Transgenders, migrant workers to showcase skills in arts fest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority will organize the ninth edition of the arts festival as part of its continuing education programme in January. For the first time, separate category of competitions will be held for transgender persons and migrant labourers, who are pursuing courses under schemes of Literacy Mission.
The ninth edition of the continuing education arts festival will be held from January 10. It will be conducted in the six stages at University College.
A 501-member organizing committee was formed for the festival, with district panchayat president V K Madhu as the chairman in a meeting held in the city on Wednesday.
Director of Literacy Mission P S Sreekala presided over the meeting. Deputy mayor Rakhi Ravikumar and district panchayat vice-president Shailaja Beegam are the vice-presidents of the committee.
Also, subcommittees were formed, led by corporation and district panchayat standing committee chairmen.
As many as 1,400 persons will compete in 73 events at the festival. Competitions will be held in eight categories- basic literacy, Class IV equivalency, Class VII equivalency, Class X equivalency, higher secondary equivalency, prerak, transgender persons and migrant workers.
Transgender persons and migrant labourers will compete in folk dance, group song, Thiruvathira, group dance and folk song competitions.
A golden trophy will be presented to the district which scores the highest marks in all competitions and prizes will be distributed to the winners of individual competitions.
Minister Kadakampally Surendran, city corporation mayor, MPs and MLAs are the patrons of festival.