The final day of the Dabur Red Toothpaste The Great TTIS Challenge 2010 saw thousands of students at their loudest best. Picture by Bhubaneswarananda Halder

For Ditsha Bhattacharya, it was Dashami revisited at Swabhumi on Sunday evening.

The Class X student of G.S.S. Girls school, who participated in Impact, Antakshari and Ad Mania at the Dabur Red Toothpaste The Great TTIS Challenge 2010, mirrored the mood of thousands of youngsters when she said: “When the finals began on Friday, it was all new and exciting, just like one feels on Saptami but now I’m sad to see it end. Just like Dashami.”

The sixth edition of the biggest school fest in eastern India saw over 20,000 students from 135 schools turning up for 19 events over three days.

The last school standing at the end of the competition-with-camaraderie carnival was Vivekananda Mission School, Joka. Moments after collecting the Spirit of TTIS trophy, they were back riding a wave of triumph to sweep the Champion of Champions (school) memento. “We are speechless,” smiled Class XI student Najrin Islam.

The Champion of Champions (student) trophy went to Anubhuti Jain of Mahadevi Birla Girls’ Higher Secondary School.

The three days packed in 10 on-stage events, including 3 Minutes To Fame, where students showed off skills ranging from face-painting to judo and dancing, Impact, the one-act play competition, Western Group, a music band performance, Fusion Dance and Unconventional Orchestra, where music had to be made with anything but musical instruments.

Two new events were Ad Mania (students staging skits to advertise a product) and Instrumental Jugalbandi (two participants to make music without vocals).

The biggest draw? DJ Nite on Saturday, where RJ Jimmy Tangree and his team kept a 8,000-strong crowd of students on its toes. “I love DJ Nite. Everyone in our age group is here and Jimmy knows just the songs we like. The crowd is great too,” shouted Sarthak Ghosh, a Class XII student of South Point High School.

The spirit of the fest was the other constant talking point. “We love coming to The Great TTIS Challenge because it’s a fest where everyone cheers for everyone. It’s not about being narrow-minded and only supporting your own school,” smiled Shubhanga Basu, a Class XI student of Assembly of God Church, Tollygunge.

The curtains came down with Underground Authority belting out numbers like Ma tujhe salaam, just for GenX.

For Titas Basu of Vivekananda Mission, this was the fitting finale for her last year in school. “Today is just our day, we had a rocking time while Underground Authority played and the icing on the cake was the trophy we won,” she smiled.

What was your favourite moment from The Great TTIS Challenge 2010?
Tell ttmetro@abpmail.com or t2@abpmail.com