President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud says more scholarships to India are needed for gifted local musicians and dancers.

During the 10th Kala Utsav held last Sunday at the Dharmic Sanskritik Kendra, Pandit Persaud appealed to Indian High Commissioner Avinash Gupta to provide training in the arts in collaboration with the Sabha, a news release from the organisation said.

The pandit also observed that in the past youngsters who were winners in the Hindi elocution category at the Utsav were sent to India for further studies in that language.

An estimated 1,000 persons from Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara assembled under colourfully decorated tents for the event, and the responsive audience was treated to an entertaining programme, the release noted.

More than 120 young artistes were featured doing Ramayan chanting, Hindi elocution, singing, and a folk dance segment as well as playing the tabla, harmonium, and dholak.

The impressive performers who won the judges' nod were:

Ramayan Chanting: 1st - Aditya Persaud (ECD), 2nd - Komalmattie Baichan (West Berbice), 3rd - Rena Singh (Essequibo); Tabla: 1st - Nandram Persaud (ECD), 2nd - Yashpaul Rampersaud (WCD), 3rd - Heshwar Yadram (East Berbice); Junior Classical Dance: 1st - Keshree Tobaran (George-town), 2nd - Shoma (EBD), 3rd - Zoreena Hussain (East Berbice); Hindi Elocution: 1st - Anisa Bridjlall (East Berbice), 2nd - Rajkumarie Singh (West Coast Demerara), 3rd - Komalmattie Baichan (West Berbice); Male Singing: 1st - Aditya Persaud and Chandrapaul Haranah, 3rd - Dhanraj Ramnath; Senior Classical Dance: 1st - Deodat Persaud (Georgetown), 2nd - Roshni Boodhoo (WCD), 3rd - Jyoti Hardat (EBD); Dholak: 1st - Chaitsingh Mohanlall (West Berbice), 2nd - Aditya Persuad (ECD), 3rd - Suresh Dial (Central C/tyne); Duet: 1st - Anuradha Sukha and Vishal Makhai (Central C/tyne), 2nd - Malini and Anil Persaud (ECD), 3rd - Prem and Varuni Persaud; Harmonium: 1st - Chandrapaul Haranah, 2nd - Aditya Persaud (ECD), 3rd Preya Persaud (East Berbice) and Rajendra Deodat (Essequibo); Female Singing: 1st - Anuradha Sukhai, 2nd - Regina Chand, 3rd - Sonie (Upper C/tyne) and Natasha Persaud (WCD); and Folk Dance: 1st - Central C/tyne, 2nd - Essequibo, 3rd - West Coast Demerara.

The Central Corentyne Praant won the trophy for the most outstanding Praant, and the popular folk dance segment brought the curtains down.