International Hackathon on Large Language Models conducted by Hardponit consulting,USA in Association with CSE Dept
In an era characterized by rapid technological advancements and dynamic industry landscapes, the Hardpoint Consulting International Hackathon emerges as a beacon of innovation and collaboration. At the heart of this transformative initiative is the collaborative spirit fostered by the Computer Science and Engineering department. The genesis of this extraordinary event was ignited through the visionary approach of Dr Ramani Bai V (HoD CSE Dept). Recognizing the potential for groundbreaking collaboration,Dr Ramani Bai strategically sought the expertise of Mr Nithin Kadavil (Principal Cloud Solution Architect-Data and AIat Microsoft renowned for his pioneering work in the field of engineering. Leveraging Kadavil’s profound insights and extensive network, the Hackathon journey was set in motion. Mr Kadavil’s pivotal role as a conduit facilitated a seamless connection with Mr. Raymond Kusch (CEO of Hardpoint Consulting) catalyzing the realization of the Hackathon.
Dr.Ramani Bai’s unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and her strategic approach in harnessing the department’s resources underscored the importance of collaborative partnerships in driving meaningful change. This innovative approach not only exemplifies the department’s dedication to nurturing talent but also highlights the transformative power of interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping the future of technology.
The consistent engagement facilitated by HoD, the launching event, which unfolded virtually on 23 January 2024, served as a beacon of innovation and collaboration facilitated by esteemed partners Mr Raymond Kusch (CEO of Hardpoint Consulting, and Mr Nidhin Kadavil. Together, they spearheaded an immersive experience aimed at empowering students and forging pathways to internships and placements. With a thematic emphasis on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Model(LLM)technologies, the Hackathon bridged the gap between theoretical academia and practical industry applications. The event unfolded in two distinct stages, each designed to challenge and inspire participants while fostering a collaborative spirit. The international scope of the event added an extra layer of excitement and diversity to the proceedings.
The participants were equipped for success through a comprehensive three-day workshop during 05-07 February 2024 led by Dr Shailesh Sivan from CUSAT focusing on “Data Science Projects : Industry Perspective and Practices.” This workshop provided attendees with practical experience and a deep understanding of data science principles. Following this, a dynamic technical interaction session on 13 March 2024, featured esteemed alumni Mr Vishnu Prasad ( Chief of Staff, SynerAI,United States) (2015-2019 Batch, CSE Dept) and Mr Nikhil P S (Senior Frontend Developer, StreamFT, United States ) (2015-2019 Batch, CSE Dept) renowned for their achievements in international level
Hackathons
Their expertise and insights inspired attendees, leaving a lasting impact and fueling their motivation for the competition. Additionally, Dr. Manu Madhavan (Assistant Professor, IIIT Kottayam and an expert in Large Language Models (LLMs)) extended expertise to the pre-training camp held on 26 March 2024 equipping participants with the tools and knowledge needed to tackle the challenge head-on.
In the last week of March, the Hackathon’s initial round commenced, drawing participation from 16 enthusiastic teams representing diverse cultures and abilities. Tasked with the formidable objective of automatically extracting titles and authors from research papers and formulating alternative titles, teams engaged in an intensive two-day sprint fueled by datasets provided by the hosts.The exceptional support of the CSE department staff ,including S8 group tutors (Ms.Thulasi Rajan K,Ms Remya P S,Ms Mithu Varghese, and Ms Jensy Babu) was instrumental in meticulously creating each group. Their dedication ensured the seamless formation and functioning of the teams, laying the ground work for a successful and enriching competition experience.
Following the initial round, 10 standout teams emerged victorious . Assigned dedicated staff mentors, these teams embarked on the final leg of the journey, armed with a new problem statement unveiled on 03 April 2024.Tasked with designing innovative solutions to address real-world challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), leveraging generative AI technologies, participants delved deep into the realm of possibility, exploring diverse avenues of application within the SME landscape.
