IBM launches 'Blue Battle' competition

BANGALORE, INDIA: IT major IBM today announced the launch of Gen-next technology challenge - IBM Blue Battle - in over 25 leading engineering colleges across India.

This challenge is basically for students to get hands-on-experience on high-end technologies and use IT tools to develop innovative solutions for difficult computing problems in real time, said a press release.

IBM expects over 1000 students in each of the 25 hosting colleges to participate in ‘IBM Blue Battle.’ The first in the series has been launched at IIIT Hyderabad and is being conducted on IBM Multi-core architecture for gaming, the release added.

The colleges lined up in the IBM Blue Battle series include UVCE Bangalore on Green IT, JNTU Hyderabad, Madras Institute of Technology (Anna University) Chennai, a few IITs and NITs.

Amol Mahamuni, programme director, WebSphere Solutions and Technology and University Relations - IBM India/SA said, “The challenge will enhance the students’ knowledge on technologies that are at the helm of innovation across the industry and provide them with an opportunity to develop innovative solutions in real work scenario.”

He added that it hones their technical skills while learning basic on-the-job skills such as teamwork, organization and working under deadlines.

It would enable participants to work on technologies such as Multi processors/Nano technology, electronics, service oriented architecture (SOA), Multi Core Architecture, Enterprise Computing (IBM System z), Information Management, Web 2.0, cloud computing, virtualization and High Performance Computing (HPC).

Mentors from IBM, along with the college faculty, would closely work with the students throughout the programme, the release added.

This competition would also enable students to work on projects using IBM products, applications, tools and services in the future through further collaboration and mentoring by IBM experts.

The winners of this highly challenging battle would receive attractive prizes including Lenovo Ideapad laptops along with certification from IBM, the release added.