KANHANGAD: When the results for the Sanskrit speech competition held during the School Kalolsavam were declared, eight of the 15 contestants got A grade. But the judges picked one name to shower praises on: Shinsiya S. “Her expressions, style of delivery and presentation were different,” said a judge.
Shinsiya — a Class IX student of BSS Gurukulam Higher Secondary School, Alathur — may come across as just another cute little girl, says her Sanskrit teacher Hariprasad. “But when she starts to speak, she will startle anyone,” he says.
Daughter of paddy farmer Shahul Hameed and Bushra Beegum, Shinsiya is equally good in Arabic, Malayalam, Hindi and English. “I learn Arabic in madrasa every Saturday. But English is my favourite,” she says.
Gurukulam has many exceptional talents like Shinsiya. If art powerhouse Palakkad managed to pip archrival Kozhikode by two points to kiss the State School Arts Gold Cup, it is largely because of its engine BSS Gurukulam.
Gurukulam has been topping the table of schools for the past nine years in the State School Arts Fest. This year, it scored 161 points; its students got A grade in 31 of the 33 events it participated in the general category.
“Shinsiya aces Sanskrit. But she also got us an A grade in Urdu group song,” says the school’s principal Vijayan V Anand.
“We have got quite a few exceptional talents like her,” he says. Greeshma G, a Class XII student, got the school four A grades — a cool 20 points. She aced Mohiniyattam, Kuchuppudi, group dance and Nadodi Nrutham.
Gayathri Menon, Greeshma’s classmate, is a professional classical musician, giving concerts. At the school festival, she got an A in classical music and also in Kannada versification. “These children may not be celebrities, but they are our heroes,” says Hariprasad.