Nihil Ultra
Posted : March 10, 2025
Faculty of Science of St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) represented its delegation team at the 32nd West Bengal State Science and Technology Congress held at the Biswa Bangla Convention Center in Newtown, Kolkata on the occasion of National Science Day on February 28, 2025.
Dr. Aniket Biswas, Dr. Priyanka Talukdar, and Dr. Mrinmoyee Bhattacharya along with 21 postgraduate students of Statistics and 7 postgraduate students of Computer Science department of SXUK were the delegates.
Dr. Arpan Pal, Chief Scientist at TCS Research delivered the Prof. Prasanta Chandra Memorial lecture. Dr. Pal shared his insights on the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in enhancing human capabilities across various sectors such as healthcare, education, and industry.
Dr. Tapan Misra, former Director of ISRO, while delivering the Sir C.V. Raman Memorial Lecture, discussed radar technology and its applications in space research, weather forecasting, and earth observation.
Dr. Haradhan Maity from Rishi Bankim Chandra Evening College, Naihati conducted a session on mathematical applications in river processes and discussed how statistical and mathematical models are used for predicting river dynamics, which is crucial for environmental conservation and disaster management.
Dr. Aniket Biswas
Assistant Professor
Department of Statistics
St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
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Posted : March 10, 2025
Xavier’s Society for Science and Innovation (XSSI) of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, academic excellence, and professional development in fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, Cyber security, Business Analytics, and Biostatistics. XSSI envisions a vibrant scientific community dedicated to innovation and knowledge-sharing through events, workshops, and research initiatives. The society functions as an interdisciplinary hub, fostering networking, mentorship, and global collaborations. It organises guest speaker events, hackathon, provides publication opportunities, and supports participation in conferences and science outreach initiatives. Leadership and professional development are emphasised through committee roles, industry interactions, and skill-building sessions.
XSSI’s structure consists of a core committee led by a Secretary, Assistant Secretary, and Treasurer from final-year postgraduate students in Computer Science and Statistics, while a working committee includes representatives from all academic years. Admission is based on merit, past experience, and faculty evaluation. The society upholds transparency, accountability, and discipline, with structured impeachment procedures in case of non-compliance. By fostering scientific inquiry and engagement, XSSI aspires to contribute meaningfully to national well-being, upholding the ethos of SXUK and its motto, “nihil ultra” (Nothing Beyond).
Events hosted by XSSI in XAVRANG 2025
The Data Insights competition, held on January 17, 2025, challenged participants to apply data analytics in strategic decision-making. Competitors were tasked with analysing Airbnb listing performance across various neighborhoods, focusing on factors influencing booking rates, pricing strategies, and revenue potential. They were given 24 hours to conduct their analysis, generate insights, and submit a comprehensive report. On the event day, participants presented their findings, showcasing their ability to interpret complex datasets and deliver actionable business intelligence solutions. The competition, judged by Ayan Dey and Arijit Das, Co-founders and Directors of Aeonix Research and Innovations LLP, announced Tushar Bhotika from St. Xavier’s College as the winner, who bagged both the first rank and the Executive Pitch Award. Meanwhile, Tunir Adhikary and Arkadeep Mondal from Sister Nivedita University became the runners-up.
The Creative Intelligence competition, held on January 17, 2025, provided a unique platform for participants to blend artificial intelligence with artistic storytelling. Focused on the theme ‘Mythological Moments – A Journey Through Art and Storytelling,’ competitors were tasked with creating AI-generated artwork inspired by Indian mythology. Participants had to select between two themes—'An Unexpected Betrayal’ or ‘Eternal Love’—and produce a story-driven visual representation of a significant mythological moment. Submissions required three interconnected images showcasing the creative progression, a description of the mythological inspiration, and details on the AI tools or custom models used for generation. AI-generated pieces had to include prompts, while custom models required a submission of the code and methodology. On the event day, participants presented their artwork and explained the underlying story behind their creations. Ayan Dey and Arijit Das, Co-founders and Directors of Aeonix Research and Innovations LLP were the judges. Prateeti Ghosh from Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College emerged as the winner, while Shubham Gulati from Heritage Law College secured the first runner-up position. Asmita Ghosh and Shubhangee Dey from Loreto College bagged the People’s Choice award for their exceptional storytelling through AI-generated visuals.