With the dead line for final submissions approaching on 10 April 2024, participants devoted themselves store fining their solutions ,buoyed by the expertise and unwavering support of their mentors. The culmination of their efforts unfolded over two intense days of presentations during 11- 12 April 2024.During the sessions, each team was allotted a 30-minutes lot to showcase their projects, which included a rigorous 10-minuteQ&A session. This allowed teams to demonstrate their technical proficiency, innovation, and articulate their solutions effectively to the panel of judges, comprising Mr. Raymond Kusch, Mr. Nidhin Kadavil and Dr Ramani Bai. The evaluation process involved a thorough assessment of the performance of every individual in each team, with criteria encompassing technical complexity, relevance to real-world problems, novelty of approach, feasibility of implementation, and clarity of presentation. Judges meticulously scrutinized each aspect, ensuring fair and comprehensive evaluation of all projects
Impressed by the caliber of submissions and the passion exhibited by participants, the conductors of the Hackathon extended an additional day on 13 April 2024,inviting teams to upload project demos and completed projects for final evaluation. This gesture underscored the Hackathon’s commitment to nurturing and recognizing excellence on an international scale, providing participants from around the world with a platform to showcase their talents and innovations
The Hard point Consulting International Hackathon stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in driving positive change a cross borders. By bridging the gap between academia and industry on a global scale,this event not only provided students with a platform to apply their skills in real-worlds cenarios but also paved the way for meaningful partnerships and opportunities for future growth and development on an international level. As participants reflect on their journey, they carry with the invaluable lessons learned, forging ahead with renewed inspiration and determination to make a difference in the world of NLP and LLM technologies.
| Hardpoint Consulting International Hackathon-Finalists |
| # | Name of the Team | Team Roles | Name of the Student | Staff Mentor’s Name |
| 1 |
Hacktivators |
Team Lead | Jibin C Baby | Thulasi Rajan K |
| Data/ML Engineer | Fidha P Haris | |||
| Software Engineer | Anurudh Deepan | |||
| Documentation | Badush | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Jeswin Jaison | |||
2 |
911 |
Team Lead | Shanavas R S | Dr Ramani Bai V |
| Data/ML Engineer | Joel Joseph | |||
| Software Engineer | Appu K | |||
| Documentation | Jayakrishnan Marar | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Fathima Nasrin T N | |||
3 |
Data Dragons |
Team Lead | Gokul P | Remya P S |
| Data/ML Engineer | Athul Menon | |||
| Software Engineer | Anurag Chandra | |||
| Documentation | GopikaBabu | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Divya Devaraj | |||
4 |
RedBulls |
Team Lead | Ignatius Nobel | Remya K R |
| Data/ML Engineer | Haritha Tony | |||
| Software Engineer | Hathulkrishnan | |||
| Documentation | Hanna Jose | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Arya V S | |||
5 |
404NotFound |
Team Lead | Amal Gopi | Ramya Raj |
| Data/ML Engineer | Harankumar | |||
| Software Engineer | Deepak Nair V P | |||
| Documentation | Elvin Jimmy P | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Jeeva C S | |||
6 |
AI Alchemists |
Team Lead | Meenakshy N S | Dr Ramani Bai V |
| Data/ML Engineer | Neeraja Krishnakumar | |||
| Software Engineer | Nandhana A R | |||
| Documentation | Aardra Nair | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Binil Babu P | |||
| 7 |
PARSINGPIONEERS |
Team Lead | Vrindha K | Athulya Bhaskar |
| Data/ML Engineer | Sujishna V P | |||
| Software Engineer | Sreechandhana K H | |||
| Documentation | Lena Biju | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | DarwinTD | |||
8 |
Don’tCare |
Team Lead | Vishnu Sudheer | Mithu Varghese |
| Data/ML Engineer | Suryajit Sudheeran | |||
| Software Engineer | Rohit C | |||
| Documentation | Vishnukant P K | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Fadil Abdulla E | |||
| 9 | TECHTRIBES | Team Lead | Solomon Varghese | Jensy Babu |
| Data/ML Engineer | Vishnu P R | |||
| Software Engineer | Sreyas Unni | |||
| Documentation | Sreenath M S | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Kiran Krishnan V | |||
| 10 | Acceptall cookies | Team Lead | Fatimahziya A T | Silpa K S |
| Data/ML Engineer | Sarathkumar K | |||
| Software Engineer | Arfan B T | |||
| Documentation | Aswin M M | |||
| Assistant S/W Engineer | Jeeva Vinod |
| The Editorial Team of News & Events joins the entire Vidya fraternity in extending hearty Congratulations to all who walked the glory road with highest of your hopes and wishing all the best to harvest the fruits of your hard work with a blend of technical prowess and creative ingenuity. !!! |
