Bengaluru, Nov 29: Knowledgeum Academy’s flagship fest for grades 8-12, Odyssey 2025, transformed the campus into a vibrant stage of ideas, creativity, and youthful energy on 26 and 27 November. Under the theme ‘Manifest – Make Your Mark’, the fest wove together a range of events spanning workshops, competitions, and on-stage performances. Odyssey 2025 welcomed enthusiastic participation of more than 300 students from 20+ schools across Bengaluru, Bangarapet, and Belgaum.
Engaging Participation: Students, Schools, and a Buzzing Fest Atmosphere
The day one highlights included Mr Rasheed Kappan, an independent multimedia journalist, acting as a judge for the table topics competition. He shared the importance of staying in touch with the news so that students can bring an updated perspective to such competitions. Dr Kavita Pandey, Scientist, Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, supervised the science-model-making competition. Ms Kirana R, a seasoned artist who has been an illustrator for Vijaya Karnataka, was the judge for canvas painting.
Ms Mythri Kumar, founder and CEO of TimbuckDo, facilitated the elevator pitch workshop and brought her rich experience of navigating the ZEE TV show Ideabaaz. Mr Nishanth Jois, an enthusiastic Machine Learning Architect, moderated the AI-prompt-building workshop, ensuring to add the latest global developments in AI. The monologue workshop moderated by Ms Vandana Aluri witnessed the buzzing young energy of theatre enthusiasts.
The first day of Odyssey concluded with the award ceremony at Knowledgeum Academy, where participants celebrated the wins and carried with them constructive feedback to strengthen their participation in future competitions.
Moments to Remember: Highlights & Festive Energy
Odyssey 2025 was not just about competition; it was a celebration. The on-stage performances on the second day of Odyssey offered drama, dance, and fashion shows, transforming the JSS Auditorium into a vibrant tapestry of young talent, energy, and creativity. Ms Kriti Srivastava from NIFT Bengaluru’s Department of Design Space, Mr Pavan Sharma, an actor and writer in the Kannada film industry, Ms Sadhana Sharma, a theatre artist, and Vid. Deepthi Adhishesh, a bharatnatyam dancer and founder of Kaladeepthi Academy of Dance, came together to review the performances.
Their combined expertise provided thoughtful evaluation and inspiration, ensuring students received meaningful feedback across artistic and performance-based events. The mix of workshops and high-energy on-stage events allowed every participating student to pick something aligned with their passion and skills. It also exemplified the Academy’s commitment to holistic growth and real-world readiness.
A Grand Success — And a Promise for the Future
Odyssey 2025 lived up to its ambition: it turned the theme ‘Manifest – Make Your Mark’ into a reality where students made their mark — whether through words, art, performance, innovation or collaboration.
Dr Chenraj Roychand, Founder Chairman of JAIN Group and Founder of Knowledgeum, said, “Every young mind deserves a stage for their spark. With fests like Odyssey, we provide a platform to dream, build, and achieve.”
Ms Aparna Prasad, Founder of Knowledgeum, added, “True learning, I believe, only happens when learners are empowered to experiment and create. So, when given a chance to express and explore, they discover not just skills but also confidence, identity, and purpose to truly make their mark.”
The overall champions were Jain International Residential School (JIRS) from the junior category and JAIN PU College, Jayanagar, from the senior category. This fest celebrated not just winners, but every participant who dared to step up, express, and explore.