Elysium-2025: Week-long fiesta concludes at ITER

Bhubaneswar: Elysium-2025, a week-long fiesta showcasing an array of the limitless potential of its students came to a grand conclusion at the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), faculty of engineering and technology of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan Deemed to be University here, on Wednesday.

Students were provided a platform to give expression to their talent in a variety of activities spanning coding to business, literature to art, music to dance and fitness to fashion.

“Each event was designed to challenge, inspire and push the boundaries and the students rose to the occasion while embracing the challenges and demonstrating remarkable skills,” Prof. Renu Sharma, Additional Dean (Student Affairs), said.

Prof. Sharma said Elysium was not just an event, it was a platform where talent met opportunity, learning met experience and dreams took flight.

Prof. Damodar Acharya, Chairman of SOA’s International Advisory Board and former Chairman of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) who was the chief guest at the concluding function, urged the students to think differently and endevour to start something on their own.

“If you are studying to get a degree and then find a job, it’s not right. You have to be innovative and creative and excel not only in your chosen technical domain but in the socio-cultural arena as well,” he said adding both were important.

Prof. Acharya said the job market was shrinking and it could shrink further with the arrival of Artifiial Intelligence (AI).

The program was also addressed by Mr. Bijay Kumar Sahoo, Regional Manager and Head, National Research Development Corporation, Bhubaneswar and Dr. Manisha Acharya, Project Director, Ernst and Young.

Both Mr. Sahoo and Dr. Acharya encouraged the students to be innovative and launch their own start-up.

SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda also spoke. Among others, Prof. Manas Kumar Mallick, Director, ITER, was present.
Altogether 70 events, 40 of them technical and 30 cultural, were organised during the festival attracting large participation. Besides, 32 sports events were also held.

The student communities who played the vital role in the organization of the program included ITER Robotics Club, SOA Radio Club, Codex, Shristi, SOA Flying Community, GDG, Vogue-SOA Fashion Club, SOA Literary Club, Toneelstuk-The Stage Piece, SOA Music Club, Coding Ninjas, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Cell, Danza, Virtual Showreel, SOA Photography Club, Odanza and SOA Fitness Club.

The sports disciplines which were part of the festival included Futsal, Cricket, Volleyball, Basketball, Kabaddi, Badminton and Kho Kho.
More than 350 students participated in the programs ‘Business Decoded’ and ‘Founder’s Arena’ which were held at the Atal Innovation Centre (AIC) which provided the students with real world business challenges while exposing them to expert mentorship. The guests gave away about 400 prizes to the students.