SAS and Goa Institute of Management’s Bitathon Empowers India’s Brightest Young Minds to Solve Real-World Challenges

Mumbai, India (February 19, 2025)

SAS, a leader in data and AI, in partnership with Goa Institute of Management (GIM), is thrilled to announce the resounding success of the 6th Annual Bitathon 2025. This premier national-level competition conducted by SAS & Cognition – The Data Science and Analytics Club at GIM witnessed an impressive turnout, with over 2000 registrations and 698 teams from colleges across India, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for data-driven problem-solving among students.

This year’s theme - ‘Blurred Boundaries: When Business Meets Technology Meets People’ challenged participants to solve data-driven problems that demand innovative thinking and actionable insights and presented a chance for aspiring data scientists to learn from industry leaders, network with peers, and gain national recognition for their talent.

Bhuvan Nijhawan, Sr. Director, Education – Asia Pacific, SAS said, "Every year, Bitathon teams surpass their predecessors, showcasing remarkable talent. By bringing together bright minds to tackle real-world challenges, we aim to empower them with the insights and skills needed to thrive in the age of AI and analytics. Partnering with institutions like Goa Institute of Management reinforces our shared vision of fostering innovation and preparing future leaders for a data-driven world. Bitathon 2025 exemplifies our commitment to nurturing India’s next generation of data science professionals."

Dr. Anup Maurya, Associate Professor - Big Data Analytics at Goa Institute of Management said, “At Goa Institute of Management, we are committed to fostering an environment that bridges academic rigor with practical innovation. BITATHON 2025, in collaboration with SAS, serves as a platform to inspire creativity and precision among participants as they explore the transformative potential of data science. We’re thrilled to have witnessed the innovative solutions that this year’s teams presented.” 

Fostering Innovation and Collaboration

Scheduled across two phases—online and on-campus at GIM, Goa —Bitathon 2025 brought participants a platform to showcase their analytical and problem-solving skills while competing for coveted SAS Data Science Certifications and cash prizes worth INR 19 lakhs.

The competition began with an exciting 24-hour challenge, that ran from February 14 to February 15, 2025, at the picturesque GIM Goa Campus. Following the challenge, participants gathered for a gala dinner that offered a unique opportunity to network with industry experts and peers. The event continued on February 16 with a panel discussion and student presentations, providing valuable insights and fostering connections in the ever-evolving field of data science.

The results of Bitathon 2025 were:

• Winner: Team Magnum Ops - Vikramaditya Singhai, Arina Singhai, Pearlyn Rodrigues from NMIMS, Mumbai.
• First Runner-Up: Team TopG - Darshan Pradeep, Nishit Patel, Farhaan Ajaj from Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa.
• Second Runner-Up: Team Mavericks - Bharadwaj Cheruvu, Aditya Harikumar, Abhinav Uckoo from Goa Institute of Management (GIM), Goa.

The winning team, Magnum Ops, redefined credit risk assessment and financial inclusion by integrating machine learning with real-time analytics. Their user-friendly application predicts credit risk with high accuracy and fairness, focusing on underserved populations. By leveraging alternative behavioral indicators, they expanded the scope of credit assessments for greater inclusivity. Additionally, their use of unsupervised learning revealed hidden market patterns for data-driven global marketing strategies and they built an interactive dashboard to turn these insights into actionable decisions.

Bitathon 2025 set the stage for aspiring data scientists, offering students a chance to innovate, collaborate, and inspire. By bridging academia and industry, the event continues to equip the nation’s young minds with the tools they need to shape a smarter, data-powered future.

About Goa Institute of Management:

Goa Institute of Management is a leading business school focused on transforming and improving management education. Rated among the 'Best B-Schools for the World' in the Positive Impact Rating 2023, GIM endeavors to have a positive impact on society through its 6 programs getting agile leaders ready for the world.