What happens when enthusiastic youngsters decide to use their initiative and creativity to participate in a competition primarily focussed on learning? You get a hall packed with beaming kids and their equally proud parents, friends and relatives. Such was the gathering for the prize distribution of the Quest Milestones in Science Quiz Competition, on September 26, organised by The Indian Express for outstation areas.These kids had come from places like Ahmednagar, Satara, Sangli, Kohlapur and Sholapur to receive their prizes at the Patrakar Bhavan, Pune. The Quest series, which started on November 14, 1998 had thumbnail sketches of scientists, and required that entries be in the form of scrapbooks, with additional information compiled painstakingly by the children.The gathering was welcomed by Roy Abrahaim, Senior Circulation Executive, The Indian Express, who also introduced the Chief Guest, Brig (Retd) N B Grant. Rajesh Rane, Branch Manager of The Indian Express reassured the audience that ``these kids were as dear to the paper as Pune's kids,'' and the reason why a separate Quest was launched for outstation kids was because it was felt that ``kids outside the city's limits do not get as many facilities and opportunities as those in Pune.''This however, proved to be wrong as the ``judges themselves found that the entries were at par and sometimes even surpassed those of Pune's kids,'' he said.The Quest series did in fact receive an overwhelming response from out-station areas with 56 schools and 3000 students participating. Little wonder that the judges had such a tough time deciding the winners. As Arti Patil a science teacher and one of the judges who was felicitated earlier, said on behalf of the judges fraternity, ``it was indeed a very difficult task to judge thousands of scrapbooks as each one was so creative. I hope there will be many such contests for school children, which will improve their vocabulary and power of expression.''``No soldier ever died for his country,'' said Brig Grant while delivering the stimulating key note address. ``The soldier died for one reason alone - for the izzat of his regiment,'' he said, explaining what `Medals of Honour' meant to a soldier. He described the Victoria Cross - made from the metal of a gun used during the charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War; to stress the intrinsic value of medals. Brig Grant explained that a medal stood for the honour of the regiment and lamented the fact that the Indian Government had started attaching a monetary value to it. "No country in the world had ever attached a monetary value to their medals,'' he added.By far the most eagerly awaited part of the function was the prize distribution. In all, 28 prizes were awarded. There were 15 consolation prizes which comprised of an alarm clock, a trophy and a certificate; 10 special consolation prizes which comprised a walkman, a trophy and a certificate. The first three prizes were given away by Brig Grant.Payal Sarda, received the first prize of a Sunny Zip, Darshana Mandlik received the second prize of a colour TV and Abigal Palha received the third prize - a music system. A vote of thanks was proposed by T Sebastian of Young Expressions. There was also a chance for parents and children to interact for a short meal that followed afterwards. A happy end to the event was the get together of so many children from different parts of the state, and it was Darshana Mandlik, second prize winner who smiling broadly, summed it up in one sentence, ``It feels really great!''
