KOLLAM: Leading the tally from day one, the defending champions Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram, with 140 points, lifted the overall champions trophy of the Kerala University Youth Festival for the seventh time in a row here on Sunday.
A spirited performance of the 110-member team from the college helped them to beat their neighbour Mar Baselios College of Engineering and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram. Mar Baselios, with 72 points, had to be contended with the runners up trophy. Swathi Thirunal College of Music, with 62 points, and College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram with 52 points finished third and fourth.
Mar Ivanios students also won the Kalathilakam and Kalaprathibha titles.
Second year B Sc Botany student of the college, S Sreedevi won the Kalathilakam title with 21 points. She came first in Mohiniyattam, fancy dress, Kathakali and folk dance competitions, and won the third position in Ottanthullal. Sreedevi is the daughter of businessman V Gopakumar and N Sheela of Attukal.
Adarsh M A, second year B Sc Zoology student of Mar Ivanios, overcame a stiff challege from Vishnu Vijay of Mar Baselios to become the Kalaprathibha with 17 points. He bagged the first position in Kuchipudi and folk dance, second place in Bharathanatyam and Ottanthullal and third place in Kathakali. Luck stood with Adarsh this year, as he had lost the title the previous year by a wafer thin margin. Hailing from Peroorkkada, he is the son of auto driver K Murukan and Jagadambika.
The prize distribution and stage winning performances were held during the valedictory ceremony at the main venue in Sree Narayana College on Sunday evening. Sound designer Rasool Pookutty inaugurated the valedictory function. University union chairman Harikrishnan presided over the function and Vice Chancellor A Jayakrishanan spoke.