Winning Artworks:
Winner:
1st Runner Up:
People’s Choice:
The Myths in Code hackathon, held on January 18, 2025, offered participants a series of algorithmic and programming problems designed to test their problem-solving skills and coding proficiency. Conducted on the Open Kattis platform, the competition featured 14 questions of varying difficulty levels (rated between 5 and 8 on a scale of 10), requiring contestants to demonstrate speed, accuracy, and efficiency. The six-hour contest was fully automated, with solutions evaluated in real-time based on the number of correctly solved problems, submission time, and code optimization. Competitors were permitted to use any supported programming tools, but had to rely solely on their coding expertise without external resources or APIs. Agnibha Ray and Soumyadeep Chatterjee from Netaji Subhash Engineering College were declared as winners, while Shahid Dayer and Debottam Chatterjee from St. Xavier’s College became first runners-up for their exceptional problem-solving performance.
Dr. Mrinmoyee Bhattacharya
Posted : August 7, 2024
Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a guest lecture session on August 7, 2024.
The topic was ‘Unleashing AI in the ICE Age of Software’. The resource person was Dr. Novarun Deb from University of Calgary, Canada.
Dr. Deb focused on the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in software development through the ICE framework— Intents, Contexts, and Emotions. He explained how AI enhances software by figuring out what users want based on their actions, using real time data to provide relevant responses, and recognizing users' emotions to make interactions more personal and effective.
The seminar featured a case study on navigation systems, showcasing AI's profound impact on software functionality and user experience, highlighting the need for its integration in modern software development.
The seminar was concluded by an interactive session. Students found the session highly enriching.
Afsana Zeba Yasmin
M.Sc. in Computer Science
Semester III
2nd September – 6th September 2024
Faculty of Science, St. Xavier’s University Kolkata (SXUK) hosted a five-day international online lecture series, XAVTECH, from September 2nd to September 6th, 2024. The event aimed to explore the latest innovations and dynamic changes in various fields by bringing together experts, thought leaders, and passionate individuals committed to driving change. XAVTECH provided a unique platform for students, researchers, and professionals to engage with renowned experts from diverse disciplines, fostering a deeper understanding of cutting-edge developments.
The series kicked off with a warm welcome address by Dr. Tuhin Utsab Paul, Dean of the Faculty of Science at SXUK. Dr. Paul underscored the importance of the event in connecting experts and innovators from around the globe, highlighting how such interactions could inspire participants to drive innovation in their respective fields. His opening remarks set the tone for the week, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and collaboration in today’s rapidly evolving world.
The first day featured Dr. Diptangshu Pandit, Senior Lecturer in Computer Game Design at Teesside University, UK. Dr. Pandit delivered an engaging talk on the profound influence of game development in contemporary society. He explored how game design is not just about entertainment but also about addressing market needs, influencing culture, and driving innovative research areas. He emphasized the growing impact of game development in education, therapy, and other sectors, demonstrating how interactive digital experiences are reshaping various aspects of daily life. Dr. Pandit’s insights provided participants with a broader perspective on the multifaceted nature of game development today.
On the second day, Prof. (Dr.) Samiran Sinha from the Department of Statistics at Texas A&M University, USA, took the stage with a comprehensive presentation on the two-sample problem for convoluted data. He delved into the complexities of statistical analysis in scenarios where traditional methods may not suffice, emphasizing the importance of advanced statistical techniques in data science and research. His session highlighted how proper statistical approaches could lead to more accurate and meaningful results, which are crucial in making informed decisions across various scientific fields.
