Though only 19 years of age Bangalore-based Vikram Hemanathan is already a youth of many achievements. This enthusiastic and cheerful teenager has won more than 200 prizes and awards in inter-school art, drama and sports competitions. His most recent and highly prized accolade is an award in the “Greetings Galore” contest of the IV SAARC International Youth Festival 2003. Vikram’s design was adjudged the second best from among the 17,000 entries received.

Conducted by the highly rated City Montessori School (CMS) Lucknow, the contest attracted entries from 160 schools and junior colleges across south Asia. “I started drawing and painting greeting cards as a hobby in school. Since then I have participated and won prizes in several inter-school art competitions, but this is my first international award,” says Vikram, a mechanical engineering student at the Hindustan College of Engineering, Chennai.

Promoted in 1985, SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) is an association of nations comprising India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. One of its main objectives is to provide all individuals equal opportunity to realise their potential, through the benefit of quality education and healthy interaction. “The philosophy of CMS is embodied in the SAARC youth resolution which proclaims an aim to train and motivate children to strive for a peaceful world. Through these creative contests we hope to spread this message of cooperation and brotherhood,” says S. Kaur, convener, SAARC Youth Festival 2003 and senior principal of CMS Rajendra Nagar branch, one of the 20 CMS schools in Lucknow.

“The card I designed unfolds as a cross- a symbol of peace and unity. I gave Pakistan a special place in my design because it was the host country of the SAARC summit in 2003,” says Vikram.

An active sportsman, theatre artist, social worker and scout, Vikram’s achievements are not limited to art and design. He has won over a hundred prizes in inter-school and inter-college sports tournaments and theatre competitions. Notable among them is the “best actor” award at Theatrix 2003- an inter-collegiate drama competition.

Vikram is quick to acknowledge the unstinting support and encouragement from his self-employed parents V. Hemanathan and Joan, who run a small-scale mechanical engineering business. Eventually he wants to join the family firm and simultaneously engage with professional theatre.

Quite obviously an individual who believes that for the multi-talented, the best of both worlds is possible.

Srinidhi Raghavendra (Bangalore)

Also read: Shivansh Chaturvedi