KSCSTE Tech Fest 2024 Showcases Innovation and Creativity at IIT Palakkad

The Technological Festival (TechFest-2024) organized by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) kicked off at IIT Palakkad on 2 March 2024. Prof. K P Sudheer, Principal Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, Govt of Kerala, presided over the function. Prof. A. Seshadri Sekhar, Director, IIT Palakkad, inaugurated the event. Dr. V Ajith Prabhu, Chief Scientist, KSCSTE, Prof. Santhakumar Mohan, Dean ICSR, IIT Palakkad, Dr. Suresh P. R, Principal, NSS College of Engineering Palakkad, Dr. K Vijayakumar, Principal Scientist, KSCSTE were also present.

Prof. Seshadri Sekhar, in his inaugural address, cautioned students to not to get carried away by the AI, stressing that human intelligence surpasses artificial intelligence. He urged students to deepen their domain expertise while emphasizing the need to have basic understanding of other areas. He added, "Innovation is nothing but the way one looks at it. If a person can make it more efficient, cheaper, or simpler, that’s an innovation."

Professor Sudheer reassured technologists about AI, emphasizing that it is a database created by humans. He stressed the need for researchers to collaborate and refine ideas through discussions. This year marks the ninth edition of the tech fest organized by KSCSTE, and its continuous evolution has significantly enhanced its quality over the years. Prof. Sudheer said there are plans to collaborate with Kerala Technical University for future editions, to organise a unified tech fest instead of separate events.