The third day featured Dr. Debanjan Bhattacharya, Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Utah Valley University, USA, who shared valuable insights into the estimation of finite population sizes using the mark-recapture strategy. His talk focused on the mathematical modeling of population dynamics and its applications in fields such as ecology, epidemiology, and social sciences. Dr. Bhattacharya provided a detailed explanation of the mark-recapture method, demonstrating how it could be effectively used to estimate populations that are otherwise difficult to count directly.
Dr. M. Shamim Kaiser, Professor and Senior Member of IEEE from the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh, highlighted the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and the Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture, healthcare, and education. Dr. Kaiser discussed various real-world applications, showing how these technologies are driving innovation and solving complex problems in critical sectors. His presentation underscored the growing importance of interdisciplinary research and the need to integrate AI and IoT to build sustainable solutions.
On the fourth day, Sudhahar T., CEO of Vilimbu LLC, California, USA, presented a comprehensive guide to the implementation of Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). His talk covered the roles of Large Language Model (LLM) scientists and engineers, highlighting the intricacies of building a multi-agent conversation framework. Sudhahar’s presentation provided practical insights into how RAG and advanced AI models could be utilized to create intelligent, interactive systems, paving the way for future advancements in AI-driven communication technologies.
The final day saw Dr. Thippa Reddy Gadekallu, Senior Member of IEEE and Chief Engineer at Zhongda Group, China, providing expert guidance on writing technical and review papers targeted for high-impact factor journals. Dr. Gadekallu shared tips and best practices for researchers aiming to publish their work in prestigious academic outlets, emphasizing the importance of clarity, originality, and rigorous methodology.
Throughout the series, XAVTECH offered interactive sessions, allowing participants to engage directly with the speakers. The event successfully created an environment where students and professionals could exchange ideas, ask questions, and gain valuable insights from experts. By the end of the series, XAVTECH had not only expanded participants’ knowledge but also inspired them to pursue innovation and excellence in their respective fields. The event marked another successful chapter in SXUK’s ongoing commitment to fostering academic and professional growth through global collaboration.
Report by:
Dr. Mrinmoyee Bhattacharya
Faculty of Science, St. Xavier’s University Kolkata (SXUK) in association with St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata Alumni Association (SXUKAA) organises a two-day workshop on Cyber Security on March 22 and 23, 2024 in the university campus.
The theme of the workshop was to enrich students' understanding of contemporary topics in cyber security like overview of Cyber Security, types of Cyber Attack and Attacker, Ethical Hacking, Cyber Security Mechanism, Cryptography, ISO Standardization for Informative Study Management System and case studies on cyber-attacks.
While delivering the welcome note, Fr. Dr. A. Arockiasamy, S.J., Dean, Faculty of Science highlighted the significance of cyber security in current scenario.
The resource persons were Sambiti Chakraborty, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate; Monotosh Raj, Sub-Inspector of Police (CID), West Bengal, Sk Tajuddin, Sub-Inspector of West Bengal Police and Shri. Ajoy Ganguly, Cyber Security Expert, Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, Cyber Crime Police Station.
Sambiti Chakraborty emphasized that fear and allurement are the main causes of cybercrime. Monotosh Raj delivered an insightful lecture on different causes of cyber crime. Sk Tajuddin and Ajoy Ganguly presented a few case studies covering different aspects of cyber-crime techniques.
The second session was on ‘Overview of Cryptography’ by Dr. Mrinmoyee Bhattacharya, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science. Mr. Malay Mitra, IT Coordinator of SXUK showed different case studies on database server, Linux server, proxy server and uncomplicated firewall.
Mr. Anand Raje, Co-founder and Director, BASIS Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Co-founder, CTO India Internet Foundation delivered a lecture on ‘The Evolving Realm of Cyber Security’. A session on cyber-attack was conducted by Dr. Sayan Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Computer Science.
Mr. Avishek Raychoudhury, Scientific Officer at Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), GoI highlighted the understanding of vulnerability, cyberspace and its importance, recent cyber-attacks and live threat map, CIA Triad, etc.
Students found the workshop highly enriching. The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Tuhin Utsab Paul, Head, Department of Computer Science.
