More than 100 students from seven colleges are participating in the second edition of the three-day G-Fest that started yesterday at the Gaeddu College of Business Studies (GCBS).

Five colleges from the country and one each from India and Nepal are contending in various events on business presentations and skills. Themed ‘Empowering students with critical thinking, innovation, and decision-making,’ the fest’s aim is to “progress with partnership.”

A faculty in economics and staff advisor from GCBS, Indra Tirwa, who is also coordinating the event, said the fest is a business literary festival. “We are looking to cross-fertilise different ideas,” he said, adding that it is a platform to understand how entrepreneurship is picking up in the region.

Along with GCBS, Sherubtse College, CNR, JNP, and the Royal Thimphu College (RTC) are participating in the fest. Sriram College of Commerce from Dehradun, India, and Thames College from Nepal are among the regional participants.

During the fest, students present their business skills to compete for the award.

In the Business plan competition yesterday, Sriram students presented an eco-friendly and affordable business scheme where wastes are used to recreate and redesign home decor products. The growing middle-class population of India would be their main target.

Talking to Kuensel, a GCBS student, Prithiman Chhetri, 22, who is also among the student organisers said the fest is related to academics. “It is a platform to express and face business ideas and challenges in the real world context,” the final year B.Com student said.

Calling it a festival of youth, lyonchhoen Tshering Tobgay who joined the students and faculty members for the event said that the G-Fest was a festival of entrepreneurship, innovation, business, management, and creativity. “Cross-fertilisation of ideas would serve all,” Lyonchoen said. “It will certainly serve Bhutan.” Lyonchoen Tshering Tobgay also assisted to get a funding of Nu 200,000 for the fest from the education ministry.

Final year business administration students Nibedita Shrestra and Manisha Bimali of Thames International College from Nepal said that they would take home a new experience from the G-Fest. Although such events are organised in their colleges, the duo said that it is the thinking process and cultural aspects that are new to learn. About 10 different agencies are funding the festival.

Rajesh Rai | Gedu

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