Robocon-2008!

Every year, at the Maharashtra Institute of Technology (MIT) in Pune, teams from engineering colleges across the country converge here with their robots, to participate in Robocon India, a two-day competition. The team which wins here then represents India at the International Robocon (which was held in Pune, in the month of August this year).

Robocon India started on 8th of March and around 38 teams participated this year. Every year, the competition has a theme. The theme is based on a legend originating from the country where the International Robocon is scheduled to be held in that particular year. So last year, as the International Robocon was held in Vietnam, the theme was HALONG BAY DISCOVERY (Vietnam was the winner in this edition).

This time the International Robocon (ABU ROBOCON) being held in India, so obviously the theme this time was based on an Indian legend. It was called ‘Mission Govinda’. As the name suggests, the theme was based on Indian mythology related to Lord Krishna. Each team was supposed to make robots, which will help their robotic team to get low-density polystyrene (symbolising butter) from bowls, which the opponent robotic team tries to dodge. The team, which successfully gets `butter’ from all three pots hung at various places will win.

The semi-finalists were:

• Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

• Nirma Institute Of Technology, Ahmedabad.

• Maharashtra Institute Of Technology, Pune.

• Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune.

And the finalists were:

• Nirma Institute Of Technology, Ahmedabad.

• Maharashtra Institute Of Technology, Pune.

And the winner was: Nirma Institute Of Technology, Ahmedabad.

It was a great performance by NIT, Ahmedabad. The final score was 27-21 in favour of NIT!

It would have been better if MIT, Pune had won though. You know, just that satisfaction of a Puneri team having won would have been there. Heck, let’s hope for better luck next time.