Dehradun: A painting competition organized by The Times of India, in collaboration with Pacific Mall, Imagination Academy of Fine Art and Whimsiland, was held from April 24 to 26 at Pacific Mall, drawing nearly 1,000 students from over 50 schools.Young artists across three age groups — 4 to 10 years, 11 to 17 years and 18 years and above — showcased their creativity on themes such as nature, environment, dreams and futuristic ideas.Sheets, canvas and other materials were provided at the registration counter. All participants received certificates, while winners in each category were awarded prizes.In the 4 to 10 years category, Kshirin Sachdeva, 8, secured first place, followed by Aaradhya Badani, 9, in second, Sadaf, 10, in third and Aarna Khanna, 10, in fourth place.In the 11 to 17 years category, Aastha Agarwal, 17, secured first place, followed by Rituraj Kashyap, 13, and Devanshi Mehta, 12.In the 18 years and above category, Francis Peter secured first place, followed by Nishu Negi and Sakshi.Other participants included Sidhika Kaparwan, Sonakshi Priya, Avya Senger, Satakshi Vaish, Priya Anamika, Trishika Mishra, Nandini Goyal, Ridhi Pundir and Ashish Ranjan. Shikhar Bisht, a special child, was also noted for his participation.The competition was judged by a panel that included Prashant Arya, owner of Imagination Academy of Fine Art, and artist Vandita, also known as Pink Cuckoo.The initiative aimed to encourage artistic expression and provide a platform for young talent. The event concluded with organizers distributing 200 copies of The Times of India and noting strong participation from students and schools.
