“Safety is not a gadget but a state of mind.” – Eleanor Everet
DIGEX, the Digital Excellence Society, in collaboration with CYBERX, the Cyber Security Club of Delhi Public School RK Puram, successfully hosted its annual event,DIGEX x CYBERX on 23 May 2026. This much‑anticipated gathering, which celebrated photography, filmmaking, ethical hacking and digital safety, drew participants from fifty schools across the Delhi NCR region.
The programme comprised a wide range of competitive events, namely, Pixelate Sr., Pixelate Jr., CrADive, Hi-Res, S?RPRISE, Phonescape Jr., Phonescape Sr., Phishing Phantoms, ReconX and CAMISTIC; each thoughtfully designed to test creativity, technical skill and cyber awareness. A panel that included distinguished alumni served as judges, enriching the experience for all competitors. The school campus buzzed with energy as students presented their work and demonstrated both talent and teamwork, creating a vibrant and engaging atmosphere throughout the day.
The details of the competitions held this year are as follows:
PIXELATE SENIOR AND JUNIOR: This was a photography competition divided into junior (Classes VI-VIII) and senior (Classes IX-XII) categories. Participants used their own cameras to capture a single photograph within the school premises on a topic revealed during the event. Editing software and phone cameras were not allowed. Entries were judged on creativity, clarity, technical skills and relevance. The judges for the event were Mr Gaurav Markan, Ms Faizah Maqvi and Ms Niyati Chauhan.
CREADIVE: This was a team filmmaking event for Classes VI-XII in which the participants had to bring their own filming equipment. The event details were revealed on the spot and the teams had to shoot an advertisement within the school. The judgement criteria included creativity, originality, relevance to the topic and technical skills. The judges were Mr Rajvir Ajmani and Mr Vishesh Chaurasia.
HI-RES: This was an online film making competition for Classes VI-XII. The topic was announced on 15 May 2026, with submissions due by 21 May 2026. The judgment criteria were creativity, technical skills, relevance to the topic and clarity. The judges were Mr Tejas Chaudhary and Mr Vihaan Pahwa.
S?RPRISE: This offline event for Classes IX-XII involved participants joining a Discord server to receive hints and requirements a day before the event. Participants brought their own equipment and learned the competition details on the event day. The judgement criteria included creativity, clarity and relevance to the topic. The judges were Ms Sana Chawla and Mr Advaith Sai.
PHONESCAPE JUNIOR & SENIOR: This was an online photography contest divided into Junior (Classes VI-VII) and Senior (Classes IX-XII) categories. Participants submitted one photograph on a given topic by 21 May 2026. The judgement criteria included creativity, clarity and relevance to the topic. The judges were Mr Pratistha Batra and Ms Ishita Bhargava.
CAMISTIC: This competition combined photography with cybersecurity awareness. Teams created storyboards on assigned cybersecurity topics using props and their own equipment to capture images within the school. Judging considered creativity, technical skills, clarity and topic relevance. The judges for the event were Mr Arahant Singh and Mr Aditya Goel.
PHISHING PHANTOMS: This event challenged participants to identify fake or socially engineered communications and present their findings through a PowerPoint presentation. Teams analysed manipulation tactics and suggested preventive measures. The judgement was based on accuracy of identification, depth of analysis, professionalism and clarity. The judges were Mr Athava Singh, Mr Manu Durga and Mr Goutam Behera.
RECONX: This competition focused on open-source intelligence and online privacy. Participants researched publicly available digital information about a target and prepared presentations detailing their findings, analytical methods and privacy recommendations. Use of artificial intelligence was prohibited, and entries were judged on accuracy, depth of analysis and presentation quality. The judges were Mr Vrinda Aggarwal and Ms Naija Sukhija.
