May Flower School student Sanjana, who won the CBSE National Poster-Making Competition, and her father Manoj Kumar. Picture by Ashok Sinha

Patna, Feb. 16: Manoj Kumar, father of May Flower School Class I student Sanjana, had never expected his daughter to top even a district-level competition. The girl, however, surprised her parent and came first in a national poster-making contest.

Sanjana bagged a prize of Rs 10,000 when she won the top spot in her group (students of classes I to IV) in the CBSE National Poster-Making Competition last year. In the process, she also made her progenitor and her home state proud of her achievement. The award was announced in November last year.

Manoj told The Telegraph: “I was very exciting when I learnt that my daughter has come first in a national-level competition. I had not expected her to win even at the district level.”

“When you get something this unexpected, your happiness naturally increases manifold,” he added.

Sanjana, too, had not expected to win but a phone call from her school director J.R. Sharma, informing her of the victory, changed all that.

“The topic of the competition was ‘I love my school’. I sketched myself painting while a few other children played on the school premises,” she said.

The budding painter is inspired by her art teacher at school, Sangeeta Ma’am, and wants to be an instructor like her.

The proud father said his six-year-old child has always been interested in art. “Even before she was admitted to school, she would keep sketching something or the other. She would draw a tree or book,” he said. Sanjana also loves to sketch portraits Mahatma Gandhi and Mickey Mouse. Ganesha is one of her favourites.

Manoj said as soon as Sanjan returns from school, she starts to sketch. She is very passionate about it. Sanjana’s mother Karuna also said that Sanjana was ardent in her love for art. “She never abandons a drawing or painting halfway. If we do not provide her with colour on time, she continues to demand it.

The girl is also conscious about the environment. Manoj said: “After I spoke to her about the Chipko Andolan, Sanjan made a beautiful drawing of a girl hugging a tree in a natural environment.”