Panjab University may hold youth fest this year

It is usually planned in September and October, with various cultural and academic competitions spanning over four days in Panjab University’s 12 zones

With the pandemic’s second wave having ebbed away, Panjab University may organise its annual youth and heritage festival this year, if the situation continues to improve.

The highly anticipated festival was not held last year due to the pandemic and only small events were organised later (HT File)

The highly anticipated festival was not held last year due to the pandemic and only small events were organised later. It is usually planned in September and October, with various cultural and academic competitions spanning over four days in PU’s 12 zones. The winners then participate in the inter-zonal youth festival.

PU youth welfare director Nirmal Jaura, said, “We have finalised the venues and are hopeful of holding the festival if the situation permits. We are waiting for the colleges to reopen. Thereon it will not take much time to finalise everything.”

“Nonetheless, students’ health will be prioritised and all protocols will be followed whenever the festival is held,” he added.

Participation in PU youth and heritage festivals is open to all students of affiliated colleges, constituent colleges and university teaching departments, who are below 25 years of age on the first day of July in the relevant session.

At the zonal festival, a student can participate maximum of three times at undergraduate level and two times at postgraduate level.

The competitions include group shabad, bhajans, classical music (vocal), classical dance, group dance, debate, handwriting, poem writing, short story writing, essay writing and rangoli. Also, contests are held in phulkari, bagh, dasuti or cross stitch, knitting, crochet work, pakhi designing, mehandi designing, bhangra, giddha, quiz, skit, mimicry, miming, poem recitation and one-act play.