Mettle Meet, an initiative by Odisha’s only home grown English daily OrissaPOST is in its third year. The marquee quiz event is back with its motto of Reviving Quizzing among the students of Odisha. Adyasha Satpathy, CEO, OrissaPOST spoke exclusively to OdishaLIVE about the third edition of Mettle Meet. Excerpts below:
Why did you plan the initiative OrissaPOST Mettle Meet?
AS: OrissaPOST started Mettle Meet to revive the art of quizzing which was seemingly for us, dwindling among the students of Odisha. We later realised that the state has immense talent pool of students who are very bright but were lacking a credible platform to bring together different students from various schools and colleges to battle it out and showcase their skills. That is why OrissaPOST decided to bring together such students under ‘Mettle Meet’ and give back to students, the joy of quizzing.
Is quizzing still relevant today? What do you think?
AS:I think quizzing is very relevant in an age where knowledge is the key to achieving success and it is imperative for students to know that quizzing is going to build them up. They already have a lot of information but to channelize it and use it up for achieving glory and the sheer joy of doing so makes quizzing relevant today as it has always been. That is why Mettle Meet is here to show them that the path is bright.
Since you are the brain and the chief driving force behind Mettle Meet. What according to you is the USP of Mettle Meet?
AS: Mettle Meet brings competing students together and let them bask in the glory of enormous knowledge that flows through discussion and reading. It gives them a single platform to come together not just to slug it out but also to interact amongst themselves, share information, get to know each other and share the joy of using their brains.
In fact, we have got great feedback from students; in the first year of Mettle Meet in 2016, we had 18 teams, in 2017 we had more than 45 sides and the third edition of Mettle Meet in 2018, we already have more than 69 institutions vying for the crown. This shows that the enthusiasm has always been there, and Mettle Meet is just providing a platform.
The prize money offered by Mettle Meet is very huge and lucrative in comparison to other such platforms. What are your views on that?
AS: The prize money is definitely lucrative, and we are glad to offer this kind of prize money. Quizzing as an art has always been very interesting and to give a prize money like that, there are a lot of other talent hunts where some extracurricular acts are rewarded. Hence for quizzing too, there should be an appropriate platform and so the prize money too and I’m sure students would find it encouraging and fight for such an appealing prize money.
So, What are your expectations from the third edition of this marquee Quiz?
AS: Every year, Mettle Meet is growing and participation levels are up. Lot more students and institutions are checking in on us with different queries so obviously, we are getting on a next level already. Hopefully Mettle Meet will continue to provide a platform for students to come together, match their wits and exhilarate in the beauty of quizzing.
Finally, your message to the participants of Mettle Meet 2018.
AS: All the participants of Mettle Meet are here to engage in a healthy competition. All the best to everyone. May the best team win.
