THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual youth jamboree is back in the capital. The city is hosting the revenue district school arts festival after three years. With over 2000-odd students of various schools in the city taking out a procession from Manaveeyam street at Vellayambalam to the venue Government Cotton Hill Higher Secondary school, the four-day gala fest got off to a colourful beginning on Wednesday.
City Police Commissioner G Sparjan Kumar flagged off the rally at 3 pm. Students clad in colourful attire flaunted the traditional art forms of Kerala, including margam kali, kolkali, duff muttu and band melam. Co-operation and Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran inaugurated the fest and said the school arts festivals had produced several artists and talents who later achieved fame.
He exhorted every student to compete hard to come out with flying colours to carve out a niche for themselves in future. O Rajagopal MLA, Mayor V K Prasanth, Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar and other councillors were present at the occasion. Over 5,000 students from various schools in the revenue district are participating in 213 competitions in various categories in a total of 14 venues at the Cotton Hill School compound.Unlike previous years, this edition of the festival will follow a green protocol. The use of plastic banners and bottles inside the venue has been completely avoided.
In the fest, special help desks have been arranged at various spots. CCTVs have also been put in place to keep a tab on unlawful activities. Around 500 police personnel, 200 NCC volunteers and over 100 student police cadets have been deployed for the festival.
A Sampath will inaugurate the concluding ceremony which will be held on Saturday at 4.30 pm. V S Sivakumar MLA will preside over the function while actor Sudheer Karamana will distribute the trophies and awards to the overall winners.