Mangalore: ZP president Koragappa Naika inaugurated ‘Children’s Festival 2012-2013’ held at Town Hall on Feb 7, Thursday.

 The event was jointly organized by DK Zilla Panchayath, DK District Administration, Women and Child Welfare Department, District programme implementation Samithi of Bala Vikasa Academy and Karnataka Bala Vikas Academy, Dharwad 3.

ZP president Koragappa Naika said that this festival is an opportunity for the students to mingle with many other students gathered from different schools and play with each other.

Presiding over the occasion, Karnataka State Bal Bhavan Society (KSBBS) Chairperson Sulochana G K Bhat said that the Bal Bhavan has previous organized Bal Srujanotsav for children and further too it will hold children’s programme and help them to bring out their talent creatively.

Bhat also urged parents not to force children to learn the subjects of parent’s interest, but must give them freedom to pursue education of their choice.

On the occasion, National level winner is conferred with ‘Balasri Award’. The other eight national level winners Lakshmiprasad Achar, Harini, Akash Shetty, Bhoomika Priyadarshini, Swathi Bhat, Usha A, Prajna and Prithviraj were conffered with ‘Kalashri Award’ for their achievement in various fields.

Mayor Gulzar Banu, A. Shakuntala, Deputy Director, Department of Women and Child Welfare, ZP CEO Dr K N Vijayaprakash, Deputy Director Public Instructions, (DDPI) Moses Jayashekar, Gopadkar, director of Swaroopa, Asha Nayak, Chairperson, Dakshina Kannada Child and Women Welfare, Mounesh Vishwakarma and others were present.