Games, art, tasty bites and more are in store for underprivileged children at Shishu Mela, to be hosted by St. Xavier's College, Calcutta, on Sunday.

Around 1,000 children from various village centres, where students of the college visit regularly, are expected to attend. The carnival is being organised by the social service department of the college and co-ordinated by student volunteers of the National Service Scheme. The adopted villages are Debipur, Ghostomath, Shalpukur, Nurshidarchowk, Paikhala, Bolorampur, Bholakhali and Gurap.

Children from several institutions and NGOs such as Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Snegam, Asha Niketan, Nav Jeevan, Bodhona, Calcutta Blind School and Oral School for Deaf Children, will also join the fun.

The Shishu Mela will be inaugurated by Shashi Panja, the minister of state for child development and women and social welfare, in the presence of Father Felix Raj, the principal of the college.

Twenty departments of the college will put up games stalls. Also in store for the kids are trampoline, slide bouncer, merry-go-round, art corner and sports corner. After lunch break, there will be a cultural programme where children from each centre will perform, an opportunity they eagerly await.

'Shishu Mela is traditionally an annual programme, the culmination of a year's worth of work. Two hundred college students are involved in organising it. This is how we extend our hands and hearts in service to children. It is an exercise in which both our students and village children benefit and grow,' Father Felix Raj said.