Loud cheers. A carnival mood. The roar of challenge.

Nicco Park burst into energy as it came alive with music, colour and competition at TTIS Challenge 2026. Presented by Narayana International School and Credmont International School and powered by J.D. Birla Institute, the three-day inter-school festival brought together students from nearly 150 schools.

The knowledge partners for the event are Orchids International School, Delhi Public School Ruby Park and JIS Group.

The 20th edition of the festival began on Thursday with preliminaries across a wide range of events, from creative writing, face painting and mask making to the X-Factor (a two-minute talent showcase) and fashion parade. Finals will be held on Saturday, after two days of competition and fun.

For many students, the scale of the platform outweighed all else. Class VIII student Shreeya Ghosh, accompanied by her mother, left her home in Sarsuna at 7.30am to reach the Salt Lake venue by 9.30am.

“This platform is huge. So the distance does not matter,” said Shreeya, a student of KE Carmel School, Amtala, who participated in creative writing (English) and the X-Factor.

Yet, beyond medals and rankings, the TTIS Challenge is a celebration of camaraderie.

During an X-Factor round when a student from GD Goenka Public School, Dakshineswar, performed yoga asanas on a tabletop, the loudest cheers came not from her own schoolmates but from students of St Joseph’s & Mary’s School, New Alipore.

“If someone is good at something, we need to cheer for them too, irrespective of whether they are from our school,” said Class VII student Ramit Chaudhuri.

This ethos of mutual encouragement is at the heart of the festival. “This is a students’ festival that brings a host of diverse events under one roof. Students are motivated to perform here and the judging process is transparent,” said Priyanka Mukherjee, academic head, Narayana International School.

Educators said the platform offers a level playing field. “This festival is not just for students from the city but also from the suburbs. Everyone gets to showcase their talent on equal footing,” said Nabnita Giri, principal of Credmont International School.

Vivekananda Mission School, Joka, arrived with a contingent of 57 students, participating in all but one event. The school has been a regular since the festival’s inception two decades ago.

“We have been here every year. The TTIS Challenge allows our children to interact with students from various schools. Events like these help them nurture creativity and channel negative energy in a positive way,” said Anamika Sen, the school’s cultural coordinator and counsellor.

Academics also stressed the importance of such physical gatherings in an increasingly digital age. “Bringing children together for three days makes a big difference when many are becoming more insular,” said Saugata Banerjee, director, J.D. Birla Institute.

The action extended beyond the stage.

In the face-painting arena, Class IX student Mishika Sharnaz of Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar used her friend Dipannita Chanda’s face as a canvas to juxtapose nature and artificial intelligence. “The two can coexist. We have to find ways to make it happen,” she explained.