Date:06/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/05/06/stories/2005050600811900.htm

Back Pune to host India leg of Microsoft Imagine Cup

Our Bureau

Pune May 5

PUNE will host the zonal round of the India leg of the Imagine Cup of Microsoft Corporation India Pvt Ltd on May 7.

The Imagine Cup is a global contest held by Microsoft to provide students across the world with an international platform to showcase their software development skills. The annual contest is in its third year, and this year, more than 5,000 students across India are participating.

The theme for Imagine Cup 2005 is "Breaking down boundaries", and students are encouraged to conceptualise technology solutions to help address emerging social issues.

The Imagine Cup zonal rounds will also take place in Delhi and Chennai on May 11 and 14respectively, following which the national finals will be held in June.

The India winners will then contest in the world finals to be held in Japan in July, for a total prize of $50,000.

Along with the Imagine Cup, Microsoft is also hosting the Student Project Program Expo on May 7 in Pune.

The 10 top submissions from the West zone will be showcased at the Expo.

The Microsoft Student Project Program is an initiative undertaken by the company under which over 30,000 students from 1,500 technical institutes across 400 Indian cities and towns designed solutions on Microsoft technologies - as a part of their annual project submission. Microsoft provided these students with the tools and technologies and guidance required to create these projects.

Among the 10 teams participating in the Imagine Cup zonal round, two teams have developed solutions on power management and intelligent home security systems.

This year, Imagine Cup was open to both school and university students and were encouraged to address social issues.

The contest includes nine `open' categories such as software design, technology business plan and rendering, and three special categories created only for school students.