An interactive cybersecurity workshop led by the school alumnus, Mr Atharwa Singh was also conducted as a part of the day-long event. Mr Singh offered valuable insights into various cyber threats and emphasised on necessary precautions and preventive measures. Moreover, the representative from Canon, Mr Rajesh Kamat, organised an informative workshop on creating various kinds of content using a camera and their usage on social media.
The valedictory ceremony for the fest was graced by the Principal, Mr Anil Kumar; the Chief Guest, Ms Akansha Swarup, News Anchor, CNN-News18; the Guest of Honour, Ms Anshika Varma, Founder – Offset Projects; and special guest, Mr Gaurav Markan, a representative of Canon India.
The Principal, Mr Anil Kumar, warmly addressed the gathering and expressed his sincere hope that participants from various schools would continue to come together for similar events in the future. He also encouraged the audience to reflect on the era before the advent of photography and to consider the significant transformations it has brought about in both the fields of photography and cybersecurity.
Thereafter, the Western Dance Society enthralled the audience with its dynamic performance.
In her address, the Chief Guest, Ms Akanksha Swarup, conveyed her heartfelt appreciation for the opportunity to witness the exceptional talent and creativity showcased by the students. Reflecting on the evolution of cybersecurity from simpler times to the present, Ms Swarup highlighted the significant challenges faced today such as deepfakes, digital scams and the rapid spread of misinformation through social media.
Emphasising on the importance of pairing cybersecurity with creative fields like photography, Ms Swarup also highlighted how images can influence public perception faster than facts, underscoring the dual nature of digital media as both a problem and an opportunity. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, she shared real-world examples of cyber threats, including scams involving fake identities and the spread of hate content driven by social media algorithms, illustrating the urgent need for awareness and vigilance.
Addressing the ongoing debate about social media use among young people, Ms Swarup also advocated for education over outright bans, stressing that digital literacy, media awareness and responsible use are essential in navigating the online world safely. Praising the digital savvy and resilience of the younger generation, she encouraged students to continue questioning technology’s impact and to build a digitally safe world grounded in trust, ethics and respect. Ms Swarup also recognised the efforts of the school and the DIGEX and CYBERX clubs for providing a vital platform for fostering such understanding, inspiring students not only to develop technical skills but also to think critically about the ethical implications of their work in cybersecurity and digital media.
Ms Sarika Kaushal, the Club InCharge and founder of the society, also addressed the gathering. She expressed her deep gratitude towards the Principal, Mr Anil Kumar and commended the sincere efforts of all the participants and the club members whose hard work contributed immensely to the success of the event. The day concluded on a celebratory note with the felicitation of the alumni and the much-anticipated award distribution ceremony, honouring the achievements of the participants.
The results of the events are as follows:
| OVERALL WINNERS | Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar |
| 1ST RUNNERS UP | DPS Sushant Lok |
| 2ND RUNNERS UP | Amity International School, Sector 46, Gurgaon |
| EVENT | FIRST POSITION | SECOND POSITION | THIRD POSITION |
| PIXELATE SR. | Air Force Bal Bharti School | Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar | DPS Faridabad |
| PIXELATE JR. | Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan | DPS Indirapuram | DPS Rohini |
| PHONESCAPE SR. | Bluebells School International | Indraprastha International School | Mother’s International School |
| PHONESCAPE JR. | Amity International School, Sector 46 | DPS Greater Faridabad | GD Goenka Flagship School, Vasant Kunj |
| HI-RES | Air Force Bal Bharti School | Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar | DPS Sushant Lok |
| CRE(AD)IVE | DPS Sushant Lok | Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar | DPS Dwarka |
| S?RPRISE | Amity International School, Sector 46 | Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar | Indraprastha International School |
| CAMISTIC | DPS Sushant Lok | DPS Greater Faridabad | Birla Vidya Niketan |
| PHISHING PHANTOMS | The Indian School | Vishwa Bharti School (Team 1) | DPS Sushant Lok (Team 2) |
| RECONX | Amity International School, Sector 46 | Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar | Bal Bharati Public School, Pitampura |