Students from various educational institutions in coastal Andhra Pradesh reaped a rich harvest of prizes in a national-level painting competition organised recently by the Bharat Scouts & Guides, the national Scouting and Guiding Association of India.
D. Mrunalika, an intermediate final year student from Maharashtra but hailing from Guntur, won first prize in the 17-25 years age group while Vedulla Neeraja, a final year student from St. Mary's Women's Engineering College at Budampadu in Guntur district, bagged second prize in the same category. “The preliminary topic was ‘world unity' and I knew almost instantly how I would give shape to my ideas on the drawing sheet. My illustration projected the globe surrounded by national flags of various countries. Since I had to send across the message of peace, harmony and brotherhood among various countries, I portrayed ‘shaking hands' symbolising harmonious co-existence of diverse races on this earth,” says Neeraja. Because of her semester exams, she could not make it to Gadpuri in Palwal district of Haryana, where the prize-distribution function was held. “I have received intimation and I am waiting for my prize to reach home very soon,” she says excitedly.
K.V. Chaitanya, a tenth class student from Zilla Parishad High School at Penamaluru, won second prize in the 14-16 years age group.
Narrating the exciting experience of being part of a large gathering of students from not only across the country but also from Pakistan, Chaitanya says in addition to the joy of receiving a prize, he could make new friends at the camp.
Chaitanya's topic was ‘happy family' and he portrayed a picture of members of a joint family unwinding amidst the cosy comforts of their home. Attributing his success to his scout master and drawing teacher A. Appa Rao, he says support from the school management and encouragement by his drawing teacher worked as a morale-booster.
