Maharashtra Education Department Hosts Grand Ceremony for ‘Maryadapurushottam Prabhu Shriram’ Competition
Mumbai, 19th January 2024: In a celebration of artistic and literary prowess, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Education Department organized a grand competition centred around the life story of Maryadapurushottam Prabhu Shri Ram. The Prize Distribution Ceremony for the Painting, Essay Writing, Poetry Writing, and Drama Competition witnessed the participation of more than 120,000 students from over 1,138 schools in Mumbai.
Minister of Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mangal Prabhat Lodha, commended the remarkable participation of students within a mere ten days. He highlighted the significance of organizing such a competition, especially during the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The competition aimed to instil an understanding of the Ramayana in children from an early age and provide them with a platform to showcase their talents.
The competition, based on the theme ‘Maryadapurushottam Prabhu Shriram Jeevancharitra,’ covered various artistic mediums, including painting, essay writing, poetry, and drama. Minister, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, expressed hope that this initiative would contribute to the overall development of the students’ talents.
The Prize Distribution Ceremony, held at the Master Dinanath Mangeshkar Natyagruha in Vile Parle, was graced by the presence of esteemed guests, including Padma Shri awardee writer and intellectual Ramesh Patange, lyricist Sridhar Phadke, MLA Parag Alwani, Deputy Commissioner (Education) Chanda Jadhav, Education Officer (Primary) Rajesh Kankal, and Education Officer (Secondary) Raju Tadvi.
Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha disclosed that a staggering 1,20,000 students from 1,138 BMC schools participated in the competition. The event was successfully organized by the BMC Education Department in a remarkably short period. The painting section alone saw the enthusiastic participation of nearly 70,000 students, prompting Minister Lodha to suggest exhibiting these artworks in schools and nearby temples.
During the ceremony, lyricist Sridhar Phadke captivated the audience with a performance of lines from Geet Ramayana, praising the children for their enthusiastic contributions. Ramesh Patange emphasized the enduring sweetness of the Ramayana and recited some poignant children’s poems from the competition.
MLA Parag Alwani acknowledged the profound expressions of students towards Lord Ramchandra, recognizing essay writing, poetry, painting, and drama as powerful forms of expression. Deputy Commissioner (Education) Chanda Jadhav highlighted the scale of the competition, with 16,072 students receiving prizes out of the 1,20,000 participants. A total of 40 selected students were awarded prizes by the dignitaries present.
The ceremony concluded with a vote of thanks by Education Officer Rajesh Kankal, expressing gratitude for the enthusiastic participation and acknowledging the collaborative effort that made the event a grand success.
