TCS-UAE interschool quiz champions reveal their winning streak

The winners

Manas George

One of the two winners of the third TCS UAE inter school IT quiz championship, Manas is a foodie who loves his pizzas, paneer tikkas and steaks as much as he loves pure Physics and idolises physicist of the 60s, Richard P Feynman. Manas is passionate about computer programming and thinks it is a medium of self-expression. “It is not much different from playing with clay or LEGO, except that here you get extremely well paid ,” says the 16-year-old student of Indian High School, Dubai, who has a reddit account and can be found online engaging in lively discussions in his free time. As a child, Manas loved playing the game Age of Empires as he feels he had control over a ragtag bunch of villages and learnt about strategy and history getting them to build an empire. He also loves the outdoors and often spends his free time, strolling close to the Dubai Creek or at the piers at the Port Rashid. His favourite line about life comes from a painter called Bob Ross: “Gotta have opposites; dark and light, light and dark in painting. It’s like in life. Gotta have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come.”

Arpit Raorane

When Arpit Rao Rane, who shared the winning post at the quiz, is not dabbling with the world of computers or programming, you can find him sweating out at a game of table tennis or at the Mamzar beach. Artificial Intelligence and human computer interactions really fascinate Arpit and he absolutely believes in Alan Kay’s quote “The best way to predict the future is to invent it’. “I am really passionate about computers and wish to do something completely different in this field. I enjoy discovering new things related to IT and computer and this is also my past- time,” says the 17- year old grade 12 student of Indian High School who idolises Mark Zuckerberg. His favourite hangout is his own home as he loves his mom’s cooking and loves being on his own.

Two years in a row. What were the special efforts you made to stay at the top of the game?

Manas George: I went through close to a 1,000-and-a-half questions from previous quizzes, founders of companies, logos, acronyms, anything in the news that struck me as interesting. I keep a sort of scrap file of interesting tidbits, things like details in company logos (The Microsoft XNA logo has Morse code symbolism three layers deep in it) or anecdotes about the IT industry.

Arpit: There was pressure to defend the title so thorough preparation was important. The preparation ranged from reading about things which are as old as the first electric device to the latest gadgets , tech trends and happenings in famous IT companies. The preparations were divided between Manas and I. Each of us focused on a particular area. We also read lots of online blogs and Wikipedia pages on different people and companies. To get the feel of the new TCS IT WIZ format I watched videos of different regional finals which were held in India and followed The NDTV Tech-Grand Master Series.

What excites you about the world of IT? Name three things about it you are passionate about.

Manas: I’m passionate about programming. There’s something magical about the act of being able to write down a set of obscure looking symbols that work with other sets of obscure looking symbols to do cool things on a computer screen. Like calculate trajectories for spacecraft. Or playing funny cat videos.

Arpit: The thing which excites me the most about that the world of IT is that it simplifies our life and helps us to live it in a better way. With passage of time, it keeps on evolving and there are infinite possibilities in which it can improve our way of living.

The three things I am passionate about are Artificial Intelligence, Human-Computer Interaction and App development.

Will you pick this field as a career? Or do you have other plans?

Manas: It’s definitely my first choice. There are few things I’m as comfortable with as I am with computers, and fewer things that give free rein to cross-pollination across fields. Nearly every major discipline today (The Human Genome project, for example), makes intensive use of IT, so it’s a wonderful way of making contributions to interesting things happening everywhere.

Arpit: Yes, I want to pick this field as my career as I am passionate about it and when I work on it, time just flies and I feel like discovering more about it.

Outside of quiz competitions, what is your equation with the world of IT?

Manas: A non-linear differential equation. That is to say, extremely difficult to explain. To me, computers are a medium of self-expression. Artists have their easels, writers have their notebooks. I have my laptop (and, thanks to TCS, my iPad!).

Arpit: I am very much interested in IT and technology. At the age of 9 I started to learn Web development and then it went on. I like designing websites and trying something new every time. When it comes to studies, I make sure that I can make maximum use of computer. Currently, I am trying to learn app development online.

Do you believe Facebook is only for narcissists?

