Celebrating the 10th Nand Lal Memorial Competition in Bilaspur

On January 11th, 2025, the 10th Nand Lal competition was hosted in Bilaspur, India. The competition commenced with 250 government schools from across the state displaying their talent in the Science and English Language Composition categories. By covering the cost of travel and refreshments for all students this year, The Village of Dreams opened opportunities for students across the state of Himachal Pradesh to participate and encouraged a record number of participants. This initiative allowed the event to showcase the talents of some of the nation's brightest young minds.

The English Language Composition category consisted of 2 different levels, Junior and Senior. At each level, the participants underwent three distinct phases. In the first phase, the contestants were asked to display their understanding of English by participating in multiple spelling and writing tests. Those in the top 20 of the first phase continued to the second phase, where a more challenging series of tests were conducted. The contestants who placed well in the second phase moved on to the third and final phase, where the participants took an open quiz. The top three contenders of each level (Junior and Senior) received cash rewards of 7100 rupees for 1st place, 2100 rupees for 2nd place, and 1100 rupees for 3rd place. 

The Science competition proceeded similarly, with contestants exercising their chemistry, biology, and physics skills. The top 12 runner-uppers for each level were rewarded for their abilities in the English Language and Science Competitions. 

After the competition had concluded, a commemoration began in honor of the students who were able to participate, and a total of 43,000 rupees were awarded to 60 students in cash prizes. The event's chief guest presented the commemoration, Sri Prem Lal Sharma, the ex-headmaster and teacher of Village of Dreams founder Jagdish Sharma. The Village of Dreams looks forward to hosting many similar events moving forward to empower students from under-represented communities.

This mission, organized by the Village of Dreams, has given many opportunities to underprivileged and undereducated schools and societies in India and was, overall, a resounding success. The mission successfully provided a unique opportunity for disadvantaged students to participate in this competition, which helped them express their intelligence and creativity in different educational aspects. Beyond just medals, the competitions brought students a sense of community amongst their fellow participants. The Village of Dream’s dedication to creating a competitive yet encouraging environment for learning allowed the contestants to gain confidence in their abilities and invaluable experiences that will benefit them as they continue to grow.