Children participate at a drawing contest in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, March 27: More than 150 students from various schools in Sambalpur gathered at Jyoti Public School near Samaleswari temple in Sambalpur to participate in the drawing competition, which was organised by a private educational institute.

“It is an effort to incorporate drawing in the mainstream syllabus. Dance, music and art are as important as the other subjects,” said Sukadev Joshi, coordinator of the institute.

'Our motto is to provide students with an atmosphere where they can get space for all-round development. We have categorised the students into three groups. In group A, we have inducted the students from Class II to IV, in group B, students from Class V to VII have been included and in group C, there are students from Classes VIII to X,” said Joshi.

“The practice to sketch something increases the concentration level and observation power,” said Mahesh Pandey, a drawing teacher and one of the judges of the competition.

“It also enhances the colour sense of the human mind, he added.

He said that nowadays, parents were also encouraging their children to participate in extracurricular activities. The response indicates the interest of parents and students in this kind of activities, said Mahesh. Three judges, including Mahesh Pandey, will assess the standard of the students who participated in the competition.

“It is an inter-school competition and students from various schools have come to take part in the contest,” said Sonalika Pradhan, a participant of the competition and a Class VII student of Guru Nanak Public School, Sambalpur.

“It was a great experience. I drew a picture of a sea beach where all members of a family are taking a bath,” said Sonalika. The results of the competition will be announced after three days and a function will be held to felicitate the winners. Sarat Kumar, father of a participant said: ' It is a good platform for the students who are interested in art.