Week-long competitions were held by noted cultural organisation Navya Nataka Samithi. The award presentation ceremony and performances by prize winners was held at Ravindra Bharati recently.
Kids' effort
Around 450 children of all age groups took part in these music and dance competitions. Quite a few of them came from far off places and from different states. The events were held in Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam and Kathak dances and Carnatic and Hindustani styles of music, both instrumental and vocal. The children were divided into the three age groups and competed in the sections of seniors, juniors and sub-juniors.
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The Samithi launched these competitions in 1961. Vemaraju Narasimha Rao was the president of this Samithi for all these years, till he died two years ago. V. Vijay Kumar is the present president and has been conducting these competitions for the last two years. It is said that around ten thousand artistes have participated in these competitions and some of them are today's top artistes in the country.