Latest news with #PlatinumTrophy
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
UPES School of Design triumphs with multiple wins in animation and VFX
At the UPES School of Design, every stroke of a pencil and every flicker of an idea is a step toward something transformative. Here, creativity is not just taught — it is lived, spoken, and celebrated as a force for meaningful change. From modest beginnings in classroom studios to the global stage, student creations have evolved into powerful stories that win awards and hearts alike. More than 50 films, created as part of final year projects by students, and born from diverse minds and driven by cultural resonance, are proof that design at UPES is a bold fusion of purpose, imagination, and impact — where storytelling meets technology, and where passion becomes legacy. Over the past year, the School 's creative output has garnered recognition across diverse formats, including live action, animation, motion graphics, VFX, and stop motion. While each project presents a unique narrative, they are united by a shared commitment to thoughtfulness, originality, and technical excellence. The Animation programme, guided by Vivek Pandey and his team under the strategic leadership of Dean Prof. Bhaskar Bhatt, has played a pivotal role in this evolution. Its strong industry interface and expert mentorship have empowered students to discover their creative voice and refine their craft. Among the most celebrated of these films is Pukaar , a live-action short film created by Harsh Humnekar, Ratin Mohan, and Aamir Husain. The film clinched the Platinum Trophy at the IFP 50-Hour Filmmaking Challenge in the Mobile Vertical category, an achievement that truly shines the light on our talented students as well as the school. Another remarkable project, A Shoe Story, a graduation film by Aditi Goel, made its mark across three international festivals, winning Best Animated Short Film at Poombukar , Sittannavasal, and Rohip. The film was also selected for the 5th Kerala Short Film Festival. 'At UPES, we're encouraged to think out of the box and be our most creative selves, and the support I received from my mentors while developing my film has made all the difference,' says Aditi. 'Every step, from concept to post-production, felt collaborative, never prescriptive.' Harsh Rawat and Mayank Morkhade's animated film Save the Himalayas was honoured as Best Animated Short Film at both the Kodaikanal International Film Festival and the Indian Independent Film Festival. Its emotional, environmentally conscious theme was crafted through hand-drawn animation and careful storytelling. 'We didn't want to preach, we wanted to move people,' says Harsh. 'And our mentors gave us that space to try, to fail, and then to try again with more clarity.' Another standout project is The Coconut Man, a stop-motion animated short crafted by KS Ujwal, Vedanga Nag, Aniket R. Shankar, and Harsh Humnekar. The film's handcrafted aesthetic and heartfelt storytelling have earned it multiple international recognitions, including official selections at the Kosovo Young Filmmakers Festival, Chitranjan International Film & Theatre Festival, and the Daytona Beach Short Film Festival. It was also featured at the Kerala Short Film Festival and the prestigious Russian festival, Within the Family, dedicated to family and children's cinema. A quarterfinalist at the Daddy Deshmukh Film Festival in Akola, the film is now streaming on YouTube, offering a glimpse into the kind of nuanced, culturally resonant work emerging from the UPES School of Design. Cultural storytelling took a compelling form in Bhangarh: A Rajasthani Folk Tale, a motion infographic film that was awarded Best Film from Uttar Pradesh at the 7th International Festival of Short Films on Culture & Tourism. Created by Ratin Mohan, Shrestha Rawal, Aniket Shankar, and Aamir Husain, the film reimagines a local legend through a contemporary lens while staying true to its cultural roots. 'We were fascinated by how folklore could be visualised using motion graphics,' says Shrestha. 'It was our faculty's belief in us that inspired us to take risks and grow creatively.' Several other student projects from the school have garnered national and international recognition for their creativity and Follower, a live-action short film by Tejas Murthy and Rajen Shaw, won Best Short Film at the DRISHय Filmmaking Competition, while Katora, a meticulously crafted stop-motion animation, received a Special Mention at Camera Zizanio in Greece. In the realm of digital art, Saikat Kumar Dey and Harinarayana P.V. achieved top honors in Wacom's 'Beyond the Brush' challenge, showcasing their unique visual styles and mastery of digital tools. Meanwhile, original works such as Gauriya, Dystopian Hope , Kinavu, and Prostastis have been successfully showcased at both national and international festivals—reflecting the diversity and depth of storytelling emerging from our students. Above all, Ratin Mohan won the Silver Trophy in the North Zone of the WAFX VFX Challenge, marking a significant national-level accomplishment in the field of visual effects and animation innovation. These accolades are not accidental. They are the result of an academic culture that prioritises experimentation, storytelling, and transdisciplinary learning. At UPES School of Design, students are not taught to follow a template. They are encouraged to question it, reshape it, and respond to the world around them. The school's pedagogy is built around the convergence of creativity, cultural understanding, and technological exploration. Whether students are using AR, VR, or AI tools to develop immersive narratives or reimagining folklore for modern audiences, their work is rooted in purpose. What makes the school truly distinct is the breadth of disciplines it offers. Students can collaborate and co-explore in areas as diverse as Animation and VFX, Game Design, Graphics and Communication Design, User Experience and Interaction Design, Product Design, Mobility and Vehicle Design, and Interior and Retail Space Design. Each of these programmes encourages hands-on learning, studio practice, and real-world application. At the postgraduate level, Master's students go deeper into research and advanced design strategies, often working across departments to build solutions that are as intelligent as they are intuitive. Being part of a multidisciplinary university, students also benefit from access to domains like computer science, engineering, health sciences, business, law, liberal studies and media, creating a unique ecosystem where design thinking is informed by diverse perspectives and real-world applications. 'I remember our classroom critiques feeling more like creative labs,' says Ratin Mohan, whose name appears in multiple award-winning projects. 