Dr. Sayan Das
Click on the following link to read the news published in the Edugraph on March 28, 2024
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Faculty of Science of St. Xavier's University, Kolkata (SXUK) conducted a special lecture on February 24, 2024 aiming to enrich students' understanding of contemporary topics in data science and statistical modeling.
While delivering the welcome note, Dr. Manisha Pal, Head of the Department of Statistics highlighted the significance of such academic endeavors in fostering intellectual growth and exchange within the academic community.
The first session delved into the captivating narrative of the ‘Evolution of Data Science - A Short Story’ presented by Dr. Ashis Kumar Chakraborty, Professor, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata. His expertise and insights illuminated the participants on the progression of data science, and a comprehensive overview of its journey and significance in contemporary society.
The second session was on ‘Multivariate Statistical Model’ by Dr. Partha Sarathi Paul, Associate Professor at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. He delivered an insightful lecture on multivariate statistical modeling, its applications, and implications in various domains. Participants found the sessions highly enriching.
Dr. Tuhin Utsab Paul
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Departments of Statistics and Computer Science of the Faculty of Science, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) jointly organised a seminar on ‘Exploring Cyber Security – How it impacts life’ on January 15, 2024 in the university campus.
The speaker was Mr. Rakesh Asthana, Managing Director and CEO of World Informatix Cyber Security, Florida, USA. Father Dr. A. Arockiasamy, S.J., Dean, Faculty of Science, delivered the welcome address.
Mr. Asthana talked at length about the necessity of cyber security and discussed various methods of cyberattacks that hackers use. He narrated the incident at the Central Bank of Bangladesh in 2016, the largest cyber heist in history, in which he was involved in exposing the hackers.
He further narrated the dark web and its use by cyber hackers in illegal activities. He also shared the ways to get protection from being hacked and the employment scenario in this field. An interactive session took place at the end.
Faculty members and students of the host departments, and students of Commerce and Management, Economics, Law and MBA attended the seminar.
Dr. Manisha Pal
In an effort to make the students aware on scope of further research, the Department of Computer Science, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised a special lecture in online mode on November 18, 2023. The topic was ‘Generative AI: An Introduction to Generative AI Models’.
Dr. Shaja Arul Selvamani, Senior Director, AI/ML at CISCO, USA was the eminent speaker. He delved into the essence of generative AI, illustrating its practicality through examples of prominent generative models like ChatGPT, BERT, and LLAMA.
He discussed varied applications of generative AI, illuminating its impact across diverse industries and fields. A pivotal segment of the seminar revolved around a detailed elucidation of deep learning neural networks, linear regression, and logistic regression.
Faculty members and students of the Departments of Computer Science and Statistics found the programme highly enriching. Fr. Dr. Arockiasamy, SJ, Dean of Science expressed heartfelt gratitude to the speaker and all participants. Dr. Tuhin Utsab Paul, Head, Department of Computer Science coordinated the entire programme.
Dr. Sayan Das
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In a bid to celebrate the success of Chandrayaan-3 and the National Engineer’s Day, the birth anniversary of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, a pioneer in civil engineering in India, Department of Computer Science of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised an online lecture session by an eminent scientist on September 15, 2023.
The topic was ‘Remote Sensing Techniques and Its Applications’. Dr. Raj Kumar, Professor Satish Dhawan Scientist, ISRO and the former Director of National Remote Sensing Centre, ISRO, Hyderabad was the guest speaker.
In his inaugural speech, Rev. Dr. John Felix Raj, S.J., Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of SXUK said, “As an Indian, I am proud of success of the Chandrayaan-3's landing on the Moon. It was a stroke of genius in Indian engineering.”
Dr. Raj Kumar conducted an informative session on ‘Remote Sensing Techniques and Applications’ as part of the virtual celebration of Chandrayaan-3's recent success. He also narrated missions of ISRO and expansion of India's space programme that once started with INSAT and NaVIC.
Prof. Kumar also presented a few case studies showcasing the successful application of remote sensing technology in various engineering projects including Chandrayaan-3.
