Bareilly: Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University (MJPRU), Bareilly, organised a storytelling competition as part of Deekshotsav 2026, the series of academic and cultural events being held ahead of the University’s 24th Convocation.
The competition was conducted by the University Cultural Centre under the guidance of Chancellor and Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. P. Singh. It forms part of the activities being organised from July 1 to 15 in schools located in villages adopted by the university.
The competition featured two themes based on different age groups. Students from Classes III to VIII presented stories on “My Favourite Friend,” while participants from Classes IX to XII narrated and wrote stories on “Modern Wonders of Science.” Along with oral storytelling, students also submitted written versions of their stories, showcasing their creativity, imagination, and writing skills.
The younger participants shared inspiring and emotional stories highlighting friendship, compassion, and mutual support, while senior students creatively explained recent scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and innovations through engaging narratives.
In his message, Vice-Chancellor Prof. K. P. Singh said that storytelling is a powerful medium for expressing children’s thoughts, emotions, and imagination. He observed that creating original stories helps students organise their ideas, strengthen language proficiency, develop creative thinking, and enhance communication skills. He also noted that presenting scientific developments through stories is an effective and engaging method of promoting scientific awareness among students.
Cultural Coordinator Dr. Jyoti Pandey said the competition witnessed enthusiastic participation from students and was designed to foster values such as friendship, mutual respect, cooperation, and empathy. The activity also encouraged students to independently explore contemporary scientific developments and present them in a simple and interesting manner through storytelling.
She added that the painting and speech competitions, organised earlier as part of the Deekshotsav programme, were also successfully concluded on Saturday.
The event was organised with the support of Registrar Mahendra Kumar, Cultural Coordinator Dr. Jyoti Pandey, members of the University Cultural Committee, school principals, teachers, and students.
Students from Dohariya, Dohra, Etowa Beniram, and Mudiya Ahmad Nagar villages participated in the competition. Among the participants were Pallavi, Ritik, Rahul, Durga, Abhinav, Pooja, Anushka, Varsha, Vidya, Rishabh, Vaishnavi, Jyoti, Isha, Ritika, Sonakshi, Ananya, Shivani, Bhavna, Aryan, Nancy, Suraj, Pratigya, Shivam, Pari, Neha, Anamika, Saniya, and several others.
Report by Akhilesh Chandra Saxena from Bareilly.
