Hyderabad: Vijay Arts Academy held its 35th annual prize distribution ceremony for cartooning, painting, and essay writing competitions on Sunday at the Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS), drawing thousands of young participants from Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.

Over 15,000 students from around 100 schools and colleges participated in competitions held throughout the year. All participants received certificates, while 1,500 students were selected for merit recognition and 300 prizes were awarded. Competitors were categorized into four groups: Special Group (Nursery to UKG), Sub-Juniors (1st to 3rd Class), Juniors (4th to 8th Class), and Seniors (9th Class to Degree level).

Among the dignitaries present, Dr. Bheerappa Nagari, Vice-Chancellor of NIMS, highlighted the role of extracurricular activities in reducing stress and fostering overall personality development. C.H. Priyanka, IAS, Special Commissioner of I&PR, appreciated the academy’s efforts in nurturing creative talents.

Dr. Shreekant Sharma, Director of SEE NI-MSME, praised the dedication of the winners and their supportive parents. Singer Surekha encouraged parents to allow children to explore art freely, while Dr. M. Manzoor Hussain lauded students’ growing interest in creativity over excessive screen time.

Dr. Dyapa Vijaya Kumar, political cartoonist and founder of Vijay Arts Academy, emphasized that such competitions provide children valuable platforms to express ideas and strengthen creativity. He urged parents to promote artistic hobbies instead of screen-bound activities.