PASIGHAT, 12 Sep: Arunachal Pradesh University (APU) here in East Siang district on Saturday hosted a series of literary and fine arts competitions as part of the month-long celebration of Vande Mataram@150 (VM150), sponsored by the Ministry of Culture.
As many as 160 students from across the district participated in four competitions - painting and poster making, essay writing, poetry writing, and Vande Mataram singing - held in junior and senior categories at the academic block of the university, according to an APU release.
The participating institutions included Jawaharlal Nehru College, Arunachal Pradesh University, North East Institute of Ayurveda and Folk Medicine Research, Daying Ering College of Teacher Education, Government Polytechnic College Pasighat, GHSS Mebo, IGJGHSS Mirbuk, GSS Balek, Daying Ering School, PM SHRI Gandhi School, and Siang Royal Academy.
The competitions were designed around themes that connected the national narrative with the frontier's lived experience, including 'Vande Mataram at 150: Legacy and Relevance in Modern India', 'The Unsung Heroes of Arunachal Pradesh' Freedom Struggle', 'What the Motherland Means to Me', 'The Frontier Landscape', 'National Integration', and 'Tribal Identity'.
VM150 convener Dr Prem Taba said that Vande Mataram, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, is "not just a song but the soul of India's freedom movement." He said that the objective of VM150 is to provide the youths with a platform to express their understanding of history, culture, and national identity, and to reflect on the idea of the motherland from the perspective of Arunachal Pradesh, "the Land of the Rising Sun,where Mother India wakes up first."
He informed that all competitions carry attractive cash prizes and certificates, and the results will be declared on 7 October. He further informed that the celebration will continue with a series of community-oriented programmes, including a 5.5 km mini marathon themed, 'Run for Vande Mataram', from Gandhi Chowk to APU on 13 September, a river cleanup drive at the Siang on 19 September, a national seminar, cultural programmes, exhibitions and community outreach activities, leading up to the grand finale to be held from 7 to 9 October at the APU campus in Pasighat.
Organised by the department of mass communication, the competitions marked the prelude to the main 3-day national celebration.
The programme was attended by APU Registrar Narmi Darang, Dean of Academics Prof PC Jena, Assistant Registrar (Academics) Likha Rinchin, HoDs and faculty members of various departments, research scholars and students of the university.
