THRISSUR: While appeals are mounting at the state school youth festival, one of the participants has raised her objection to such entries. Devika Suresh of Girideepam Bethany High School, Vadavathoor, Kottayam, a first time participant, who made her stand clear, may be an exception to the trend. Devika has won 'A' grade in Bharatanatyam, Kuchuppudi and Kerala Nadanam. She and her father Suresh Lal told DC that after participating in Bharatanatyam at 6 a.m. on the second day of the contest, due to delays caused by appeals, she had to get ready for Kuchuppudi on the same morning at 9.30 and performed at 10 a.m.
"My daughter had been performing in the youth fests since her upper primary days and we have made it a point not to file appeals even if we did not get first prize. In the high school category Bharatanatyam event, apart from the usual first prize winners at the district level, the students who got second to fourth positions also managed to get the entries to the state fest from Kottayam," Suresh Lal said.
Normally, 14 district winners take part in the state fest and the number can go up to a maximum of 28 with another one entry from each district. "But in all the three events in which my daughter participated, there were nearly 35 contestants which prevented the regular contestants from performing in time," Lal noted.
He also raised apprehension over the appeal entries through deputy directors of education (DDE) at the district level as external interference was mostly taking place there.