Manas: The original Narcissus, the eponymous narcissist, had a mirror in which he basked in self adulation. Facebook is like the ultimate mirror; it’s a great platform for narcissists, but narcissists aren’t the only ones using mirrors, right?

Arpit: No. I don’t believe that Facebook is only for narcissists. Facebook can be used by anyone.

Is reading a habit with you? E-book or physical?

Manas: “I find television very educating; every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book” – Groucho Marx. I love reading. The previous statement is a gross understatement. It’s hard to beat the convenience of e-books, but I do carry a soft spot for the rustle of moving paper, the smell of fresh print, the texture of a thousand crushed tree-pulps.

Arpit: I like reading books related to Computers or books written by IT personalities. I prefer Ebooks as there is no worry of handling them and they can fit into our pockets.

Would you sms an important message to your best friend or speak face-to-face?

Manas: Message him to meet me so that we could talk face to face. Some forms of communication are objectively better at some things than other forms. Messaging is great when you want to quickly get somebody’s attention, for example, but the most serious things need subliminal hints from body language to really get the message across.

Arpit: I would speak face-to-face if possible. I think that we can express and convey our message more effectively than we can do through text message.

What’s the best thing about being in your teens?

Manas: Having comparatively minor things to worry about. Life is so much simpler in some ways when you’re a teen; your biggest worries are your marks at school and your relations with friends, not things like keeping a roof over your head or making ends meet. On the flip side, your parents let you shoulder more responsibility, which is always a sobering experience, but something I wouldn’t miss for the world. It’s their letting you try to stand on your own two feet that gives you the strength to support them when they need it.

Arpit: The best thing for me about being in my teens is that we are full of energy, hopes and vision. There are so many different things we can do and explore.

If you were to be stranded on an island, what are the 5 things you would absolutely need?

Manas: Duct tape, duct tape, duct tape, and some more duct tape. Duct tape is the ultimate wonder material. I’ve seen people build everything from hammocks to boats to water bottles out of the stuff. On a more serious note, probably a solar power generator, a GPS set, and ham radio equipment. This is assuming the island is tropical, so there’s plenty of food and water to keep me alive as I pump out SOS signals all day long.

Arpit: The things I will need are: Water and food to survive, source of light , shelter , weapon to protect myself and something to pass time when bored.

If you had to design a website on yourself, what would be unique about it? Name 3 knock-out features.

Manas: I’d design it as a fake Amazon product page. A colossal experiment in personal branding, the website would show off everything I’ve managed to do in the ~17 years I’ve been around in the form of product features and specifications. Shipping would be expensive, though!

Arpit: I would like to make a website which can provide maximum solution and would be very user friendly. It will match the users’ needs. The 3 most important features are An Eye-catching Design, Convenient Navigation and Proper Content.

I want to make a Complete E-learning website on which students can learn at any time, any topic they like. Give tests and get graded and also receive feedback. It will also have a system which will automatically understand students’ weak areas and work on it. There will be high level of interaction between the user and the system.

The runners-up

Madhur Singal

The 16-year old student of DPS Sharjah, and one of the runners-up at the TCS inter-school quiz, lives by a simple motto in life. “I always do what I love, and love what I do.” His I-love-list - his mother who is his hero, pasta, badminton, tennis, bowling and movies. “I believe that to be kind is more important than to be right. Sometimes people don’t need a brilliant mind that speaks, but just a special heart that listens,” he says summoning the adult-in-waiting inside him to the fore. He aims to be a software engineer and work to give back to society.

Madhav Subramanyam

The youngest runner up at the TCS quiz, Madhav Subramanyam a 15 year old student from DPS Sharjah loves hanging out at the Dubai Mall and is capable of eating a lot of food as he is really skinny. Pizzas top his list of favourite foods although he says he enjoys any kind of cuisine. Like his team mate Madhur, he plans to be a software engineer and idolises Steve Jobs believing in the Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish philosophy. When he is not studying, he loves indulging in extreme sports such as sky diving and roller blading or football and of course, he idolises Lionel Messi.

Is winning more important or participating?

Madhav: I believe that it is important to participate regardless of the result. It doesn’t matter if you don’t win, it is more important to gain experience and maturity that will make us stronger in the future.

