Latest news with #UniversityChallenge
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC star 'wades through rivers of people' as tragedy leaves 30 dead
BBC journalist faces huge decision as catastrophe strikes and 30 die during filming epic spiritual journey in India to explore grief and spiritualism 'My dad was my hero, totally and utterly,' says Amol Rajan as he recalls the toughest journey of his life. Earlier this year, the broadcaster, 41, joined 500 million pilgrims from across the globe to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Northern India, the world 's largest religious gathering. While on his journey, he explores his Indian and Hindu heritage and grieves for his beloved father, P Varadarajan, who died three years ago from pneumonia. 'I revered him growing up as I did my beloved mum,' says the University Challenge host. 'Both him and my mum were from very, very, very poor, very, very big families. My dad was one of 11 from a very poor part of southeast India called Tamil Nadu, and he gave up everything to come to this country because he wanted a better life for his two sons.' Amol grew up in West London and is forever grateful for the opportunities that his father gave him. 'I always had this idea in my head that if I worked really hard, I'd be able to kind of pay him back,' shares Amol. 'Then, very suddenly, three years ago, he got pneumonia and died. This was really shocking to me because it was the first time I'd ever lost someone I'd loved. It's the first experience of grief I've ever been through and I really thought I was going to get the time with my dad to kind of say thank you.' The grief hit Amol hard and left him wondering how to shape the rest of his life. 'It felt very much like that was the end of the first part of my life… and it was only when he died that I entered adulthood,' he says. 'I think that one of the things that I wanted to go to the Kumbh Mela to do, was to confront my grief, reconnect with my dad, but also to try and work out what the next 38 or 40 years of my life would have to do with the first half.' The grief was so intense, Amol shut it out. Then he decided to face it head on and honour his dad by attending the 2025 Kumbh Mela, which has been proclaimed a Maha (Great) Kumbh Mela, the first in 12 years, because of the way the planets are aligned. 'The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage, which is the biggest gathering of humanity anywhere ever, where people go bathing in a sacred river,' explains Amol. 'Every 12 years is a special one because of the alignment of Jupiter with the Moon, the Sun and Earth.' Bathing in the holy rivers at the Kumbh Mela is believed to absolve sins and release souls from the cycle of rebirth, bringing them closer to moksha, or spiritual liberation. This is what Amol hoped to achieve for his father as part of his pilgrimage. Amol explains, 'I thought that if I went to the biggest pilgrimage in the history of the world and tried, along with tens of millions of other people, to jump in the holy water, that'd be quite a good way of forcing myself to think about my dad and also to do what you can do at the Kumbh Mela, which is you can release his spirit from the eternal cycle of death and rebirth.' For Amol, the experience wasn't just emotionally wrought, it was physically terrifying when a huge crush saw at least 30 people lose their lives. 'At any one time you are essentially with about 70 million people – the population of Britain – in a small, makeshift, temporary megacity about 15 miles squared,' he explains. 'It's crowded. It's noisy. There are Tannoys going off all day, every day, and the sensory overload is really overwhelming. You really don't sleep. 'A lot of people will know there was a crush on the most auspicious day, where 30 people were tragically reported to have died and I was just yards away when the horror took place. The journey that followed, where we're trying to wade through these rivers of people, is the most physically terrifying thing I've ever done.' It left Amol unsure of whether it was safe to continue making his film. The pilgrimage tested Amol to his limits, but he knows his father would have been proud. 'My dad would have loved it,' he says. 'I don't know whether my dad would have fully believed the deep Hindu belief, which is that you can, by bathing in those cosmic waters at that special auspicious time, emancipate yourself from the endless cycle of death, birth and rebirth, but a little part of him would have liked it. And a little part of him would have liked the idea of me doing it on his behalf.'
