THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When the State School Arts Festival in Kollam evokes a range of emotions and memories for the young participants, the memories of a similar festival held three decades back are still fresh in the mind of Health Minister Veena George. She was one of the talents noticed in the state school arts festival held in Tirur in 1992, the festival which adjudged Manju Warrier as ‘Kalathilakam’. Veena, representing Mount Bethany Higher Secondary School, Mylapra, in Pathanamthitta, won the first prize for her performance in the mono act then.
Having started at a young age and performed in various competitions up to her college days, Veena, tells the participants to enjoy every moment of the festival. She has a reason behind it.
“Art festivals are not about getting first or second position. It gives you more than that. It prepares one to deal with challenges in life with self-confidence. So I tell children during my interaction with them not to waste an opportunity to be on the stage,” said Veena.
Veena’s initiation into the world of arts festivals began with classical dance when she was in the third grade. Over the years, she became a regular participant in various categories such as mono act, elocution, folk dance, and group dance. Later she focused more on group performances such as mime and skit to get maximum points for Government Women’s College in Thiruvananthapuram.
POINTS TABLE
Kannur: 370
Palakkad: 354
Kollam: 351
Thrissur: 350
Kozhikode: 350
Malappuram: 335
Ernakulam: 329
Alappuzha: 316
Kasaragod: 315
Thiruvananthapuram: 314
Kottayam: 303
Wayanad: 296
Pathanamthitta: 270
Idukki: 250