Pravega

• 
  Pravega Logo

"Pravega" is the annual science, technology and cultural festival of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. The fest is named after the Sanskrit word Pravegaḥ (प्रवेगः ) which means acceleration. Started in 2013 by the Undergraduates of IISc, the fest advertises itself as an eclectic blend of Science, Technology and culture packed into three days.

Etymology of Pravega

Pravega 2014

Events and Competitions

Over 45 competitions were held as a part of the event although most competitions were aimed at the Class 12 and undergraduate levels. In total, cash prizes worth Rs. 7 lakh were given away. This aside, winners also got goodies from sponsors and internships opportunities at research laboratories. Seven workshops on various topics ranging from RC cars to satellite launching were conducted alongside the competitions.

Amongst the highlights of Pravega were two quizzes at the J.N. Tata Auditorium — Inquizitive and Science Quizine. Inquizitive being a general knowledge quiz whereas Science Quizine had questions drawn purely from science and technology.

ISRO set up an exhibition illustrating the latest advances in space technology. DRDO exhibited a model of the Brahmos Missile. Several emerging technologies such as portable 3D printing were also be on display, while several institute departments conducted demonstration sessions showcasing exciting experiments and latest research. The propulsion laboratory also demonstrated experiments on rocket propulsion. Carl Zeiss set up a microscopy display.^[1]

Cultural line-up

Pravega came with an added tinge of culture, including performances from dance gurukul Nrityagram and rock band Divine Raaga.^[2] The final day was concluded with a performance by popular Carnatic progressive rock band, Agam. Ten cultural competitions were organised. B-boying (breakdance) competitions, three-dimensional chess competitions, and treasure hunts were organised as well. In all, Pravega was a different experience from the IISc's traditional annual open day and other seminars.^[3]

International collaboration

Mercedes-Benz exhibited four of its flagship cars to demonstrate its state-of-the-art automobile technology. Industry giants such as Bosch and BASF not only sponsored several events but also offered internships at their laboratories as prizes for competitions. Swissnex, India and the Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany were also engaged in a collaboration with Pravega. The University of Goettingen demonstrated a solar car, among many other innovations. Several other foreign universities also set up stalls on campus during the festival to promote higher education.

Pravega 2015

Pravega 2015 featured various scientific, technological and cultural competitions, gaming events, music shows, lectures, video conferences, exhibitions, demonstrations and workshops in the three days from January 30 to February 1, 2015.^[4][5] The Title Sponsor of Pravega 2015 was Airbus Group. The other Main Sponsors for the event were Green Shapes and Movenpick. The Event Sponsors were Royal Society of Chemistry, Zovi, Microsoft, Coke Studio, 3M and Eoxys.

The total event had a footfall of more than 12,000 people including over 6,000 participants from over 200 colleges across India.

Pravega 2015 played host to a number of lectures and talks by a diverse set of speakers. The lecture series was kicked off by Dr R Balasubramaniam, founder of SVYM (Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement) and also featured Dr Sharan Patil, founder of Bangalore’s famous SPARSH hospital, as well as Riyas Komu, the award- winning artist, sculptor and political activist.

There were 21 Technical Events in the Fest, which attracted 3651 participants while there were 7 Cultural Events which drew 1998 participants.

The Pro-Nights were a big success attracting 6000+ people to events performed by Parvaaz, DJ NYK and the Indian Ocean Band.

External links

• Official Pravega website
• Official Pravega FB page
• Official Pravega Tweets

References