Brainstrain '25 - where wits met wizardry

Expectation. It is derived from a Latin word, expectationem, meaning “an awaiting.” Awaiting can be cold, awaiting can be cruel, but to await is to hope, to await is to long for. And so I waited for the day when the oval was decorated, the shield was lifted, and the stage was set. And so, I waited for Brainstrain ‘25.

Brainstrain is the flagship event of the Literary and Debating Society, where wordsmiths from all over the world wrestle it out with their wits to win the war of words.

I know that some of you might already be thinking that there is an excessive use of “W”s in the last few lines. Well, well, well, let me add one more “W” to the list by letting you know that the theme for Brainstrain ‘25 was “Wizards.”

With a lot of whimsical wizardry and a ban on witchcraft, the big day was right around the corner. As someone who was a part of Brainstrain ‘24, my heart was filled with excitement and the weight of expectations placed on Brainstrain ‘25.

“The start of the day begins as soon as the night ends,” they say. But our night never ended, as the final stretches of preparation were in full swing. And finally, when the sun was ready to rise, we were ready to pull the event off.

Every great event must have a grand start. And Brainstrain ‘25 had its grand inaugural ceremony at the main auditorium in the presence of the club advisor of LDS, Dr. J. Anbazhagan Vijay, and the chief guest, Dr. Ayesha M.I.

The President of LDS, Bharani Ishwarya  and The Secretary of LDS, Akash spearheaded the event, acting as the vanguards and the participants from different colleges were doing their best to stay put as they were eagerly waiting to shoot out from their seats and enter the vocabularic battlefields.

As Dr. Ayesha M.I., with her bubbling personality and motivational demeanour, commenced the start of  event, the stored energy shot out in all directions, increasing the entropy of the universe as well as the excitement of the innerverse.

The preliminary rounds for household events such as JAM, Shipwreck, Debate, Quiz, Poem, Microtale, Unominuto, Drama, and Puzzle were conducted in the morning. The Arcane Challenge, a special entry to this edition of BS ‘25, was especially enjoyed by the young practitioners of magic.

The events were spread across the venues of Alumni Auditorium, Platinum Jubilee Building, Science Block, and the Main Auditorium. To ease the confusion regarding directions, the members of our club actively sought out the participants and guided them to the right venues.

Participants from colleges like Hindustan, TNAU, GCE Salem, Law College, etc., showcased their way with words and enthralled the panel of juries.

The battle of wits, especially between TNAU and GCE Salem, was the fiercest, as they were going spell for spell against each other.

If time was a round rock, it really did roll fast, as the stomachs gave a cue, and lunchtime arrived. Spoiler alert: people loved the food, especially the rosemilk kesari, which was later unanimously granted the title of “a divine delicacy.” I'm definitely not biased on this one. Maybe I am, but hey, so are most people.

Like sirens on the sea, magically alluring the sailors with their enchanting voice, team MUFX enchanted us all with their soul-soothing performance. Every song hit the right note, and every song hit the right place. The big bright star’s efforts to tire out spirits were thwarted by this revitalizing performance.

What follows a calming performance, you ask? A Warzone. Fighting with nothing but words and wits, the shortlisted mages entered their chosen battles, proving their might once again for the world to see.

When the dust settled and the sun started to set, it was finally time to acknowledge the valor showcased by the participants. And so the valedictory ceremony began. Participants from different colleges bagged the prizes one after the other, but none stood as tall as GCE Salem and TNAU.

GCE Salem were in high spirits; being the overall title winners of Brainstrain ‘24, they had their fair share of confidence in doing it once again. And on the other hand, catching everyone off guard, TNAU, snatched win after win cementing its place as the unsuspected underdog.

What started with expectation can only end with expectation. Only this time, I was not the only one expecting it, but the whole crowd was. Young and elderly, participants and organizers, students and faculty—every single one of them was on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting for the final reveal. The grand reveal of the overall title winner.

The anticipation in the air grew thicker and thicker until it reached its peak. To end the climax with a bang, I took the mic, and with the crowd as my echo, my voice rang loud, ceremoniously counting down from 10.

“And the overall title winner is…TNAU,” and the crowd erupted in wild cheers. The champions of this edition,TNAU, came running to the stage, lifting the trophy high and proud. Joy and zeal, the only emotions on their face.

Pictures were taken, moments were captured, and memories were etched deep into the hearts of everyone at the scene.

I'm immensely grateful for every single participant, volunteer, member, flag bearer, and alumni who showed up just to help their juniors out, the faculty, and our club advisor who made the event as successful as it was.

“Expectations can never be fulfilled,” they say. And I would like to add more to it. Yes, expectations are not meant to be fulfilled. But meant to be exceeded, surpassed, and dwarfed upon. And Brainstrain ‘25 did exactly that and ended with the hearts of people already expecting the next edition.

Credits:

Patron: Dr. K. Manonmani, Principal of GCT

Staff In-charge: Dr. M. Kalpana

Editor in Chief: Mathimalar V (IT 23-27)

Article prepared by: Sivasiddharth S S(MECH 23-27)