By Ruchi Pujari, Guru Nanak College of Arts, Science and Commerce
‘Say ZEAL!' the crowd cheered as Mr. Vijay Dabholkar, the Principal of Guru Nanak College of Arts, Science and Commerce, G.T.B Nagar, lit the lamp to commemorate ZEAL, the annual inter- collegiate festival conducted by the enthusiastic students.
ZEAL was started in the year 2007 by the then students of BMM (Bachelors of Mass Media). It started with just a handful of students conducting the festival, today it boasts of a core committee from different fields. The theme for this year was ‘Warrior's Creed’, keeping in mind the present generation's craze for gaming. It hosted many events like rapping, solo dance, personality hunt, football, cricket, freestyle football, creative writing, short film, group dance, fashion show and presentation skills. One had a host of platforms to showcase one’s talents. Many colleges participated in this festival and took home prizes and rich memories. The festival was well managed by the volunteers and the hospitality section took care of everyone, from the judges to the audience. For the performing arts event, the participants took the stage by fire.
From events like solo dance and rapping to group dance and other attractions, it was a tough choice for judges in each event to select a winner. Over the years, ZEAL has grown exponentially attracting crowds and colleges to participate in this festival. The core committee starts working before the Diwali vacations. The process is long and full of fun. Everything is done by everybody, no matter irrespective of the post - be it deciding the theme to calling up the sponsor to production. This year's ZEAL ended with a war of the DJs which made the crowd dance to their tunes. We hope the merry making and competition continues for many more years to come.