Introduction

The Transpire Club of Lloyd Institute of Management & Technology (Pharm.) successfully conducted the highly engaging Verbal Catalyst: A Group Discussion for B. Pharm 1st Year students on 15th July 2025. The event took place in the Mainframe Lab of Campus-1 and commenced at 10:30 AM, bringing together vibrant minds for a powerful exchange of ideas. The event was organized under the dynamic leadership of Prof. (Dr.) Vandana Arora Sethi Ma'am, Group Director, Chief Strategy Officer & Head of Growth, Lloyd Group of Institutions.

The primary objective of the event was to develop and assess essential skills among students such as critical thinking, verbal communication, active listening, and team collaboration. A total of 8 groups participated, with each group being allotted 10–12 minutes to present and discuss their assigned topic. Participants were evaluated on four well-defined criteria: Communication Skills, Content/Knowledge, Team Spirit, and Listening Skills.

The event featured a range of contemporary and socially relevant topics such as Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, Cyber warfare, Pharmacy ethics, Climate change, and more. All participants displayed remarkable enthusiasm, in-depth preparation, and confidence during their discussions. The event was judged by Dr. Syed Salman Ali, Associate Professor, who provided thoughtful evaluation and insights throughout the competition.

Among all the groups, Group 2 emerged as the winning team for their outstanding performance, demonstrating depth of knowledge, cohesive communication, and strong team coordination. The group comprised Gekhu Mimi, Mohd Nadeem, Neeyati Chauhan, Diya Bhati, and Krishnamurali Yadav. Their performance captivated both the audience and the judges, earning them prizes and special recognition during the award ceremony.

The event was successfully coordinated by Mr. Puneet Nirmal, Dean Student Welfare & Assistant Professor, and Ms. Rity Choubey, Soft Skills Trainer. Their meticulous planning and execution ensured the smooth conduct of the event. The student coordinators; Sneha Porwal, Chanchal Singh, Anisha Singh, Farhan Khan, Lakshay Jain and Abdullah Rahmani; also played a crucial role in organizing and managing the competition.

The prize distribution ceremony was graced by Prof. (Dr.) Lalit Kumar Tyagi Sir, Principal, and Prof. (Dr.) Shilpa Pahwa Ma'am, Vice-Principal, who congratulated the winners and appreciated the efforts of all participants. They also acknowledged the event as a valuable initiative that promotes leadership, communication, and confidence-building among students.

Verbal Catalyst proved to be a transformative learning experience, igniting passion for public speaking and thoughtful discourse among budding pharmacy professionals. The success of the event marks yet another milestone in Lloyd's commitment to holistic student development.