Jamshedpur, Feb. 24: When cricketers Varun Aaron and Mohammed Shami and actress Raima Sen give career tips to about 1,000 students from 35 high schools of sleepy block and town Baharagora in East Singhbhum, youngsters from here are expected to gain in confidence and dream big.

Baharagora will from March 3 see a star-studded, three-day festival named Lakshya-the Baharagora Vidhan Sabha Development Festival. Spearheaded by its JMM MLA Kunal Sarangi and his team, and inaugurated by leader of Opposition Hemant Soren, the festival aims to recognise Baharagora as an important place on the state's map.

Speaking today at a news meet in Circuit House, Jamshedpur, MLA Sarangi said he wanted to make Baharagora popular.

"The highlights of the festival will be celebrities like Varun Aaron, Mohammed Shami and Raima Sen interacting with children here and answering their questions, and a panel discussion with industrialists and politicians where we discuss the way forward to develop Baharagora. The block is at the intersection of NH-33 and NH-6 and we would love to get business houses to invest in agro-based industries," Sarangi said.

The three-day festival will not only see competitions meant for youths of Baharagora and bordering Bengal and Odisha, but also a live concert by Padma Shri Mukund Nayak, an exponent of Jhumar folk song and dance, and a live music concert by Bollywood playback singer Shilpa Rao.

The festival's mascot Dhani, with associations of words rice and prosperity, was also released today. The designer attire of the mascot has been designed by students of OIIFT, a Jamshedpur-based fashion institute.

For the first time, Baharagora will also witness a carnival with folk dancers and musicians from rural neighbourhoods.

The festival will also showcase Vayali group from Kerala who perform only with bamboo instruments. Odisha's Gotipua and Ghoda Nacha dances will also be showcased. A women-only marathon will also be one of the highlights of the festival.