As part of its ongoing 62nd anniversary celebrations, The Navhind Times, in association with Deccan Fine
Chemicals, marked Children’s Day on November 18 with an art competition for students from grades V
to XII. Nearly 400 students from across the state registered and participated enthusiastically in the event
held at Dempo House, Panaji.
The venue bustled with excitement as students arrived and registered under three different categories,
each with its own theme to inspire creativity at various levels. The categories and topics were:
- Grades V to VII – Goa’s Culture of Peace
- Grades VIII to X – Freedom to Me Is…
- Grades XI to XII – Goa 2035
The competition began at 9:00 a.m. and participants were given two and a half hours to interpret their
assigned theme. Working with a variety of materials, pencils, crayons, charcoal, watercolours, and oil
paints, the students created vibrant, thoughtful and innovative artwork. Their dedication and talent
were clearly reflected in their final pieces.
Harsha Mandurkar, Principal of the Goa College of Art, served as the judge and noted how difficult it was
to choose the top three entries in each category. “The initiative taken by The Navhind Times to
encourage creativity and ignite curiosity in children is truly commendable. Every artwork I viewed today
reflected the participants’ skill, talent and personal expression. Selecting the winners was challenging
because each piece was unique. The event has indeed been a great success,” Mandurkar said during the
prize distribution. She also emphasized the value of participation and praised parents and teachers for
inspiring and supporting the students.
Winners received certificates and cash prizes sponsored by Deccan Fine Chemicals Private Limited. The
chief guest at the valedictory function was Gaurav Kudchadkar, Manager–CSR at Deccan Fine Chemicals,
who praised the participants and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting the
competition. “We are delighted with this year’s turnout, and participation keeps growing every year.
This is our third year partnering with The Navhind Times for the Children’s Day Art Competition, and we
look forward to continuing this collaboration for many years,” he said.
Also present were The Navhind Times Editor Vijay DeSouza, Head–Administration of Navhind Papers &
Publications, Gopi Kalwar, and the competition judge.
The event fostered creativity and healthy competition while giving participants a platform to showcase
their artistic talent and gain meaningful recognition. Every participant received a certificate
acknowledging their skill, talent and work.
Buoyed by the success of this year’s competition, The Navhind Times is already looking ahead to the
next edition, which promises to be even bigger and more inspiring.
Winners in Grade V to VII category:
1 st Prize – Shweta Naik, standard VII
2 nd Prize – Sia Prabhu, standard VI
3 rd Prize – Aarohi Kute, standard VI
Winners in Grade VIII to X category:
1 st Prize – Rutva Divkar, standard IX
2 nd Prize – Saish Naik, standard IX
3 rd Prize – Daksh Velip, standard VIII
Winners in Grade XI to XII category:
1 st Prize – Sriyansi Gawde, standard XI
2 nd Prize – Shrutika Halarnkar, grade XI
3 rd Prize – Krutika Meshram, grade XI
Feedback
Thank you to the Navhind Times for hosting this competition. We hope for many more of such events ,
hopefully one every month.
Abhiskek Rajput, student
The venue was very comfortable and the ‘what freedom means to me’ theme was excellent. I learned
a lot from the session and truly enjoyed the experience. Thank you.
Shravani Mengane, student
I was very excited to draw on Goa’s culture of peace which was the highlight of my drawing.
Aarav Velip, student
It was an exciting day here. We enjoyed a lot and the volunteers were all very kind to us.
Praneet, student
It was a really fun and good experience with so many different schools and students participating. –
Rean Singh, student
I loved the way everyone was so helpful, kind and sweet and the space was wonderful.
Tanishka Purumu, student
The competition was very enjoyable and very fun.
Nishant Dungaung, student
It was a really good experience and I had a lot of fun drawing.
Maria, student
The large number of student participants shows how valuable this competition was in giving them a
platform to explore their talent and creativity. I am truly grateful to Navhind Times for organizing such
an enriching and inspiring event.
Dr.Aditi Mapsekar, parent
I had lots of fun. It was not boring.
Jiya, student
It is a wonderful opportunity for children to develop and grow in the field of art. However, it would be
helpful if the criteria for children with special needs are clearly communicated well in advance, to ensure
fairness and better preparation for all participants. Thank you.
Kaanino Fernandes, teacher
The art competition motivates children to explore their creativity and bring their imagination to life
through the vibrant topics given. It was truly inspiring to see their enthusiasm, and I am really glad to
have been a small part of it.
Granthali Satarkar, guardian
Thank you very much for organising such a marvellous event.
Nelson D’Costa , parent
The topics were very interesting and creative.
Sriyansi Gawde, student
It was a great exposure for our children and for our students from Shri Saraswati High School, St.
Estevem, it was a first of its kind experience. Looking forward to many more such competitions. Thank
you Navhind Times.
Shruti Arolkar, teacher
It was good to see how time-conscious the team was. Well organised.
Bindu, Parent
It was really good participating in this competition.
Sartak, student
