Mangaluru: Yakshagana staged by government school children of Dakshina Kannada has bagged the first prize at a national-level competition organised by the Union government in Bhopal. A visually- impaired girl was among the 10 students who performed.

The prasanga (episode) titled “Kishkinda Koutuka” performed by Bondala Jagannatha Shetty Memorial Government High School, Shambhoor in Bantwal taluk, was adjudged the best in the three-day Kala Utsav held from January 3.

A team of 10 students staged it under the drama category competing with 33 teams.

The competition was organised by Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.

A team from a government school in Haveri stood third in the music segment of the competition.

The “Kishkinda Koutuka” was based on the story of brothers Vali and Sugreeva from Ramayana. Following the battle between Vaali and Mayavi (a mystic person), Sugreeva assumes that his brother is killed and he occupies the throne.

Vaali comes back from the battle and dethrones his younger brother Sugreeva. Vaali also takes the latter’s wife to his custody. Sugreeva gets Lord Rama’s help, who kills Vaali and helps Vaali attain Moksha.

While Class 10 student Bharath played the role of Vaali, his classmate Navith played the role of Sugreeeva. Class 10 students Lakhita, Kavyashree, and Nayana played the roles of Rama, Lakshmana, and Anjaneya respectively. Class 9 students Priyanaka and Pavana played the roles of Sutradhara and Thare respectively.

Class 9 student Jayagovinda was on the chande (percussion instrument), while his classmate Dhanush was the bhagavata (the singer). School’s Physical Education teacher Chinnappa K. Jalsoor, who directed it, trained the students. School headmaster Kamalaksha Kalladka helped students in designing the costumes.

What tilted the scale in favour of the school in the competition was role of Class 10 student Chandrika, a visually-impaired student. “Chandrika’s performance helped us earn full marks allocated especially for performance by visually-impaired students,” said Mr. Kamalaksha, who travelled with the team to Bhopal.

The team staged the play on January 4 and the results were announced on January 5. Mr. Kamalaksha said the students effectively presented the play as per the competition theme “Sab Ka Saat Sab Ka Vikas”. “We made amends to school team’s maiden performance in the national competition in 2015-16 where we could not present our play as per the theme ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padao’,” he said.

The team and the accompanying teachers received a rousing welcome when they landed in Mangaluru by train on Monday morning.