage the flowering of a scientific temperament in them. The engaging and productive sessions fostered the scope for future collaborations for research activities. The students learnt a lot from the three memorial lectures delivered by Prof. Sabyasachi Bhattacharya of ISI, Calcutta, former director of the National Library, Shyamal Kumar Bhadra and former pro vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati, Sudhendu Mandal. The talks were informative, engaging and thought-provoking. Students were also impressed by the wealth of knowledge of the professors who delivered the 12 invited lectures. From 520 abstracts submitted by young researchers, 212 were presented. In the valedictory session, the best ones from each branch of science were awarded.
Kajori Mondal, Dhrubojyoti Akhuli, Prachi Bhattacharya
Durgapur Government College, Durgapur