Four young code crackers left the Island for Mysore, India on the 21st of July to represent the Isle of Man at the International Linguistics Olympiad. The event is sponsored by Microsoft, Infosys and Tata.
The team members achieved the highest scores from sixty-two entries in the Isle of Man Linguistics Olympiad held in March.
The four are; Rosalie Kavan (Ramsey Grammar School), Harriet Godby (RGS), Seth Aycock (King William’s College) and Alex Hind (Queen Elizabeth II High School). Ahead of them lies a marathon six-hour individual code breaking competition and a four-hour team competition.
Talking of the team’s chances Rosalie Kavan said: ‘It’s going to be tough, we are up against 31 other countries, but we’ll do our best to represent the Isle of Man well.'
As well as competing, the team will attend lectures on the languages of India, Classical Indian Dance, Traditional Indian Board Games and the history and cultures of Mysore and Bangalore.
Bangalore has an interesting Manx connection in that Sir Mark Cubbon from Maughold was commissioner for Mysore State from 1834 to 1859. Thankfully, he is remembered for good governance, fairness and supporting official use of the local languages, Kannada and Marathi. The team are hoping to fit in a visit to Bangalore’s Cubbon Park and Sir Mark’s residence, Balabrooie House, during the trip.
The team leaders; Robert Teare, Manx Language Officer for the Department of Education and Children, and Erin McNulty, a previous contestant now studying at Oxford University, would like to thank sponsors M&P Legal, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company and Qatar Airways for their support.
Photo – left to right: Richard Hird, Marketing & Sales Assistant with Isle of Man Steam Packet Company; students Rosalie Kavan, Harriet Godby, Seth Aycock and Alex Hind; John Aycock, Joint Managing Director at M&P Legal; and Team Leaders Rob Teare (Manx Language Officer for the Department of Education and Children) and Erin McNulty.
Researching your Manx family history can be a very interesting and rewarding hobby. Trace your roots in the Isle of Man with our helpful of guide.