Madhur: Whether you win or you lose is a part of the game. But the real essence is the experience. Every event in our life teaches us new things. Whenever I participate in a competition, I participate to experience it. Winning is just the icing on the cake.

What excites you about the world of IT? Name three things about it you are passionate about.

Madhav: What is exciting about the world of IT, in my opinion, is its constantly evolving nature. In just 20 years, it has transformed almost completely and has a pronounced influence on our way of life.

Madhur: The first exciting thing about IT for me is its ever changing nature. What is news today, is history tomorrow. The world of IT is constantly changing and improving day by day. The second thing I love about IT is the incredible potential it contains. IT has revolutionized our world today. It has provided a simpler and modern approach to everyday things from chatting to reading. And lastly, IT has remodeled my day to day life. Now I don’t need to brush through heaps of books to find something, a few keys and a few clicks can open the entire world to me. For ex: The advent of social networking sites such as Facebook and mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones

Will you pick this field as a career? Or do you have other plans?

Madhav: I am very much interested in picking this field as a career path at present and would like to contribute to this industry in the future, perhaps even set up my own firm!

Madhur: IT is definitely something which I would love to pursue in life. My aim is to become a software designer and I plan to implement my skills to benefit my society and community in the best possible way.

Outside of quiz competitions, what is your equation with the world of IT?

Madhav: I have some experience with amateur web developing and have tried to develop my own mobile app, which I had to scrap due to lack of free time. I am also an accomplished technophile and enjoy remaining up to date with the latest gadget.

Madhur: I believe that IT is one of the most developing fields in the coming years. The immense vastness of this field encourages me to learn more and more about it. I am thus constantly developing my knowledge about it. Programming and designing are my all time favorites.

Is reading a habit with you? Ebook or physical?

Madhav: I enjoy reading for relaxation and as a hobby. However, e-books never really caught on with me and I prefer physical books.

Madhur: Books are something that I lay my hands on as soon as I catch their sight. Reading is like a unique therapy for me and a good read is something that I accommodate in my daily schedule on a regular basis. However while travelling, I prefer e-books for their compatibleness and light weight.

Do you believe Facebook is only for narcissists?

Madhav: No, I believe the web is what you make of it and websites like Facebook can certainly be used as an innocent means of sharing friendly information with acquaintances.

Madhur: Facebook helps us to connect with our friends and family at any instant. It is definitely a marvel when used judiciously and adequately. However its overuse is just as harmful. Spending too much time with it can detach you with the outside world. I believe it is a boon when used properly and a bane when used inappropriately.

Would you sms an important message to your best friend or speak face-to-face?

Madhav: That would depend on the message. If it were a very personal message, I would feel more comfortable talking face to face with someone rather than texting them.

Madhur: If there’s one thing that today’s world is deteriorating of, it is face to face interaction. I prefer to communicate with my friends and family person to person. I always try to avoid indirect communication as much as possible.

What’s the best thing about being in your teens?

Madhav: I believe that being a teenager is one of the best parts one’s life as one can enjoy life without any worries such as jobs or families and hang out with friends.

Madhur: The best thing in teenage life is the vibrancy and zest of the age. It is the period when one can develop himself and his personality. The best thing about my teenage years would be the immense amount of fun and enjoyment I can have. The amount of time and energy at my disposal during teenage years cannot be acquired any other time in life.

If you stranded on an island, what are the 5 things you would absolutely need?

Madhav: 1) Television

2) A solar powered computer.

3) A pillow (Cant sleep without one)

4) Coca-Cola

5) A portable tent

Madhur: My football, drawing book, my mobile , Mom (she’s a really good cook) and plenty of Shakespeare to read.

If you had to design a website on yourself, what would be unique about it? Name 3 knock-out features.

Madhav:

1) Would be in the form of an interactive movie with the user able to navigate to different parts of my life

2) It would be fully integrated with social networking sites with people able to comment or tweet about each article

3) Could allow people to edit it to a limited extent, expressing their views on different topics.

Madhur: Given a chance to design my very own website, I would fill it with loads of pictures. Also, I will include a feedback option so that I get to know what my visitors feel about my website. Lastly, I would include a daily blog so that the website does not get outdated.

(schaudhary@gulfnews.com)