KANNUR: Continuing its dominance in Asia’s biggest youth festival, Kozhikode was crowned the winner at the 57th Kerala School Kalotsavam here on Sunday. Since the 47th festival, Kozhikode has been consecutively lifting the gold cup.
Kozhikode clinched the title in a close battle with Palakkad by scoring 939 points. Palakkad earned 936 points, while the hosts Kannur were placed third with 933 points. Thrissur, Malappuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Kollam, Alappuzha, Wayanad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kasargod, Pathanamthita and Idukki, in that order, followed.
In the Sanskrit festival, four districts - Ernakulam, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasargod - shared the first place scoring 95 points each, while Thrissur came second with 91 points.In the Arabic festival, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kollam shared the first position with 95 points, while Palakkad, Malappuram and Kasargod came second, with each scoring 91 points. The results were declared by DPI K V Mohan Kumar.
In the high school category, the BSS Gurukulam School, Alathur, in Palakkad, scored the highest number points - 113, while MKNM Kumaramangalam School in Idukki was placed second with 83 points. In HSS section, the MKNM Kumaramangalam School topped with 131 points, followed by BSS Gurukulam School which scored 123 points.
Earlier, inaugurating the valedictory function, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said the festival provides a stage for the development of individual talents. He said art forms can bring people together.He also said there was an urgent need to reform the festival manual.Magician Gopinath Muthukad, who was the chief guest, enthralled the gathering by performing a small trick. The next edition of the festival will be held in Thrissur.