KOZHIKODE: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the 61st State School Arts Festival in Kozhikode Tuesday morning. Minister V Sivankutty presided over the function. Mohammad Anish, Mayor Beena Philip, Speaker A N Shamseer, Ministers P A Muhammad Riyas, A K Saseendran, Ahmed Devarkovil and others attended the function. Director of Public Education K Jeevan Babu hoisted the flag at the main venue Westhill Vikram Maidani at 8.30 am. After that, the inaugural function started.

The chief minister said that though it is 61 in number, the state school arts festival is as old as the history of united Kerala. The school arts festival is a mirror to the changing Kerala. In that sense, the chief minister added that beyond being a stage where art performances are staged, the Kalotsavam is becoming a cultural gathering where the new generation uses various arts to break the ground of social criticism and innovation.

14,000 children are participating in 239 events at 24 venues. Minister V Sivankutty announced that the new criteria for awarding grace marks to children who excel in arts festival, sports fair and other extracurricular activities will start from next academic year. This time, it has been decided to give grace marks in the pre-Covid model.