Techday NZ
12-06-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Denodo University Challenge opens for global AI & data contest
Registration has opened for the Denodo University Challenge, inviting students globally to tackle real-world data integration and AI application problems. The University Challenge is part of the Denodo Academic Program, which offers virtual, self-paced training modules, live workshops and access to the Denodo Platform and Denodo AI SDK. The initiative aims to equip students with practical skills in data and analytics, and has been running since 2023. AI-driven solutions This year's competition places a focus on developing AI-driven solutions with demonstrable real-world impact, particularly in addressing social and economic issues. Students are encouraged to use data management and artificial intelligence tools to build projects showcasing new approaches to current challenges. The competition has been designed around the release of Denodo Platform 9.1, which included features to help ease the process of developing AI applications. These features include Denodo Assistant, which automates data engineering tasks and provides contextualised insights, as well as the Denodo AI SDK that supports data embedding, transformation and orchestration. This is intended to help developers prioritise building outcomes rather than managing technical complexities. Competition format Students participating in the Challenge will progress through the phases typical to data projects: Integrate, Manage and Deliver. In the Integrate phase, they will use Denodo Express, the free version of Denodo Platform, to connect datasets and generate virtual views. In the Manage phase, teams are tasked with developing data governance strategies and designing the architecture of their AI solutions. The final Deliver phase asks participants to implement their AI solutions addressing a particular challenge. Teams will be evaluated based on their proficiency in integrating, managing, and delivering the data efficiently to create an AI solution to a tangible issue. Alberto Pan, Chief Technology Officer at Denodo, commented on the competition and the capabilities of the platform: "With the Denodo Platform, developers can seamlessly create powerful AI applications without the usual hurdles of data preparation. This University Challenge is an exciting opportunity to witness the innovative solutions students will develop. I am eager to see how they leverage our tools to drive real-world impact and showcase the transformative power of AI." Assessment and prizes The Challenge is open to students from any university around the world. Teams of participants will be judged on the originality, impact and practical implementation of their projects. The three top-performing teams are set to receive prizes, as is the university that enters the highest number of teams. Winners will be granted access to unlimited on-demand Denodo training courses and certification exams for six months, which are valued at up to $7,000. In addition, each winning team member will receive an exclusive Denodo Winner Badge, intended to communicate proficiency to prospective employers, as well as an invitation to assist at a Denodo event such as DataFest. Registration period Registration for the Denodo University Challenge remains open until 16 November. The competition builds on Denodo's stated belief in the role of artificial intelligence in finding new solutions for social and economic challenges. The Denodo Academic Program has been established to prepare students to become data and analytics professionals, providing them with experience on tools current in the field. With initiatives such as the University Challenge, Denodo aims to drive awareness and practical competence among the next generation of data experts.
Scottish Sun
06-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major update as Scottish university gets set to axe 300 full-time jobs
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TOP university has revealed a major update in its plan to axe 300 full-time jobs. Dundee University has now opened a voluntary redundancy scheme after coming up with an "alternative pathway" to solving the financial crisis at the institution. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Around 300 roles will now be cut at the uni through a voluntary programme Credit: Alamy 3 Students and staff taking part in a rally and march in Dundee after the job cuts announcement Credit: PA In March, we told how the uni estimated that 700 staff would be affected by a devastating job cull required to balance its books. But under new proposals last month, around 300 roles will now be cut through a voluntary programme. The scheme was put together after talks with campus trade unions and approved by the university court. Voluntary redundancy was opened today and will run until July 25, The Courier reports. Staff who accept the deal will leave their jobs by September 30. A spokesperson added: "This is an important step in the recovery plan for the university, as we look to reduce staffing by 300 fulltime-equivalent through the voluntary scheme." The cuts were first revealed by interim principal Professor Shane O'Neill during a meeting, where he cited "the current financial crisis" as the reason behind the decision. Professor O'Neill had previously warned MSPs that the university could run out of cash by June without lifeline support. The Scottish Funding Council has since approved a £22 million emergency support package, and an investigation into the crisis has been launched. The uni has also lodged a full funding request for £100million bail-out. University Challenge contestant admits 'I don't understand the question' as they struggle to answer in quarter-final - but could you get it right? Labour MSP Michael Marra previously described the job losses as "devastating" for university staff and the Dundee economy. The job losses come amid an ongoing debate over university funding in Scotland. Critics argue that the Scottish Government's "free" tuition model is putting severe pressure on university finances, leading to limits on the number of Scottish students accepted onto courses since international students pay higher fees. Dundee is not the only university in Scotland to plan to cut jobs this year. Around 350 employees of the University of Edinburgh have accepted voluntary severance as part of ongoing efforts to reduce costs. And the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) plans to axe 75 jobs.
