Kerala State School Arts Festival 2025 gets off to a fine start

Various competitions under way across several venues in capital city

The 63rd Kerala State School Arts Festival 2025 got off to a fine start at Central Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, on Saturday (January 4, 2025). After Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the five-day event at a function presided over by General Education Minister V. Sivankutty, various competitions got under way across several venues across the city.

The highlight of the inaugural function was a group dance performed by the students of the GVHSS, Vellarmala, which was destroyed in the devastating landslides in Wayanad last July. Seven students from the school brought on to the stage the tragedy that claimed more than 300 lives. Dressed in costumes similar to their school uniform, they reminded the thousands of spectators of one of Kerala’s biggest tragedies. They also demonstrated the fight for survival.

This year’s festival is expected to be attended by about 15,000 students, who will compete in as many 249 events across 29 venues in the capital city.

The opening day alone features competitions in a wide array of art forms and categories, including Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam, group dance, Kathakali, ghazal and light music.

Published - January 04, 2025 02:13 pm IST