ATHENORA 2025

The Centre for Academic and Professional Support (CAPS), Christ University Pune Lavasa, hosted ATHENORA 2025, a dynamic festival of ideas and innovation that engaged students in fourteen diverse activities. Designed to cultivate critical thinking, practical skills, and interdisciplinary collaboration, ATHENORA blended workshops, competitions, and creative showcases into a holistic platform for growth. From trading simulations and research training to debates, storytelling, poster design, shipwreck scenarios, and short video creation, the event offered participants opportunities to sharpen their intellect while expressing creativity.

1. Trading Workshop: Building Financial Literacy
2. Research Workshop: From Ideas to Inquiry
3. Debate: Competence Over Compliance
4. Maze Challenge: Decode, Decide, Deliver
5. Poster Making: Design Your Destiny
6. Escape Room: Collaboration Under Pressure
7. Shipwreck Simulation: Strategic Survival

One of the most impactful sessions was the Trading Workshop, led by Dr. Abhijeet Birari, Head of Department (MBA). Titled “Understanding Stock Markets, Trading Strategies, and Financial Literacy”, the workshop introduced BSc, BBA, and law students to the mechanics of financial markets. Participants explored the roles of investors and regulators, the economic forces driving price movements, and strategies such as long‑term investing, intraday trading, diversification, and risk management. Dr. Birari also provided a primer on algorithmic trading, highlighting how technology is reshaping modern finance. With practical examples and interactive discussions, the session emphasized budgeting, saving, and risk assessment, equipping students with both confidence and analytical skills to make informed financial decisions.

Dr. Parul Gupta conducted the Research Workshop, offering first‑year BBA students a structured introduction to academic inquiry. The session guided participants through identifying research gaps, formulating objectives, and designing hypotheses. Students learned how to select appropriate methodologies, choose effective data collection tools, and apply analytical techniques. A key focus was transforming simple ideas into workable research topics, ensuring clarity and precision in academic writing. Ethical considerations and proper documentation were also emphasized. By the end, students gained not only technical skills but also confidence in approaching research challenges with rigor and creativity.

The “Competence Over Compliance” Debate provided a platform for students to articulate ideas and challenge assumptions. Participants were given topics on the spot, requiring quick thinking and nuanced argumentation. The debate highlighted the tension between necessary compliance and excessive regulation, encouraging students to distinguish between constructive rules and counterproductive rigidity. Debaters demonstrated analytical depth, persuasive communication, and intellectual flexibility, while the format fostered respectful yet spirited exchanges. The event enhanced public speaking confidence and leadership qualities, with standout speakers recognized for their clarity and impact.

The Maze Challenge tested analytical thinking and decision‑making under pressure. Designed as a problem‑solving journey, participants navigated checkpoints filled with puzzles, legal scenarios, and logical challenges. Success required decoding clues, making swift yet reasoned choices, and delivering solutions within time limits. The competition promoted strategic thinking, adaptability, and teamwork, while its energetic format kept participants engaged. By combining fun with intellectual rigor, the Maze Challenge became a memorable exercise in collaborative problem‑solving.

Creativity took center stage in Poster Making: Design Your Destiny, where students explored design thinking and visual storytelling. Participants crafted posters that conveyed meaningful themes through artistic techniques and clear messaging. The event encouraged confidence‑building, aesthetic awareness, and collaborative learning. Feedback sessions allowed students to refine their ideas, while outstanding posters were acknowledged for their originality and impact.

The Escape Room event brought excitement and camaraderie. Teams worked against the clock to solve riddles and clues across themed scenarios, requiring creativity, teamwork, and communication. Organizers ensured smooth progression by offering hints, allowing all groups to experience success. The thrill of racing time fostered bonding and resourcefulness, leaving participants with a sense of achievement and shared enjoyment.

The Shipwreck Competition challenged students to navigate a hypothetical survival scenario. Teams had to prioritize resources, make strategic decisions, and collaborate under time constraints. Judges evaluated approaches based on logic, feasibility, and teamwork, offering constructive feedback to enhance learning. The event emphasized adaptability, leadership, and innovative problem‑solving, mirroring real‑world challenges where resilience and collaboration are key.