THRISSUR/KASARAGOD: It has been packed halls, loud applause, and fierce competition all the way. But on Saturday, the school kalolsavam paused for a historic moment that didn’t require a stage.
From a quiet room in Kasaragod, Class 10 student Siya Fathima made history — becoming the first participant to compete virtually, after the general education department granted her special exemption considering her health condition. And she didn’t just show up — walking away with an ‘A’ grade in Arabic poster design.
A student of Padne MRVHSS, Siya had been advised strict quarantine after being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called vasculitis. The diagnosis came just two weeks ago, after months of uncertainty — marked by persistent body pain, extreme fatigue, and recurring fever — that drained the teenager of strength and answers.
“For the past two-and-a-half months we have been in and out of hospitals as medicines failed to cure her,” said Siya’s father Abdul Muneer, an autorickshaw driver. “Extensive tests confirmed vasculitis. Once a month, she is administered steroids, along with oral medicines.”
But while Siya’s body was being forced to slow down, her mind was racing in the opposite direction — towards Thrissur, where the kalolsavam was unfolding without her.
Unable to travel, Siya did what students of her generation do when doors don’t open easily: She sent a message. A WhatsApp note to General Education Minister V Sivankutty became her lifeline. The minister extended support, and soon, the system moved quickly to make sure a quarantine did not become a curtain call for talent.
On Saturday morning, Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) officials arrived at her home and set up the required arrangements for her to participate online.
‘Very happy that I was allowed to participate’
The competition was scheduled for half an hour, and so was the window Siya had to prove that she belonged there. With judges monitoring her work live from Thrissur, Siya sat down to create her poster — completing it in just 30 minutes. The theme: Selling books. “I have given my best and I am very happy that I was allowed to participate,” Siya said, her relief and pride cutting through the distance between Kasaragod and the kalolsavam venue.
For her father, the moment was bigger than the grade sheet. “All the arrangements were made for my daughter to participate in the competition which lasted for half an hour. She was very happy and we are happy for her,” Muneer said.
Back in Thrissur, the virtual participant became the centre of attention. Sivankutty, Revenue Minister K Rajan, general education director N S K Umesh, and judges oversaw Siya work through video conference from Thrissur CMS School, the venue of the competition.
At home, the family was still unsure how the dream would play out. Her mother Sara said they didn’t expect the plan to fall in place. “Until the last moment, we didn’t think she would be able to do it,” she said.
But Siya did. And she did it with the quiet confidence of someone who has been practising for years without even realising it. Confined indoors now, she spends most of her time sharpening her artistic skills — something she has always carried with her. Among family and friends, Siya is known for her mehendi designs. “I love putting mehendi for others and exploring new designs. That is how I developed my drawing skills and joined poster making,” she told TNIE.
On a day when kalolsavam celebrated art, rhythm and performance across stages, Siya’s story became a reminder that talent doesn’t always arrive under spotlights. Sometimes, it arrives through a screen — from a room where a student is fighting pain, fatigue, fear of infection, and still choosing to create. With her virtual entry, the school arts festival didn’t just record a first. It delivered a message: Illness may demand isolation, but it doesn’t get to silence ability.