Port Blair, Dec 01: The Govt. Model Senior Secondary School Port Blair felicitated its National Kala Utsav 2016 Winners yesterday at its premises. In a programme organized in the morning assembly the chairperson of the Inspection committee the Deputy Director(Academics) Dr. Suman Devi while distributing Trophies and certificates to the students said that it’s a proud moment for the Islands. The young artists have shown their mettle at the National level and made us feel proud with their achievement. The Principal Dr. Dheeraj Kumar in his speech said that that the young artists of the school have brought laurels to the Islands by winning the first prize in the visual art category and 3rd prize in the tribal dance category at the National level competition held in New Delhi recently. This is first ever occasion when any state/UT has won 2 prizes in one Kala Utsav. The SMC and SMDC members also congratulated the team.
In the visual art category, the school team under the guidance of the Fine Arts PGT Shri G. Suresh Kumar had chosen the topic ‘Body Ornaments of the Primitive Jarawa Tribe’. The students had done intensive research work to explore about the details of the art technique used by the tribes to prepare their natural ornaments. They visited the Anthropological Survey of India, ANTRI and Kala Pani museum and talked to the anthropologists regarding the art form. They collected materials like the plant leaves and shells from the coastal areas and had started preparing the ornaments in the school painting lab. The Guide Teacher G. Suresh Kumar while sharing his experience of the National Competition, said that the competition was very tough out there. Total 39 teams from all the states, UTS, KVS and JNVs were there. The jury though was very much impressed by the e-project(small documentary) of the presentation developed under the guidance of Shri Ashok Kumar Singh, which the jury had seen prior to the commencement of the stage performances. The e-project shows the various stages of the making of the presentation and it contains 30% of the total marks.
Shri Suresh said it was an historic moment when the Islands’ team was declared the winner of the visual category consecutively second year.
An artist of the team Yuvashri said it was an historic memorable experience for the entire team to participate at the National level.
The hospitality by the Ministry and NCERT was unforgettable and the Project officer Shri R.K. Singh of the UT RMSA unit was always in touch with the team over phone and took care of the children who were on their maiden visit to the capital. The Team Coordinator shri Shailendra Lall discharged his duties with utmost dedication and the visiting students did not feel any inconvenience.
In the tribal dance category the school had chosen rather a very difficult dance form of Primitive tribe Jarawa. This art form is still not very known. The team of the student artists under the guidance of the Choreographer teacher Smti Anuradha Ganeshan started research work, visiting the Anthropological Survey of India, ANTRI and Kala Pani museum. They referred several books written by the eminent Anthropologists, to a get idea about the dance art form of Jarawa.
What is unique about the art form is that no musical instruments are used in the dance, rather the rythem is generated by clapping and beating foot on the ground. In the dance presentation the moments of joy of the daily like of the aboriginal tribe has been depicted effectively through creativity. Sharing her experience the mentor and choreographer of the dance Smti Anuradha Ganeshan said the competition at the National level was really very tough, but they got an advantage due to the creative enactment on the stage, using the visual and sound effects and beautiful presentation of the dancing steps. The e-project for this art form too has been developed under the direction of shri Ashok Kumar Singh PGT, depicting the different stages of the making of the presentation starting from the research work, material collection, rehearsals etc. The dance was awarded 3rd prize at the National Level in new Delhi, thus created a sort of history as 2 prizes were bagged by the Islands. An artist Sher Bahadur Rai said that initially after watching the great folk dances of the different states they got little nervous, but soon they got over the negative psychological impulse and felt themselves more determined to give their best and rest became history. He said that the presence of the secretary Education Smti Tanvi Garg and Smti Rupa Ray at the venue did not let them feel that they are away from their homes. The National Kala Utsav was inaugurated by the Union Minister of HRD Shri Prakash Javdekar and the awards and medals were given by the Mos HRD Dr. Mahendranath Pandey. On both occasions the ministers showed interest and appreciated the work of the students who had come from the remote Islands of Andaman Nicobar. The school’s theatre presentation prepared by Shri Satyan PGT, based on the historic ‘Battle of Aberdeen’ was also very much appreciated. The audience got mesmerized listening to the classic Nicobari Folk song presented by the Govt. SSS. Prothrapur at National level as well.
The contingent of the Islands included 27 students from the Model School who represented the Visual Art, Tribal Dance and Theatre category, whereas 10 students were from the Govt. SSS. Prothrapur, South Andaman who presented Folk Song at the National level.
