PATNA: The National Inter-College Crossword Expedition (NICE) 2026, jointly organized by Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP) and Extra-C, with the support of Bihar Foundation and Central Bank of India, was inaugurated with great enthusiasm at the Auditorium of CIMP by Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.), Hon’ble Governor of Bihar, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The event witnessed the presence of several distinguished dignitaries, including Vivek Kumar Singh, Chairman, RERA Bihar; Deepak Kumar Singh, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to the Governor; Kundan Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar & CEO, Bihar Foundation; Rajeev Ranjan Sinha, Zonal Head, Central Bank of India; Dr. Rana Singh, Director, CIMP; and Kumod Kumar, Chief Administrative Officer, CIMP.
The ceremony commenced with the arrival of the Hon’ble Governor, followed by the National Song and National Anthem. A ceremonial lamp was lit to symbolize the triumph of knowledge over ignorance. The dignitaries were felicitated with saplings by Dr. Rana Singh as a gesture of respect and sustainability.
In his welcome address, Dr. Rana Singh, Director, CIMP, highlighted the Governor’s visionary leadership in promoting crossword learning as part of the university curriculum. He also noted that CIMP has been nominated as one of the 24 lead knowledge institutions by NITI Aayog. Dr. Singh emphasized that crossword competitions foster problem-solving ability, critical thinking, analytical skills, and intellectual curiosity among students.
During the ceremony, the dignitaries officially unveiled the NICE 26 Souvenir and the official NICE 26 T-shirts, marking the formal launch of the national initiative.
Addressing the gathering, Rajeev Ranjan Sinha, Zonal Head, Central Bank of India, confirmed the bank’s role as the main sponsor of NICE 26 and underlined the importance of empowering youth for nation-building.
Kundan Kumar, IAS, announced that the Bihar Foundation would partner with NICE 26 to promote the initiative under the themes of “Bonding, Branding, and Business.” He also appreciated the efforts of Vivek Kumar Singh in popularizing cryptic crosswords.
Vivek Kumar Singh, Chairman, RERA Bihar, spoke about the educational value of cryptic crosswords in enhancing articulation, leadership, and lateral thinking. He traced the journey of the initiative from its origins in Patna to organizing the World Cryptic Crossword Championship in London, with upcoming finals planned in the United States and Canada. He described the integration of crosswords into the official curriculum as a historic milestone.
Deepak Kumar Singh, IAS, recalled that the crossword initiative began through Swagat magazine in 2000. He informed the audience that on July 4, crossword was officially notified as a Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) for undergraduate students, further institutionalizing its academic relevance.
In his keynote address, the Hon’ble Governor of Bihar praised the young anchors of the event for their articulate presentation. He compared crossword solving to mountaineering, emphasizing persistence, discipline, and the avoidance of shortcuts.
The Governor remarked that in the age of Artificial Intelligence and ChatGPT, crossword-solving is essential for training the human mind in 360-degree thinking, lateral logic, and independent reasoning. Drawing from his military background, he linked crossword-solving to the “maneuver philosophy” in strategy, which requires out-of-the-box thinking rather than merely following standard procedures. He concluded that such intellectual activities are vital for character building, self-confidence, and leadership development among students.
Following the inaugural ceremony, the Patna City Round of NICE 2026 was conducted later in the day, witnessing enthusiastic participation from students representing colleges and universities. The competition showcased exceptional talent, logical reasoning, and linguistic skills.
The winners of the NICE 2026 Patna City Round are:
- First Prize: Adya Singh, St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi
- Second Prize: Tanbi Kumari, Patna Law College, Patna
- Third Prize: Satya Prakash and Sunny Kumar, Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna (CIMP)
The organizers congratulated all the winners and participants for their outstanding performance and expressed confidence that NICE 2026 would continue to inspire students across the country to develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills through the unique medium of cryptic crosswords.
The program concluded with the rendition of the Bihar Geet, followed by a vote of thanks extended to all participants, dignitaries, sponsors, and organizers.
