Annual Management Fest
CREST 14th EDITION
Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon, successfully hosted its flagship management festival, CREST 14, on December 4th and 5th. This year’s theme, “The Gauntlet: Navigating Corporate Contests,” captured the true essence of the modern business world — where every challenge tests one’s resilience and leadership, pushing participants to grow and emerge stronger.
The 14th edition witnessed an unprecedented response, recording over 6,000+ registrations and achieving an impressive national reach. The event served as a high-octane arena for more than 231 finalists from India’s premier B-schools, including IIM Calcutta, IIM Bodh Gaya, MDI Gurgaon, SIBM Pune, SIOM Nashik, IMI Delhi, IMT Ghaziabad, and several other reputed institutions. Over two days, these bright minds competed in 11 high-stakes events, transforming the campus into a hub of strategic grit and innovation.
- Provided Strategic Resilience: Tackled complex corporate simulations and high-pressure challenges.
- Gained Industry Insights: Engaged directly with industry leaders and top recruiters.
- Earned Recognition: Competed for prestigious accolades and a ₹4.5 Lakh prize pool.
- Built Networks: Forged lasting connections with top talent from premier B-schools.
CREST 13 celebrated “Kalpavrishka”, inspiring creativity and growth, while CREST 12 embraced “EkaVritti”, symbolizing a unified vision.
A Confluence of Strategy, Insight, and Execution
CREST 2025 featured a dynamic lineup of domain-driven competitions designed to test strategic thinking, analytical depth, and creative execution. Each challenge reflected real-world business scenarios, enabling participants to apply structured frameworks and deliver impactful, practice-oriented solutions
| Finception – Dominion of Worth (Finance) | Economia – Delphi’s Forecast (Economics) |
| Harmony – Citadel of Ethos (Human Resources) | Bottleneck Odyssey (Operations) |
| Prometheus x Kratos – Strategist & Prayaas (Strategy) | Elysium Vogue (Self-Interest / Lifestyle Management) |
| Marquest – Ad Alchemy (Marketing) | Inquivista – The Quantum Trial (Analytics / Business Strategy) |
Knowledge meets Vision
Mr. Rizwan Shaikh delivered a sharp and practice-driven keynote, drawing from his leadership experience across Foodpanda, Ola, and Rapido. His address centred on customer centricity, operational foresight, and empathetic leadership in high-pressure, scaled ecosystems.
Key Takeaways:
- Customer centricity is foundational — most operational failures stem from expectation gaps, not technology.
- Strong leaders shift organisations from reactive firefighting to proactive, predictive operations.
- High-performing teams anticipate problems rather than merely responding to them.
- Automation improves efficiency, but trust is built through empathy and human intervention.
- Sustainable scale depends on ethical practices, on-ground insights, and resilient systems.
Mr. Rizwan Shaikh | VP – Supply Chain & Last Mile Logistics, Rapido
An Evening of Culture, Rhythm, and Celebration
The Cultural Evening and DJ Night with Project 91 brought CREST 14 to life with high-energy performances, vibrant expressions of talent, and an electrifying atmosphere. From captivating cultural acts to a pulsating DJ set, the evening offered participants a well-earned moment of celebration.
Crowning the Leaders of Tomorrow
The grand finale recognized and celebrated the outstanding efforts of participants whose innovative solutions stood out. These achievements reaffirmed the spirit of CREST 2025 as a platform where tomorrow’s leaders shine.
| Competition | Winner | 1st Runner-Up | 2nd Runner-Up |
| Finception – Dominion of Worth | Team Rasmalai (Great Lakes Institute of Management) | Unbreakable (Birla Institute of Technology, Noida) | Visionary Vortex (Birla Institute of Technology, Noida) |
| Harmony – Citadel of Ethos | Three Spectaculars (IMI Delhi) | Think Tank (Great Lakes Institute of Management) | Synergy (Great Lakes Institute of Management) |
| Prometheus x Kratos – Strategist & Prayaas | White & Black (Birla Institute of Technology, Noida) | Warriors of Enterprise (MDI Gurgaon) | Strat X (Birla Institute of Technology, Noida) |
| Marquest – Ad Alchemy | Team Supreme (Great Lakes Institute of Management) | Team Case Crafters (IMI Delhi) | Team Innovators (SOIL Institute of Management) |
| Inquivista – The Quantum Trial | RokiHR (IIM Calcutta) | Colaba Causeway (Welingkar Institute of Management, Mumbai) | Eagles (Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon) |
| Economia – Delphi’s Forecast | Team Innovators (Jagan Institute of Management, Delhi) | Team Artha (Sri Venkateshwar College, Delhi) | Team Equilibrium (Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon) |
| Bottleneck Odyssey (Operations Club) | Team NNA (Great Lakes Institute of Management) | Sigma Squad (Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai) | Opscentrix (Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management, Nashik) |
| Hermes Guild (Branding & Admissions Committee) | Adverse (Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon) | AdVantage (Birla Institute of Management Technology) | Reatilution (Institute of Management Technology) |
| Elysium Vogue (Self-Interest) | Team Bellissimo (Motilal Nehru College, Delhi University) | Team GLIM (Great Lakes Institute of Management) | Team Invincibles (Great Lakes Institute of Management, Gurgaon) |
As the curtains closed, one message was clear — CREST continues to inspire, challenge, and transform.
Sponsors
Glimpses of CREST 2025
