Students perform at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Hinoo, in Ranchi on Wednesday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, Oct. 7: Keeping aside their books, 400 students of a Kendriya Vidyalaya cluster took up the mike to showcase their talent at the Hinoo branch today.

The occasion was the cultural gala organised by Kendriya Vidyalaya cluster comprising 12 institutes across Ranchi, Simdega, Bokaro, Chakradharpur, among others. The children who qualify in the cluster-level event will get a chance to participate in the regional-level social science exhibition to be held in Puri on October 12 and 13. The national-level event is scheduled for the last week of October at Ambala Cantonment.

The theme for the social science exhibition held today was Canada, and students came up with displays highlighting the social and economic aspect of the country.

Some even put up Canadian folk dance complete with traditional costumes. “Through this event we are able to gather information on the art and culture of a particular country,” opined a Class IX student Nisha Kejriwal.

In the dance event, 12 participants were given of eight minutes each to put up the Canadian dance. In the group song event the focus was on communal harmony and national integration and songs like Mere vatan ke logo were sung which created the patriotic environment. In group dance Kendriya Vidhyalaya, CRPF was chosen as the winner while the Dipatoli institute was first in the group song.

Principal of the Hinoo branch Niranjan Kumar said: “Every year, the institute organises such event on different states and countries to make the children aware of the food habits, art and culture of that region. And this year we selected Canada.”

Another student Ritu Singh was excited to participate in the event. “We have put in our best and are hopeful of making it to the regional-level,” Singh said.

Other events of the day were debate in English and Hindi on the topic End is more important than means, instrumental music and painting competition. Tomorrow’s programmes will include jugalbandi, quiz on topics Indian culture, sports and Indian policy since 1947.