Irish Independent
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘I hope you don't expect us to win': rival Irish University Challenge captains join forces for a fiendish pub quiz
Oscar Despard and Kevin Flanagan were recent opponents on a semi-final of the long-running BBC show. Louise McLoughlin takes them to a London pub to see how they fare with a less academic test I've never been great at pub quizzes. So the opportunity to team up with two of Ireland's best and brightest minds promised some vindication – even if only as part of a team. On a personal level, a friend had suggested beforehand that the experience had the potential to be humiliating. I suggested 'humbling' was perhaps a better word. A win is a win, after all. In all honesty, I expected my contribution to be minimal. The two other members of my team were Dubliners Oscar Despard (22) from Portobello and Kevin Flanagan (29) from Dundrum, who recently went head-to-head in the semi-finals of University Challenge. Despard, who is studying for a PhD in molecular biology, went on to lead Christ's College Cambridge to its first ever victory on the show, winning a tense final by just five points. Flanagan captained the team from Bristol University, where he is doing a PhD in AI.
Express Tribune
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' contestant suffers biggest loss in show's history
In a jaw-dropping moment on ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, host Jeremy Clarkson was left stunned after a contestant's risky gamble on the £1 million jackpot question resulted in the biggest loss in the show's history. Nicholas Bennett, a University Challenge alum from West Hampstead, breezed through the earlier rounds and found himself sitting comfortably with £125,000 guaranteed when he faced the final question. -ITV. The moment turned tense as Bennett was presented with the £1 million question: "Which of these words, each coined by a famous writer, was derived from the tale of a fairytale about three princes?" The options were A) Pandemonium, B) Serendipity, C) Utopia, and D) Yahoo. Unsure of the answer, Bennett used his Ask Jeremy lifeline, but Clarkson admitted he had no idea. The contestant then phoned a friend, his flatmate Meg, who also couldn't provide a clear answer. Despite having £500,000 secured, Bennett decided to gamble his winnings. Clarkson, sensing the risk, warned Bennett that he was about to wager a significant sum, £375,000, on a single answer. The host's reminder that "you still go away with a lot" did little to dissuade the contestant. Bennett locked in 'Yahoo' as his final answer, but sadly, he was wrong. The correct answer was 'Serendipity,' and as a result, he walked away with £125,000—no small sum, but a fraction of what he had been on track to win. Despite the disappointment, Bennett remained remarkably composed. "Still got £125,000," he said with a smile, taking his loss in stride. Clarkson, who had clearly been invested in Bennett's journey, praised him for his approach. "A couple of things I'm trying to work out is, is that the biggest loss we've had in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire history?" he remarked. 'I don't think I've had a contestant that I've enjoyed more than you.' This dramatic episode comes as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? continues to captivate audiences with high-stakes moments and unexpected twists. The tension on the set was palpable, as viewers watched one of the show's most daring contestants risk it all for the top prize. Clarkson, known for his sharp wit and no-nonsense approach, found himself in the unusual position of reflecting on the outcome with genuine admiration for Bennett's risk-taking. For Bennett, the experience clearly had its ups and downs, but his optimistic attitude and calm demeanor won him the respect of viewers and the show's host alike. Clarkson's admiration for his contestant's courage seemed to outweigh the loss of the jackpot, as he concluded the segment with a nod to Bennett's entertaining, if ultimately unlucky, run on the show.
