Achievements
Student Achiever: ‘I am a new person with a newer vigour and robustness’
This technoid from Apeejay School, Noida shares how he has become a changed person after participating in the CODE
inter-school competition
Technology is now a ubiquitous reality that can make or mar our surroundings. The trick is to focus on the core advantages aimed at a progressive society, believes the class XI student of Apeejay School, Noida, Ritobrato Bhaumik. In a candid interview, Ritobrato shares how he was pushed by his school teachers to find his love for innovations.
Read edited excerpts here:
Tell us about the recent competition you participated in.
Silico Battles is the annual tech symposium of Ahlcon Public School. I participated in Cyquest, a 12 hour long online cryptic hunt/CTF (Capture The Flag), held recently, under the broader ‘Silico Battles’ banner. There were about two dozen teams competing, with two participants per team. My forte is cryptic hunts, while my teammate, Ariet Jha, specialises in CTFs. Our combined skills and excellent teamwork enabled us to secure the second position.
How was the experience?
It was an absolutely amazing event, which kept us on the edge of our seats. The final fifty minutes were very intense. Rex (Amity International School, Mayur Vihar) had already completed the cryptic hunt two hours prior, so first position was taken. Now, it was a race between Apeejay School, Noida; Mayoor School, Noida; and DPS, Sushant Lok. In the last fifty minutes, Ariet and I managed to solve four levels worth 18000 points of our final tally of 36,900 points. Meeting the other podium finishers at Ahlcon Public School was a delight as well, since I got to learn from them how to better my performance in such competitions.
What was the most challenging part of the competition?
Some portions of Cyquest were tedious and intense, but I wouldn’t call them much challenging. Actually, the most challenging part of Silico Battles did not even concern Cyquest. On the day of the offline events, I was in attendance just to receive my prize for Cyquest, but since one of our participants for the quiz had failed to show up, I was put in. It was the first time I was participating in a quiz, that too impromptu, but we still won the second prize. While my teammate, Nabeel Ahsan answered the majority of the questions, I had some valuable inputs as well. This instilled a renewed sense of confidence in me.
How did Apeejay support you in this?
Our Computer Science HOD always encourages me to participate in more events to sharpen my skills. Under her, I have been participating in cryptic hunts from grade nine. Our alumni also have a big role in grooming budding technocrats, such as myself. If the event weren’t designed as intricately and thoughtfully, I might not have ever pursued it. That would always be a memorable experience for me. Under the event head of DCrypt in 2024, I got to learn a lot about how to solve and design cryptic hunts. This year, I am the event head of DCrypt, cultivating the same vigour and enthusiasm, which my seniors had once seen in me.
What’s your ambition?
I want to grow up to be a coveted medical practitioner. I will be appearing for NEET in 2026 and I am preparing for it accordingly.
How important is technology in today’s scenario?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this. Technology has many perks, but it also has the ability to corrupt the mind. For education and information, technology is a must-have right now. But technology can disconnect us from our surroundings as well. All of us must learn to use technology judiciously and live in the moment, rather than being engrossed in a screen.
