Interschool AI Competition Event - Organised by the Institution of Engineers, Kuwait Chapter

The event took place in a vibrant atmosphere, bringing together young minds, engineers, and professionals to celebrate technological advancements, with a particular focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The competition offered a platform for students to present their innovative AI-driven projects, where the participants showcased their creativity and problem-solving skills through cutting-edge technology.

The day started at 9:00 AM with the Kuwait National Anthem, followed by a warm welcome from the Event Chair – Engr. Rajalakshmi Rajasekaran. The Master of Ceremony, representing the Institution of Engineers – India, Science Club, Kuwait Chapter, opened the event by highlighting the mission of the IEI-Kuwait Chapter. The chapter prides itself on promoting sustainability, artificial intelligence, and advancing education for children while supporting the professional development of engineers.

The event kicked off with an honorary bouquet presentation by Engr. Rishabh Jain to dignitaries, including:

1. Dr. Zainab AlMeraj, Guest of Honor, an Associate Professor in the Department of Information Science at Kuwait University and founder of Tech Connect and Google Developer Groups Kuwait.

2. Eng. Tyrone Lawson, Jury Member, Director of MEP at Pace Architecture, Engineering + Planning, who brought extensive experience in sustainable engineering solutions.

3. Dr. Ali AlFayly, Jury Member, Assistant Professor in Computer Science at the College of Basic Education, Kuwait, who is also a prominent figure in the IEEE R8 Young Professionals Organization.

4. Eng. Jay Mojindar, Jury Member (virtually), an AI consultant, Datalingo solutions, California. His expertise in the Cloud Architecture | AI | Analytics | SaaS AI | Mobile (Ex-Oracle Ex-Motorola)

5. Mr. Mohammed Shooqur, Mentor, an AI practitioner focused on helping organizations unlock AI potential.

6. Eng. Senthil Kumar Sundarajan, Mentor, Principal Lead Engineer at SSH Design Consultants with over 20 years of experience in construction and design.

7. Eng. Mythili Rajamannar, Mentor, an Enterprise Product Manager at the National Bank of Kuwait with a background in data science and banking technology.

8. Ms. Ghaliyah Al Ansari, Mentor, a data scientist with National Bank of Kuwait's Chief Data Office, where she works with other teams to leverage their data to ease and enhance decision making. She cofounded and built erxa, a digital prescription platform.

9. Mr. Abhijeet Joshi, Mentor, AI experts, seasoned leader, mentor, and speaker with over two decades of experience. Since joining Nvidia in 2015, he has been at the forefront of technology, specializing in Artificial Intelligence and innovation.

Following the bouquet presentation, Engr. Rajalakshmi, the Event Chair, gave a welcome address. She shared her passion for sustainable development and innovative solutions, emphasizing the importance of engaging young minds in the field of artificial intelligence.

The Keynote Speech by Dr. Zainab AlMeraj inspired the attendees with her insights into AI’s potential and its importance in shaping future technologies. She underscored the need for collaboration between educators, engineers, and students to create a sustainable, tech-forward society.

The most anticipated moment of the event followed with the Technical Presentations. Six teams of young students competed by presenting their AI-based projects, including:

• Team Sims Programmers

• Team Wordwave

• Team The Impactful Four

• Team Code Crafters

• Team Guardians of Gaia

• Team AI Architects

Each team demonstrated impressive AI models addressing real-world problems, showcasing their creativity, and understanding of cutting-edge technology.

At 11:30 AM, the Chief Guest for the event, Dr. Sivathanu Pillai, was introduced by Engr. Rishabh Jain. Dr. Pillai, a renowned expert in the field of technology, delivered a motivational speech and provided valuable insights into AI’s future impact and its transformative role in various industries.

Afterward, the Jury and Mentors were invited to share their experiences, followed by the presentation of mementos. The esteemed jury and mentors included professionals like Eng. Tyrone Lawson, Dr. Ali AlFayly, Eng. Senthil Kumar Sundarajan, Eng. Mythili Rajamannar, and others who reflected on their experiences mentoring the teams and participating in the event.

The highlight of the day came with the Prize Distribution Ceremony at 12:00 PM, where the following awards were presented by Dr.Pillai and Jury:

• Winner for Best Overall Project – TEAM Code Crafters for their Project on AI for Climate action and sustainable cities and communities representing Smart Indian School Cambridge, Kuwait

1. Shiham Ali Khan

2. Taha Saif

3. Syed Hur Ali

4. Abdulrahman Ahmed

• 1st Runner-Up for Best Project and Presentation - TEAM Wordwave for their Project on AI for Good Health and Well Being representing Indian Learners' Own Academy

1. Abhijith Mahesh

2. Akhil Rejo Joseph

3. Jubal Saji Varughese

4. Vedarth Biju

• Best Presentation Award – TEAM The Impactful four for their project on AI for the partnership for the goals representing Indian Learners' Own Academy

1. G. Tarun

2. Muhammed Firas

3. Rizwan Kareem

4. Ishat Raj

Medals were distributed to the 3 teams who participated in the Finals.

• Team Sims Programmers for their project on AI for waste categorization for recycling representing Salmiya Indian Model School

1. Aarush Kidiyoor

2. Hadi Mantach

3. Adith Sherif

4. Mohamad Imran contractor

• Team Guardians of Gaia for their project on AI for Biodiversity Awareness and Conservation representing Smart Indian School

1. Joy Allwyn Beera

2. Aryan Goenka

3. Huzaifa Areeb Bajwa

4. Eric Manoj Mathew

• Team AI Architects for their project on AI for life below water representing United Indian School

1. Albin John Anish

2. Nilan Varghese Mathew

3. Joshua Frederick Ravindran

4. Atheendradev Chaniyil Venu

The event concluded with a heartfelt Vote of Thanks presented by Eng. Sam Ananth, Honorary Chairman of IEI-Kuwait Chapter, who thanked all the participants, mentors, jury members, and dignitaries for making the event a success.

The event was successfully organised with support of IEI Kuwait Chapter, Gen. Secretary Eng. Sudhir Menghani, senior EC members Eng. KrishnaJegan, Eng. Agnes Stanley, Ms. Keerthi Sathesh, Eng. Karthikeyan, and Eng Rajendra Kannan, Eng. Shankhar and Dr. Sabiha.

The Interschool AI Competition was an enriching experience, fostering collaboration between young students, educators, and professionals. It served as an important platform to promote AI education and innovation, while also honouring the legacy of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya and his contributions to engineering and technology.

This event marked a significant milestone for the IEI-Kuwait Chapter, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the growth of AI, sustainability, and education in Kuwait.