Events and Workshops on AI, Cybersecurity & Digital Transformation

Event Overview

The Dr. TMA Pai Endowment Chair in ITIS along with Department of Information & Communication Technology, MIT Manipal, successfully organized PING 2025 from March 28 to March 30, 2025, focusing on Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Digital Transformation. As part of this larger event, the Indomitus Capture The Flag (CTF) competition was conducted simultaneously, bringing together cybersecurity enthusiasts for an intense 48-hour offline challenge. Both events provided engaging platforms for experts, academicians, and students to explore advancements in technology and cybersecurity.

Inauguration Ceremony

The event commenced with a grand inauguration ceremony presided over by Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Rana, Director, MIT Manipal, and attended by distinguished guests including:

• Mr. Vivek Kumar Rai - Head, Strategic Business, HPC & AI, NVIDIA
• Dr. P. Giridhar Kini - Registrar, MAHE, Manipal
• Mrs. Sandhya Varanasi - VP EM CTO, Schneider Electric

The ceremony featured a traditional invocation, welcome address, lighting of the lamp, and the release of the event souvenir. Insightful speeches from the dignitaries set the tone for the three-day technological exploration.

Key Highlights

Expert-Led Sessions

Participants explored cutting-edge topics through sessions led by industry experts:

• Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) by Mr. Vivek Kumar Rai (Schneider Electric)
• AI Application Development using NVIDIA Cloud APIs by Mr. Vatsal Moradia (Schneider Electric)
• Cybersecurity Trends and Real-world Case Studies by Mr. Mohan Singh (Schneider Electric) and Dr. Srikanth Prabhu (Centre for Cybersecurity Lab)

Panel Discussion

A high-level panel discussion on "Digital Transformation & AI Disruptions in Industry 4.0/5.0" saw experts debating ethical concerns and future opportunities in reshaping industries.

Competitions

The event featured two major cybersecurity competitions:

• PING 2025 CTF - Challenges in web security, cryptography, forensics, and penetration testing
• Indomitus CTF 2025 - A premier 48-hour offline competition with participants from leading institutions

Valedictory Ceremony

The grand valedictory ceremony was held on March 30, 2025, at Sir M V Seminar Hall (AB 230), presided over by Dr. Manohara Pai MM. The ceremony featured:

Chief Guest: Dr. Somashekara Bhat (Joint Director, MIT Manipal) Guest of Honor: Dr. Preetham Kumar (Deputy Registrar - Academics [Technical], Manipal) Other Dignitaries: Dr. Radhika M. Pai (HoD, Department of Data Science & Computer Applications) and Dr. Smitha N. Pai (HoD, Department of Information & Communication Technology)

The ceremony included participant feedback sessions, prize distributions for competitions, and an inspiring address highlighting the importance of digital transformation and cybersecurity in today's technological landscape.

Impact and Success

PING 2025 and Indomitus CTF were resounding successes that fostered knowledge-sharing and collaboration while providing hands-on learning experiences in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. These events underscored MIT Manipal’s commitment to nurturing talent in emerging technologies while offering students a platform to engage with industry leaders and explore cutting-edge innovations.

The three-day event left participants enriched with valuable insights into AI-driven innovation and cybersecurity challenges, setting benchmarks for future endeavors in technology-driven education initiatives.