Pragyan is an ISO 9001 and 20121 certified, student run organization that is hosted every year at NIT, Trichy. It is the largest techno-management fest in India and provides one of the best platforms for students and inquisitive minds to showcase their technical skills and knowledge. And to present the fest on a lighter note and to end the day with a true celebration of technology, Infotainment shows are conducted during all four days, after 6 PM. All the programmes were graced by the attendance of NIT-T’s Director, Dr. Mini Shaji Thomas.
On Day 0 of Pragyan 2017, ‘Laser Show India’ enthralled a packed crowd at the NSO grounds with its bright lights and stunning laser imagery. The show started at 8:15 PM, on the 2nd of March, 2017, and went on until 9 PM. The excited crowd gathered at the NSO ground was treated to a visual feast in different rounds, based on different themes for each round. Initially, the eclectic mix of lasers were projected through a white screen posed to the audience. The theme of this ecstatic beginning round was based on different events and highlights related to Pragyan 2017. This was followed by a power-packed and EDM-backed display of intriguing patterns in the aesthetically foggy ambience, spanning multiple rounds of atmospheric euphoria and visual complexity. The penultimate round evoked a patriotic fervour in everyone witness to the grandeur, which is owed to the projection of the tri-colours of our Indian flag with the maestro A R Rahman’s version of ‘Vande Mataram’ playing in the background. The last rounds left everyone with Goosebumps as A.R. Rahman’s “Jai Ho” boomed through the air waves, binding the audience in an amazing cacophony of brilliant lights and sounds. The event ended with a thundering and well-deserved applause from the ecstatic audience, signalling the initiation of three days of innovation, technology and a whole lot of fun for everyone.
The Infotainment programmes of Day 1, 3rd March, 2017, was kick-started with a magic show by Chris Cheong. He is a Malaysian illusionist prodigy who has baffled audiences in innumerable number of stages around the world. His event started at around 6 PM and witnessed a large crowd gathering. The Barn hall was packed to the brim with the crowd at the edge of their seats throughout the show. The show was very interactive as he called audience members to the stage to take part in the mind-boggling illusions he created. He portrayed a different take on the classic Russian roulette act where he crushed paper bags containing bottles according to the audience’s choice. He successfully crushed all bags except the one containing the bottle which was left for the grand reveal at the end. He then proceeded to have a secret envelope set on stage which had hidden answers to questions he asked the audience. The paper inside correctly predicted, in order, every single question thrown at him by random audience members and answered them perfectly when opened and read out in the end. The event was ingenuity at its best and left NIT Trichy spell-bound at his detailed acts, which are sure to leave a mark on all those who attended for years to come.
The final Infotainment show for Day 1 of Pragyan ‘17, was the Pyro show, a dazzling display of fire dancing by Anta Agni, a trio of fire dancers based in Slovekia. The show began at 9 PM in the NSO ground and was attended by a large number of excited students and faculty members. During the enthralling 15 minute show, the dancers displayed their exceptional talents through a wide variety of choreographies and daring stunts including fireworks and hula-hoops. One act worth mentioning was when the dancer displayed the logo and the partners of Pragyan with his pyro-equipment. A blimp containing the names of the partners of Pragyan ’17 was made to float over the audience, which added to the dazzling ambience. A drone was made to hover over the ground to capture every single moment of the entrancing performance. The captivating show came to a close at 9:15 PM, with a standing ovation from the audience for a performance filled with perfection.
The next day saw a UV light show by Anta Agni. The vibrant costumes with exquisite details, LED cubes and Hula-hoops, air-brushed ribbons, acrobatics on the Cyr wheel and Pixel-poi did their job in driving the crowd wild with excitement.
After the valediction on the last day, a stand-up performance by Biswa Kalyan Rath took place under the banner of Infotainment and Comedy Night; marking a perfect finale for Pragyan 2017.
With a perfect blend of Information and Entertainment, Pragyan’s Infotainment programmes lived up to the hype and to its name. The audience were left captivated, speechless and waiting for more.
