Bal Shree Awardees from Jharkhand are spellbound with the way Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Zubin Irani treated with them in Delhi. The Minister felicitated them with the awards at Vigyan Bhawan on January 29. Irani’s special attention to each awardee during the function left alasting impression on the students, they said.
Bal Shree is a Central Government initiative to promote and encourage the talents at a tender age besides making it as a career option. It is held once a year. Children aged between 9 and 16 years are recognised in the field of creative performance, creative art, scientific innovations and creative writing. A child can participate in Balshree twice within the mentioned age.
Three students from the State namely Supratik Das for creative art 2012, Nikhil Ranjan for creative arts 2011 and Subhra Baidya for scientific innovation 2011 received the award from Irani. Baidya, who is presently pursuing her MBBS first year at lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai said minister Irani spent around two minutes with each awardee.
“When we went to receive the award, she denoted us by our names. She asked us about our ambitions. Also, she asked where our parents are seated in the auditorium. Thereafter, she told us to convey them her regards,” added the Jawahar Vidya Mandir alumnus. Interestingly, Baidya noticed the mood swings of other State’s awardees resembling with her. “Earlier, I had an inferiority complex but later I found that others are like me. We were nervous and excited at the same time. Moreover, all of us were career focused,” she said.
For Supratik Das, a Class-VII student of St Thomas School most of the achievers in his field were elder to him. “HRD Minister asked us about our career goals. I told her I want to become an artist. Prior to that she folded her hands and wished our parents ‘Namaste’. It was a great feeling to get the attention of a Union Minister,” he said. Das is determined to become a professional artist.
Nikhil’s interaction with Irani was funny. “I am taller than the minister. So, she bowed and talked with me. After knowing that I want to be an Engineer, she suggested me to prepare for IIT. I told her that joining the IIT would be dream coming true,” said the Class-IX student of St Thomas School. Supratik and Nikhil are eagerly waiting to see their achievements highlighted in the school magazine. “We are now Balshree winners. Teachers have said that our names and achievements will be written in the school magazine,” said Supratik.
Subhra, the eldest among the three, felt few students from Jharkhand compared to developed states like Maharashtra and Delhi are able to bag national honours. She was encouraged by a school senior to participate in Balshree in 2010. “Government, schools and parents should come forward and motivate their children to contest national competitions,” she said.