The Hindu (Thiruvananthapuram)
University College, Mar Ivanios head for tight finish in KU youth festival
Fete dogged by charges of intimidation and violence
Kerala University Union Youth Festival 2024 appears poised for a photo finish with University College and Mar Ivanios College set for a grand finale on Monday with 175 and 173 points respectively.
Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music occupied the third place with 115 points, according to results published until 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Winners
In folk events, Chakyarkoothu, Nangyarkoothu and Kuchipudi competitions were held on Sunday.
The winners of the various solo competition items were: Chakyarkoothu: Shreyas S.L. of Mar Ivanios College; Aksharaslokam – Arabic: Mohammed Salih M. of Kerala University Campus; Aksharaslokam – Sanskrit: Gourinandana B.R. of Government College of Teacher Education; Aksharaslokam – Malayalam: Gourinandana B.R. of Government College of Teacher Education; and Nangyarkoothu: Abhirami R. of Mar Ivanios College.
Kuchipudi (male): Nanda Kishore of Mar Ivanios College; and Kuchipudi (transgender): Adhil A.S. of University College.
Other events
Competitions for monoact, essay and short story writing, elocution and mimicry were held, The winners were: monoact (female): Pavithra P. of SD College; monoact (transgender): Adhil A.S. of University College; monoact (male): Akhil P. Kumar of Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music; essay writing – Tamil: Suji M. of Government College for Women; essay writing – Hindi: Bhuvana K. of University College; essay writing – English: Amal R. of Government College of Teacher Education; short story writing – English: Vega V. of Government Arts College; short story writing – Hindi: Aparna G. of NSS College, Pandalam; short story writing – Arabic: Muhsina J. of MSM College, Kayamkulam; short story writing – Sanskrit: Manya Mohanan of DB College, Sasthamcotta; short story writing – Tamil: Abinaya S. of Government College for Women; elocution: Sanskrit: Saranyasree A.S. of DB College, Sasthamcotta; elocution – Tamil: Santhiya P. of Government College of Teacher Education; elocution – English: K.R. Uthara Raji of Mar Ivanios College; elocution – Arabic: Fazlul Rahman Ramath of Kerala University Campus; mimicry (transgender): Al Shiyas S.M. of University College; mimicry (male): Vineeth V.R. of MECT B.Ed. College, Ayoor; mimicry (female): Sneha Prakash of SN College, Kollam.
Group events
The winners of the group events were: Oppana: All Saints’ College; SN College, Kollam; Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music; and Kerala Law Academy Law College; debate – Malayalam: Kerala University Campus and Mar Ivanios College; Vrindavadhyam: Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music and Mar Ivanios College; ganamela: Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music; and group song: Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music; Vattappattu: University College; CHMM College for Advanced Studies, Chavarkode; and Mar Ivanios College.
Chaotic scenes marred the Kerala University Youth Festival on its penultimate day on Sunday as the event assumed a political hue amid clashes between Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists.
A day after the police detained four persons including a judge on bribery charges, the Kerala University headquarters in Palayam witnessed high drama when a group of KSU activists marched to the main festival venue at the Senate Hall.
The protesters led by Aparna Prasannan, union chairperson of the Government Law College, accused SFI of assaulting students from colleges where the unions are currently helmed by the KSU. They also charged the police with remaining mute spectators to such instances of violence.The demonstrators however, were forced to exit following protests raised by participants of the Oppana competition.
Meanwhile, the management of Mar Ivanios College has complained to the Chancellor against alleged attempts made to malign student participants at the youth festival.