Patna: The annual Patna Mind Fest, an event designed to stimulate the mind and foster a spirit of learning and competition, commenced on Saturday at Bihar Museum, Patna. The two-day event, jointly organized by the IAS Officers Association (Bihar Branch), Bihar Museum, and Extra-C, was inaugurated by former Chief Secretary of Bihar, Tripurari Sharan, RERA-Bihar Chairman, Vivek Kumar Singh, Bihar Museum Director, Rahul Kumar, and Sanjay Kumar, Commissioner of MGNREGA.
In his address, the Chief Guest, State Chief Information Commissioner, Tripurari Sharan, extended his best wishes to the participants, stating, “Activities like these, especially in our state, are markers of vibrance in our society. Patna Mind Fest is a testament to the collective abilities of the people of Bihar.” He encouraged students to participate in such events, sharing anecdotes from similar fests at IIT Delhi in the late 70s. “These competitions and events are windows to a larger world of the mind, open for you to explore your creativity and enthusiasm,” he added.
Chairman of RERA- Bihar and crossword enthusiast, Vivek Kumar Singh, highlighted the importance of the Patna Mind Fest, saying, “Achieving high ranks in competitive exams is commendable, but ultimate winners are those with rich experiences, exposure, and wisdom. Bihar is more than just a land of IT professionals, medical experts, and civil servants.” He shared his vision for promoting a quizzing culture in Bihar, aiming to create a talent pool capable of competing nationally. “We have initiated a series of Mind Fests to provide two days of solid entertainment, fun, and education,” he explained.
The India Quiz saw participation from 134 teams, who navigated through 25 questions worth 30 marks. Contestants were evaluated in school, college, and overall categories during the prelims, with the top eight teams advancing to the finals. The winners were Team Rosogolla Revolutionaries, consisting of Samanway Banerjee and Piyush Kedia, who secured the first prize. The second prize went to Team Tihar to Bihar, comprising Bishal, Gokul, and Raktim. The third prize was awarded to Team Going Through a Faiz, represented by Shashank, Ankita, and Ayush.
The cryptic crossword contest drew 165 participants who were evaluated on speed and accuracy in solving 27 cryptic clues. Participants competed in school, college, and open categories. In the school category, the first prize went to Ankush Raj from Red Rose School, Deoghar, the second prize to Vaibhav Shekhar from DPS, Patna, and the third prize to Anusha Kumar from DPS, Patna. In the college category, Vandita Vidisha from Miranda House won the first prize, Chaitanya Prabhakar from Delhi University took the second prize, and Aman Kumar from GEC-Vaishali secured the third prize. In the open category, the first prize was awarded to Adya Singh from VPW, ISKCON, the second prize to Ayush Awasthi, and the third prize to Gokul S.
The Word Bee contest featured 111 participants who showcased their talent by solving 25 jumbled words in the prelims. The top eight competitors advanced to the finals. The winners were Team Rosogolla Revolutionaries, comprising Samanway Banerjee and Piyush Kedia, who took the first prize. The second prize went to Team Tihar to Bihar, consisting of Bishal, Gokul, and Raktim. The third prize was awarded to Eccentric Blitezers, represented by Chaitanya, Vandita, and Pakhi.
The second day of the Patna Mind Fest will feature a creative writing contest, a general quiz, and the prize distribution ceremony.
