Department of Computer Science of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organized a special discussion session on February 2, 2026 at the university campus. The topic was “Difficulty, Discovery, and Destiny: A Story of Humanity’s Journey from Classical Limits to Quantum Horizons.”

The session was conducted by Dr. Tamal Chakraborty, a faculty member of Mrinalini Datta Mahavidyapith, Birati, Kolkata. Around 60 students participated in the programme.

Dr. Chakraborty offered a profound exploration of computational limits and the future of technology. He illustrated problems difficult for classical computers, leading to a deep dive into the P vs. NP question, the foundational challenges posed by Hilbert’s program on the completeness and decidability of mathematics, and the nature of an "effective procedure."

Dr. Chakraborty also discussed quantum physics, explaining key concepts like the Stern-Gerlach experiment, electron spin, superposition, and entanglement, and how these principles translate into the power of quantum computers and qubits. He explained quantum search using Grover’s algorithm to show how quantum computing can speed up search problems, and concluded by quoting Scott Aaronson on how solving P = NP could blur the line between solving a problem and recognizing its solution.

The session concluded with an interactive session with the resource person.

Dr. Soma Debnath

Assistant Professor,

Faculty of Science, SXUK