Students turn rangoli into vibrant expressions of imagination, tradition and contemporary creativity at GLS University’s ‘Narrative – Unfolding Stories of Youth 2026-27’. — NE Photo
- Three-day ‘Narrative – Unfolding Stories of Youth 2026-27’ opens with a colourful showcase of student talent
- Fine arts, literature, digital storytelling, public speaking, theatre and dance bring diverse youthful perspectives to the fore
- Sabarmati Riverfront, Indian heritage, motherhood and urban life inspire artistic interpretations
- Reels and mobile photography capture campus spirit, shared identity and the moments that make GLS
- Part of University’s Centennial Cultural Celebration, the fest celebrates youth voices and stories of the future
NE EDUTAINMENT BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, SEPT 20
What happens when young minds turn colours into stories, cameras into storytellers, words into ideas and movement into emotion? At GLS University, the answer is unfolding across a vibrant three-day celebration where creativity has no single language and every student has a story to tell.
The University commenced its Youth Fest, ‘Narrative – Unfolding Stories of Youth 2026-27’, bringing together students from across the institution for an energetic celebration of creativity, culture, talent and youthful expression.
Part of the Centennial Cultural Celebration – 8th Chapter, ‘Narrative – Unfolding the Stories of Future’, the festival is being conducted under the guidance of GLS University President Sudhir Nanavati and Executive Director Dr Chandni Kapadia.
The opening day brought a spectrum of competitions spanning visual arts, literature, digital storytelling, public speaking, theatre and dance, offering students opportunities to express their ideas, showcase their abilities and interpret the world around them through their own creative lenses.
From traditional art forms to contemporary digital platforms, the day’s activities demonstrated how young people can connect heritage, imagination and modern expression.
Colours that speak, creations that tell stories
The Fine Arts segment transformed artistic imagination into vibrant visual narratives through Poster Making, Collage Making, Rangoli, Clay Modelling, Face Painting and Mehendi.
The Faculty of Law hosted six of these Fine Arts competitions, with students participating enthusiastically across the categories.
The Poster Making Competition revolved around ‘Sabarmati Riverfront’ and ‘Indian Heritage’, encouraging participants to interpret Ahmedabad’s identity and India’s cultural richness through visual storytelling.
The Collage Making Competition explored ‘Landscape of Village’ and ‘Abstract Portrait’, inviting students to experiment with composition, textures and creative arrangements.
Rangoli brought tradition and contemporary imagination together through the themes ‘Motherhood’, ‘Fusion – Back to Root’ and ‘Any Natural’. Participants translated their interpretations into colourful patterns and compositions, celebrating the beauty of nature and the expressive possibilities of this traditional art form.
Clay Modelling challenged students to give three-dimensional form to ideas through the themes ‘Human Form’, ‘Musical Instrument’ and ‘Urban Life’. Their creations explored the relationship between everyday experiences, artistic imagination and the world around them.
The Face Painting Competition explored ‘Metamorphosis – Animal’ and ‘The Divine Within’, with students interpreting transformation through animal-inspired designs and expressing spirituality, divine energy and Indian motifs through face art.
Adding another dimension to the artistic celebrations, the Mehendi Competition followed an ‘Any Wedding Theme’, providing a platform for participants to demonstrate intricate detailing, precision and creativity through elaborate designs.
Across these competitions, colours, textures, patterns and sculptural forms became individual expressions of how young participants perceive and interpret their surroundings.
Students transform the energy and excitement of the festival into short-form digital stories, bringing their own creative interpretations to the theme ‘Essence of Youth Fest’. — NE Photo
When a mobile camera becomes a storyteller
The festival’s digital storytelling events offered students an opportunity to capture the energy of campus life and communicate their perspectives through contemporary media.
The Reel Making Competition, themed ‘Essence of Youth Fest’, encouraged participants to capture the atmosphere, experiences and spirit of the festival through short-form digital storytelling.
The Mobile Photography Competition invited students to discover the stories embedded in everyday campus life through three themes:
- ‘The Spirit That We Share at GLS’
- ‘Moments That Make Us’
- ‘Faces of GLS’
The themes encouraged participants to look beyond the obvious and capture the people, emotions and shared experiences that contribute to the identity of the GLS community.
Through their camera lenses and creative edits, students explored how seemingly ordinary moments can become meaningful visual narratives.
Words, ideas and debate take centre stage
The Literary and Communication segment added intellectual energy to the opening day, creating spaces for students to express ideas, test their knowledge and communicate with confidence.
The programme featured the Quiz – 1st Round, Poetry Recitation, Debate, Elocution and Poetry Completion.
The quiz tested participants’ knowledge, awareness and quick thinking, while Debate and Elocution encouraged them to articulate their thoughts, build arguments and present perspectives before an audience.
Poetry Recitation gave students an opportunity to bring written words alive through voice, interpretation and performance. Poetry Completion, meanwhile, offered a platform to explore language, imagination and creative expression.
Together, the literary competitions highlighted the power of words—not merely to communicate, but also to question, inspire and bring diverse perspectives into conversation.
Theatre and dance: Stories that come alive
The Performing Arts segment brought emotion, movement and dramatic expression to the festival through the Skit and Classical Dance Solo competitions.
The Skit Competition enabled students to present their observations of contemporary life and society through dialogue, theatrical movement and creative stage performances.
By translating ideas into dramatic narratives, participants explored the potential of theatre to engage audiences and communicate perspectives on the world around them.
The Classical Dance Solo Competition celebrated India’s rich artistic heritage through graceful movements, expressive abhinaya, rhythmic precision and disciplined presentation.
The performances brought together the vocabulary of Indian classical dance and the individuality of young performers, creating a space where tradition and personal expression could meet.
A festival that celebrates every form of expression
With Poster Making, Collage Making, Quiz – 1st Round, Poetry Recitation, Reel Making, Mobile Photography, Rangoli, Clay Modelling, Debate, Skit, Classical Dance Solo, Elocution, Poetry Completion, Face Painting and Mehendi, Day One offered students a wide-ranging platform to create, perform, communicate and connect.
The Youth Fest theme, ‘Unfolding Stories of Youth’, came alive through the diverse artistic and intellectual expressions of participants, while the larger Centennial Cultural Celebration theme, ‘Narrative – Unfolding the Stories of Future’, provided the overarching canvas for young voices to express their ideas and aspirations.
The successful completion of the opening day marked an energetic beginning to the three-day celebration.
With two more days of competitions and cultural activities ahead, GLS University Youth Fest 2026-27 continues to provide a platform for student talent, cultural appreciation and the many stories that today’s youth are ready to tell.
