Lotus Award for Excellence in Creative Computing Second Bienniel Contest
First Prize: Worth Rs. 20,000 or more

CONTEST
RULES
FAQ
An Award for Excellence in Creative Computing has been instituted to encourage children and youth to experiment with computers, to promote the use of personal computers by children, and to encourage children to explore new ideas and express them in creative ways.

The Award is organized by Eco Foundation and administered by a group of professors and professionals in computing, engineering and creative arts.

 

The First Contest (1997):
This contest was conducted the first time in 1997 and the finalists were invited to the Anahiem Convention Center in Anahiem, CA on July 4, 1997 to display their entries.

Contest theme:
Computers: How Can We Use Computers to Preserve India's Heritage?

Contest Sponsors:
Apple Computer Inc. sponsored the first contest and the grand prize was an Apple Macintosh Computer.

Contest Results:
Two finalists, Mr. Aditya Bansod and Mr. Rakesh Puvvada were chosen. Although both projects were extremely good, there was only one Grand Prize available and the judges had difficulty deciding.

Eventually, the Winner was Mr. Rakesh Puvvada from Southern California. The winning entry was: "Teaching Telugu on a Computer"

Judges:
Judging was done by a panel of experts comprised of:
Prof. Meera Blattner, University of California, Davis,
Dr. Minao Kamegai, a scientist from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
Mr. Greg White, Group Leader, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,
Mr. Vishnu Chowdary, CEO of a software company, and
Mrs. Kiran Kumar, an elementary school teacher.

 

The Second Contest (1999):
The second contest was conducted in India.

Theme for Second Contest:
There is no suggested theme this year. Contestants were asked to pick any topic that interests them.

The only guideline was that the entry should demonstrate "your fluency with computing and showcase your creativity."

Technological fluency is a key element that prepares children to move into a global learning and information space. The explosion of the Internet and emergence of virtual communities is a case in point. Tools are part of human evolution. Tools are used to express ideas and for creating artifacts, smart artifacts. The most powerful personal tool today is clearly the computer. We want our youth to experiment with this medium and win the Grand Prize

Contest Sponsors:
This year's contest was co-sponsored by Eco Foundation, Smartifacts LLC, B. M. Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad and Rachana, a monthly magazine in Telugu.

Press Release:
The contest for "Excellence in Creative Computing" was announced in The Hindu, India's National Newspaper and in Rachana.

Contest Deadlines:
May 15, 1999
 Entry Due
June 15, 1999
 Notification to shortlisted candidates
July 4, 1999
 Final Judging in Hyderabad
 

Contest Results:
To our chagrin, there were no entries and the prize remained unclaimed.