The event was conducted to enlighten students about the importance of remote sensing technology in the field of engineering. The programme concluded with an interactive session.
Dr. Tuhin Utsab Paul
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To keep its students aware on latest technological advancement, Faculty of Science of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) celebrated the National Technology Day by organizing a 3-day workshop from May 11 to 13, 2023 at the university campus. The topic was ‘Data Analytics and Machine Learning.’
Dr. A. Arockiasamy S.J., Dean, Faculty of Science inaugurated the workshop. Dr. Bhaswati Ganguli, an eminent academician from Department of Statistics, University of Calcutta was the keynote speaker. She highlighted the different aspects of machine learning for data analysis.
Mr. Sourabh Mukherjee, Associate Managing Director, Accenture explained relevance and uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in data management and cloud computing in industries.
On the first day of the workshop, Dr. Manisha Pal and Dr. Tanushree Biswas took sessions on ‘Exploratory Data Analytics’ and ‘Descriptive Statistics’ respectively. Dr. Shuvendu Chakraborty took a lab session on different testing techniques using R software.
The next two days were packed with theoretical and practical sessions. Dr. Dreamlee Sharma delivered an insightful lecture on ‘Statistical Inference’ and ‘Regression Analysis’, two important technological areas in research.
Dr. Sayan Das discussed uses and importance of AI, machine learning and data analytics, followed by a practical session by Dr. Shuvendu Chakraborty. Dr. Manisha Pal conducted a special session on the relevance of categorical data analysis.
During the valedictory session, Rev. Father John Felix Raj. S.J., Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of SXUK highlighted the importance and need of AI and robotics in modern civilisation. He also distributed the certificates to the participants.
Students from various colleges and universities pursuing graduation and postgraduation programmes in Computer Science and Statistics participated in the workshop. Deans of other schools were also present. Dr. Tuhin Utsab Paul was the convener of the workshop.
Dr. Sayan Das
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Posted : March 4, 2023
Dept of Computer Science organises session on interdisciplinary research
In an attempt to make the students aware on scope of further research, the Department of Computer Science, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised an open house session by Mr. Saurav Mukherjee, Vice President, Corporate Treasury of Goldman Sachs on March 4, 2023. The topic was ‘Scope of Interdisciplinary Study & Research in India & Abroad’.
It was an interactive session with the faculty members and students of the Department of Computer Science and Department of Statistics. Mr. Mukherjee explained several concepts of data analytics, machine learning and their wide applications in industry regarding real-life applicability. He further mentioned different aspects of algorithmic trading, Robo advisory, Data Engineering and Data Visualization, Causal Inference, Decision under uncertainty during the interactive session.
Citing his decade long professional experience, he advised the students to keep open an alternative way in career. The session enriched the students to explore emerging domains of data science and machine learning for suitable application in the industry.
Dr. Sayan Das
Department of Computer Science organizes invited lecture by eminent professional
Department of Computer Science of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organized an invited lecture by eminent computer professional Mr. Saurav Mukherjee on September 24, 2022 in online mode. The topic was ‘Analytics Life Cycle & its Application in Industry’.
Mr. Saurav Mukherjee, Vice President of Corporate Treasury at Goldman Sachs, explained several concepts of data analytics and their wide applications in industry with regard to real-life applicability. He further mentioned different ways to represent data using several charts and machine learning models related to real-time datasets for suitable application domains in the industry.
Mr. Mukherjee further encouraged postgraduate students of the Departments of Computer Science, Statistics and Xavier Business School (XBS) to explore the emerging domain of data science and illustrated its relevance to different aspects. The programme was concluded with an interactive session. Deans, faculty members and students of departments of Computer Science, Statistics, Economics and XBS attended the programme.
Dr. Isha Ganguli
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Department of Computer Science planning to organize talks, lectures by visiting professors and industrial experts, seminars and workshops in the upcoming September and November 2022 .
St. Xavier's University, Kolkata 30 Mother Teresa Sarani (Park street),
