Inter-College Youth Festival Kicks Off at UHF Nauni

The annual three-day Inter-College Youth Festival began today at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF) in Nauni. This vibrant event, which brings together over 250 students from the university’s four constituent colleges-College of Horticulture (COH), College of Forestry (COF), and the Colleges of Horticulture and Forestry at Neri and Thunag-focuses on promoting the all-around development of students through active participation in cultural and sports competitions.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by Manmohan Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Solan, who was the Chief Guest for the event. In his address, Sharma praised the university for providing a holistic educational environment that fosters both academic and extracurricular growth. He emphasized the importance of such activities in shaping students' personalities and building essential life skills. He said that the Youth Festival serves as a valuable platform for students to develop hobbies and talents that contribute to personal growth and success in life. Sharma also spoke about the role of social media in bringing global cultures closer, encouraging students to use these platforms to celebrate and promote their own cultural heritage.

Earlier, Dr. Manish Sharma, Dean of the College of Horticulture and University Registrar, welcomed the Chief Guest and the participants, urging them to demonstrate their diverse talents and maintain the spirit of sportsmanship throughout the festival. A march past featuring contingents from all four colleges marked the official opening, followed by an oath of sportsmanship administered to the participants.

Dr. KK Raina, Dean of Students' Welfare, outlined the variety of events planned for the festival, which includes individual and group competitions in fine arts, literary, theatre, dance and music. On the opening day, students showcased their creativity in fine arts competitions, such as spot painting, collage making, poster design, and Rangoli. In the literary category, participants competed in elocution, debate, and extempore speaking events.

Over the next few days, the festival will feature theatre performances (including one-act plays, skits, mime, and mono acting), as well as music competitions in categories like Light Vocal, Patriotic Songs, and Group Songs (Indian). The grand finale will include a lively Group Folk Dance competition. The overall winner of the festival will be determined based on the points accumulated by each college across the various events.