The first prize goes to

“Everything is ceremony in the wild garden of childhood.” Pablo Neruda

Jawahar Balabhavan, Kollam.

(Can’t recollect the year, probably between 1988-1991)

The prizes get announced

തവളച്ചാട്ടം, first prize goes to Nithin Jayan

കസേരകളി, first prize goes to Nithin Jayan

ഓട്ടമത്സരം, first prize goes to Nithin Jayan

Prize distribution

And then the photoshoot.

This is one of the most priceless pictures that Amma had saved for me.

It features Amma teacher (Irene teacher) who passed away recently and Rasna, my first ‘best friend’. I lost contact with her once I left the nursery and have no idea where she is now. Hope she still remembers me.

I can hardly recollect the names of others except for Karthika and Manikandan. 

Myself, obviously the handsome lad, is fourth from the right, and Rasna is third from the right. 

The first prize was a stainless steel dinner plate :) I got three of them. Yoohoo.

(ശരീരം അനങ്ങിയുള്ള ഒരു ‘സ്പോർട്സ്’ പരിപാടിയിൽ ആദ്യമായും അവസാനമായും പങ്കെടുത്തത് ബാലഭവനിൽ വച്ചായിരുന്നു)