'Professors didn't just evaluate, they asked why something mattered, what we were trying to say, and how it could be said better.' Adding to this rich ecosystem is the global exposure students receive. From a semester abroad at UC Berkeley to exchange opportunities with BESIGN – The Sustainable Design School and L'École de Design Atlantique in France, as well as HSE University in Russia, the school ensures that design thinking at UPES is not limited by geography. Progression pathways to Nottingham Trent University in the UK and assistance with international internships make it possible for students to bring global relevance to their ideas inspired by local culture. Because here, at this school in the foothills of the Himalayas, design is not just taught, it is lived. It is the secret lab in the mountains you always dreamt of, where ideas quietly take shape before they go on to change the world. If you are ready to turn your creativity into impact, visit the UPES School of Design to explore more. Apply now and start designing the future — yours and the world's. NOTE: The above-mentioned films, created by final-year students, are the exclusive property of UPES and will be published on official platforms after the college evaluation process is complete.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Rejected by Harvard and Stanford, no problem. He got the Platinum in God of War. Entrepreneur's inspiring post goes viral
So, Who Exactly Is Aayam Bansal? Despite facing rejection from every one of his dream institutions, Aayam Bansal isn't wallowing in disappointment. Instead, he's busy celebrating a different kind of victory—one forged with resilience, grit, and a PlayStation controller. The young entrepreneur recently shared that he has achieved the coveted Platinum Trophy in the popular video game God of War—a feat requiring immense perseverance and to LinkedIn, Bansal candidly laid bare his string of recent letdowns: Stanford said no. MIT passed. Harvard never responded. Venture capitalists turned him down. His ideal internship never came through. Yet rather than allowing these setbacks to define him, Bansal chose to highlight a moment of personal triumph that reflected his inner strength. 'Still, I went on to get the Platinum Trophy in God of War,' he wrote. 'Because real warriors don't wait for validation — they forge their own path.'The post struck a chord across the internet. On LinkedIn, it quickly went viral, garnering over 5,000 likes and hundreds of comments supporting his optimistic mindset. On Reddit, particularly the LinkedIn Lunatics subreddit, it gained over 13,000 upvotes and sparked lively discussions. One user declared, 'I'm rooting for this guy,' while another wrote humorously, 'I'd hire this guy in a heartbeat. But I'd also have to be his gaming buddy. Either he tones it down a bit or books meetings with me so we can game together.'What set Bansal's message apart was his refusal to let traditional markers of success dictate his self-worth. In a culture obsessed with elite degrees, prestigious internships, and startup capital, his post served as a refreshing reminder that fulfillment and progress can come from unexpected places—even digital battlegrounds. It's not about the accolades others bestow but the personal victories we fight for, celebrate, and grow is currently the CEO of Aisaock, a budding venture in the tech world. He also holds a degree in data and AI from the prestigious National University of Singapore. While elite universities and investors might have passed him over, Bansal's story is resonating with thousands for its raw honesty and refusal to conform to societal definitions of his own way, Aayam Bansal is proving that life isn't just about chasing big names—it's about playing your game, your way, and earning your own trophies along the journey.
Digital Trends
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (May 9-11)
Table of Contents Table of Contents Balatro Ark: Survival Ascended Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun Our favorite thing about the start of a new month is getting our hands on a fresh batch of PlayStation Plus Essential games. While we only get three new entries per month, whereas the Extra and Premium subscribers get sometimes a dozen games added to the catalog, they are ours to 'keep' so long as our subscriptions are active. They also tend to be of higher quality, with this month being a standout in our eyes. For this upcoming weekend, we know you won't have trouble finding something in our list to have fun with but might struggle to decide which of these games you want to dedicate your time to. That's a good problem to have while we wait for Doom: The Dark Ages, but also have a little extra time with Lost Soul Aside getting delayed to the end of August. Balatro Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, you know what Balatro is and just how addictive it is. If, for whatever reason, you didn't believe us when we sang its praises, now is the time to get in on the fun. Or, if you already played it on another platform, now you can earn a shiny new Platinum Trophy. Either way, this is one of the easiest games to recommend you play this weekend no matter what type of gamer you are. This is also a great game to introduce to friends and family thanks to how approachable it is. Just be aware you might not get the controller back for a while. You can take it in short bursts or marathon it, and the simple rules but deep levels of strategy keep it interesting each and every ante. Recommended Videos Balatro is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Mobile, and PC. Ark: Survival Ascended If you've been subscribed to PS Plus as long as we have, then you probably have a huge stack of survival games already, including another version of this one! However, Ark: Survival Ascended is more than just an expansion or remaster, but is a complete graphical remake of the original game with all the new content packed in. We all dream about living in a world with dinosaurs, and this game lets you start out cowering and fighting for your life to taming and building your own dino army. It is a brutal world, especially in the online servers with up to 70 players who may or may not be friendly but is fun every step of the way. Ark: Survival Ascended is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun We mentioned the new Doom game up top for a reason, and that reason was to give us an excuse to talk about Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun. This game sticks to the classic boomer shooter look and feel with the trappings of the 40K universe. If you have any fond memories of fast-paced, gory, power-fantasy shooters set in giant maze-like levels full of secrets, you will have a blast with this game. It is so easy to pick up and instantly start having fun with. The graphics are intentionally retro but with clear design sensibilities that evoke the look of old-school shooters but will still look appealing today. And, most importantly, the sound and feedback of every weapon is pitch-perfect. Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC.
