Opportunity brief
ANAVARAN, presented as part of XAVIESTA 5.0 – KAALCHAKRA, is an immersive sustainability investigation and strategy competition that challenges participants to uncover the gap between corporate sustainability claims and ground realities. Teams of four step into the roles of Sustainability Investigators and Corporate Strategists, investigating Vasundhara Data Infrastructure Ltd., a fictional organisation whose green image may not reflect its actual environmental and social impact. Across three challenging rounds, participants will identify greenwashing, investigate hidden contradictions, assess business risks and develop commercially viable sustainability strategies under real-world-inspired crises. From questioning environmental claims to defending strategic decisions before a jury, ANAVARAN tests critical thinking, ESG awareness, analytical ability and the power to build a genuinely sustainable future.
ROUND 1 – GREEN OR GREENWASH?
Spot the Illusion
- Teams will receive a collection of fictional ESG claims, advertisements, sustainability statements, corporate announcements and certification claims made by Vasundhara Data Infrastructure Ltd. regarding its proposed Hooghly Data Park in West Bengal.
- Participants must critically examine each of the 10 claims and classify them into one of three categories:
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Genuine Sustainability
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Greenwashing
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Misleading Communication
Each classification must be supported by a short justification explaining what is being promised, whether the claim is verifiable, what important information is missing and whether the communication creates an exaggerated positive impression.
Round Details:
- Mode: Online on Unstop. - Format: ESG Claim Classification + Justification Brief. - Case: Vasundhara Data Infrastructure Ltd. – Hooghly Data Park. - Number of Claims: 10. - Submission: Each claim must include its classification and a justification of 3–6 lines. - Qualification: Top 12 Teams advance to Round 2.
Evaluation Criteria:
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Classification Accuracy – 50%
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Quality of Justification – 40%
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Clarity of Expression – 10%
ROUND 2 – THE GREENWASH FILES
Uncover the Truth
- The qualifying teams will receive a comprehensive investigation dossier containing public statements, internal technical documents, employment projections, renewable energy plans, community partnership updates and environmental assessments relating to Vasundhara Data Infrastructure Ltd.
- Teams must investigate the contradictions between the company's public sustainability commitments and its internal operational realities.
- Participants must identify instances of greenwashing, uncover misleading disclosures, assess environmental and social implications, and evaluate the financial, regulatory and reputational risks arising from these gaps.
- Teams will present their investigation findings and risk assessment before the jury.
Round Details:
- Mode: Offline. - Timing: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (as specified in the event brochure). - Format: Case Investigation + Jury Findings Presentation. - Case: Detailed investigation of Vasundhara Data Infrastructure Ltd.'s Hooghly Data Park. - Qualification: Top 6 Teams advance to Round 3 (Grand Finale).
Key Areas of Investigation:
- Water consumption, groundwater stress and water-positive claims. - Renewable energy commitments and net-zero targets. - Employment claims and actual local job creation. - Farmer partnerships and treated wastewater utilisation. - Green certifications and environmental compliance. - Financial, regulatory, reputational and social risks.
Evaluation Criteria:
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Completeness of Findings – 30%
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Quality of Risk Assessment – 30%
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Systems Thinking – 20%
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Presentation & Clarity – 20%
ROUND 3 – THE REBUILT GREEN LEGACY
Shape the Future – Grand Finale
- The six finalist teams will face individual sustainability crises based on the specific findings they uncovered during Round 2. Each team must step into the role of a Special Recovery Cell appointed by the Board of Vasundhara Data Infrastructure Ltd.
- Participants must develop a credible and commercially viable sustainability recovery strategy addressing the crisis assigned to their team. The strategy must demonstrate how the organisation can stabilise its current situation, repair stakeholder relationships, rebuild its sustainability framework and establish measurable commitments for the future.
- Teams must present their strategy before the jury and defend their recommendations through a live presentation and cross-examination.
Round Details:
- Mode: Offline – Live Defence, Grand Finale. - Format: Crisis-Driven Strategy Design + Live Presentation & Defence. - Finalists: Top 6 Teams from Round 2. - Preparation: Closed-book, using Round 2 notes saved on the team laptop, the Round 3 pack and the Benchmark Card.
Mandatory Strategic Framework – Four Horizons:
- STABILISE: Address the immediate crisis and minimise operational, financial and reputational damage. - REPAIR: Correct past shortcomings, rebuild stakeholder trust and address existing sustainability gaps. - REBUILD: Design a commercially viable and long-term sustainability strategy. - PROVE: Establish measurable targets, accountability mechanisms and independent verification to demonstrate actual progress.
Submission Requirements:
- Strategy deck: Maximum 8 main slides plus 2 appendix slides. - Commitments Ledger: One-page document containing commitment, baseline, target, date, owner, cost, funding source and verification method. - Financial View: Cost by strategic horizon, funding route, impact on lender covenant and value at risk avoided.
Presentation Format:
- Pitch: 8 minutes (strict time limit). - Jury Q&A: 8 minutes. - A new Board-level development will be introduced at the beginning of the Q&A, requiring teams to respond immediately. - Any team member may answer questions.
Evaluation Criteria:
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Quality of Strategy – 30%
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Commercial Feasibility – 25%
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Crisis Response & Adaptability – 20%
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Innovation & Systems View – 15%
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Live Defence & Communication – 10%
OVERALL RULES & REGULATIONS
- Team Size: Each team must consist of exactly 4 members across all three rounds. No substitutions will be permitted once registration is completed. - Eligibility: The competition is open to all college students. Valid institutional ID cards are mandatory for offline rounds. - Competition Structure: Round 1 (Online) → Top 12 teams advance to Round 2 (Offline) → Top 6 teams advance to Round 3 (Offline Grand Finale). - Offline Timing: The offline rounds are scheduled within the 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM window on the finale day, as specified in the ANAVARAN Event Brochure. The venue will be communicated to shortlisted teams. - Continuity: Findings from Round 2 will directly shape the specific crisis assigned to each finalist in Round 3. Teams cannot reset their position or disregard their earlier findings. - Round 1 Integrity: Participants must base their classifications on the provided materials. AI tools may be used only for language polishing and not for generating the actual classifications. - Devices: One laptop per team is permitted for preparation and presentation during offline rounds. Mobile phones are strictly prohibited during offline rounds. - Submissions: All submissions must follow the prescribed format and be submitted through the official channel within the stipulated deadline. Late entries and resubmissions will not be accepted. - Conduct: No communication or collaboration between competing teams is permitted during any round. Violation will lead to disqualification. - Round 3 Preparation: Participants must use their Round 2 notes, the provided crisis brief and the Benchmark Card. Assumptions must be clearly identified, and unsupported figures must not be presented as facts. - Commitments Ledger: Every commitment made during the Round 3 presentation must be included in the prescribed Commitments Ledger with its baseline, target, timeline, owner, cost, funding source and verification method. - Judging: The decisions of the judges and organising committee are final and binding at every stage. - Organisers' Rights: The organising committee reserves the right to modify the rules, timelines or competition format if required, with prior notice to participants.