- The olympiad sees participation from all over the country with nearly 1000 registrations
Woxsen University concluded the National Woxsen Olympiad 2026 – Red Hat Brainiac Champion, a two-day national-level competition that saw participation from institutions across India.
According to the organisers, the Olympiad received close to 1,000 registrations, with 125 participants shortlisted as finalists on the second day. The competition assessed participants on analytical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills through a multi-stage evaluation format. The total prize pool exceeded Rs 10 lakh, including cash awards, internship opportunities and skill development support.
The event was attended by Siv Ram Shastri Jonnalagadda, Co-founder, Hyderabad DAO; Sriranga Narasimha Gandhi Aryavalli, Vice President and Head of Security, Jio Platforms Limited; and VV Lakshminarayana, former IPS and CBI official and Advisory Board Member, Reva University.
Vishal Khurma, CEO, Woxsen University, said the Olympiad aimed to provide students with exposure to problem-solving beyond conventional academic settings. “Such competitions allow students to demonstrate analytical thinking and decision-making abilities that are relevant to real-world professional environments,” he said.
Sri VV Lakshminarayana said competitive platforms help students develop practical skills alongside academic learning. “These experiences allow students to work collaboratively, set goals and prepare for future challenges,” he said.
As part of the event, Woxsen University released a handbook titled Career Connect 2.0, aimed at students planning to pursue higher education abroad. The publication outlines preparation strategies for examinations such as GRE, GMAT, SAT and IELTS, along with guidance on academic planning and career readiness. The handbook has been authored by Bernard Bhutia, Head – COTD and WSAC; Bhavani Singh, Life Skills Trainer; Syed Hassan Abdullah, Life Skills Trainer; and Avinash Y.B, Aptitude Trainer.
The Olympiad followed a multi-stage format. The first stage, the Online Foundational Intelligence Assessment, tested quantitative aptitude, logical reasoning, verbal reasoning and psychometric behaviour through business- and technology-oriented case sets. The second stage, Strategic Thinking and Communication, involved an on-campus activity designed to assess teamwork, leadership and structured problem-solving. The final stage was a championship-level problem-solving round conducted in a competitive puzzle-based format.
On the second day, the university hosted a panel discussion titled Right, Wrong, or Grey? How Smart Decisions Are Made in an Ambiguous World. The session featured VV Lakshminarayana as the chief guest, with Siv Ram Shastri Jonnalagadda and Sriranga Gandhi as guests of honour. The discussion was moderated by Ashwani Rana, CEO, Vanix Technologies, and included participation from Meraj Faheem, CEO, Telangana Innovation Cell, Government of Telangana. The panel focused on ethical leadership, decision-making and strategic judgement in uncertain professional environments.
This year, women participants secured the top positions in the competition. The champion was Shrika Rana, a B.Tech student from Woxsen University, followed by Archika Ram, an MBA student from Woxsen University, as first runner-up, and Mahek Saxena from CMR College as second runner-up.
The Olympiad concluded with recognition of participants across multiple categories related to analytical reasoning, strategic thinking and problem-solving. Awards included cash prizes, internship opportunities and certificates.
