Ambedkarite Shahiri, Social Media Debate Add Spark To Dnyanteerth-2026  Youth Festival

Nanded, Oct 18: An Ambedkarite cultural performance championing equality and a lively debate on social media’s impact were among the highlights of the third day of Dnyanteerth-2026, the inter-collegiate youth festival organised jointly by Swami Ramanand Teerth Marathwada University, Nanded (SRTMUN) and Science College, Nanded, run by the Nanded Education Society.

Students Showcase Diverse Talents

The festival brought together cultural expression and intellectual engagement, with students showcasing their talents in shahiri, group singing, clay modelling, rangoli and Indian classical dance.

At the Sane Guruji stage, an Ambedkarite Jalsha celebrated the ideals and contributions of Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. Songs such as Vandan Bhimrayala and Kavyasumane Udhalit Alo Bhimrayavari, accompanied by energetic dholki beats and powerful renditions, conveyed messages of social equality, education, fraternity and transformation. The performance drew an enthusiastic response from the audience.

Students Debate Social Media's Impact

At the Pankaj Udhas stage, students debated the topic, “Social Media: A Global Repository of Knowledge or a Tool of Enslavement?” Participants in favour of social media highlighted its role in education, research, e-learning, skill development and access to global information. They also underlined its potential to expand social movements and facilitate public awareness.

Those opposing its excessive use flagged concerns over addiction, wastage of time, misinformation, cybercrime, depression and declining face-to-face interaction. The debate highlighted the need for responsible use of technology, with participants pointing out that unchecked dependence on social media could affect mental well-being and independent thinking.

Students From Several Colleges Participate

Participants included Gangaprasad Chavan and Gayatri Lalpotu of MIT College, Vasmat; Vaishnavi More and Aarti Mandale of Mahatma Phule College, Ahmedpur; Samrat Sarode and Pragati Jakhnaka of Bahirji Smarak College, Vasmat; Shivraj Kale and Shejal Narwade of Science College, Nanded; Apeksha B. Nirwal and Mahesh G. Landge of K.K.M. College, Manwat; and Kalpana Kawale and Rutuja Ladke of Dayanand Institute of Pharmacy, Latur.

At the Shri Ram Lagoo stage, the Indian group singing competition showcased the musical abilities and coordination of teams from various colleges.

Clay Modelling Celebrates Family Bonds

The Smita Patil stage hosted a clay modelling competition on the theme ‘Family’, which attracted 32 participants. Through their creations, students attempted to depict family relationships and emotional bonds.

The rangoli competition, based on the theme ‘Indian Festivals’, saw 55 participants use colours and creative designs to portray the country’s diverse festivals, traditions and cultural heritage.

At the Nana Patekar stage, the Indian classical dance competition highlighted traditional dance forms through rhythm, footwork and expressive gestures. Rudrani More of Yeshwant College won appreciation for her performance of ‘Shankar Vandana’.

Vice-Chancellor Dr Manohar Chaskar visited various festival venues and appreciated the students’ performances. He said youth festivals were not merely platforms for competition but also provided opportunities to nurture hidden talents, encourage creativity and contribute to students’ overall personality development.

Other visitors included Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Ashok Mahajan, Management Council members Dr Suryakant Jogdand and Dr DN More, festival convenor and reception committee president Dr Praveen Patil, NES vice-president Prafful Agrawal, joint secretary Adv Pradeep Nagapurkar, Director of Student Development Dr Rajpalsingh Chikhlikar, NSS director Dr Maruti Gaikwad, Senate members Dr Mahesh Magar and Dr AT Shinde, and several other university and college officials, faculty members and students.