Jhankaar Beats: Closing the ISJF on a Musical Note

The fifth and final day of the Inter School Jaipuria Fest (ISJF) 2026, held on 22 August 2026, featured the fourth edition of Jhankaar Beats at Seth M. R. Jaipuria School, showcasing the splendour of music, dance, and drama with the participation of 512 students from 20 schools. In the words of the Event Coordinator, Ms. Deepali Tripathi, Jhankaar Beats ‘offers more than just a stage; it is an opportunity to explore, express, and experience a journey where creativity knows no bounds and extraordinary talent comes alive in the most magical ways’. The event was graced by three distinguished Chief Guests, Dr. Kumkum Dhar, a noted Kathak exponent; Prof. Suresh Sharma, an eminent theatre personality; and Mr. Akshaya Kumar, an accomplished Kathak artist, all of whom added depth and prestige to the event with their presence and insights.

The participating teams were given three themes to choose from. The first, ‘From Nightmares to Dreams’, offered the contestants an opportunity to explore the journey of transformation from despondency to hope. It was about celebrating the spirit of resilience which enabled the triumph of hope over darkness. ‘Bharat-Roots and Rhythm’ was the second option available to the participants. It gave them an opportunity to delve into the multifaceted and vibrant hues of Indian performance arts, guided by the motto of unity in diversity. परम्परा से प्रगत, the third theme of Jhankaar Beats, enabled participants to step into the shoes of iconic figures and reimagine the timeless value of characters and narratives.

Centred around these three optional themes, Jhankaar Beats featured seven distinct events: Pratibimb – Duet Dance, Abhivyakti – Group Dance, Vadya Vrind – Orchestra, Swaragini – Indian Vocals, Rhythmic Rhapsody – Western Vocals, Bahurupiya – Drama, and Vocal Vibrato – Beatboxing. Jhankaar Beats also hosted an esteemed panel of artists, musicians, dancers, and theatre professionals as judges for these events: Dr. Raghvendra Pratap Singh and Ms. Lovely Ghildiyal for Pratibimb; Ms. Hricha Arya and Mr. Himanshu Shukla for Abhivyakti; Mr. Sarabjeet Singh Marwah, Mr. Deepak, and Mr. Rahul Chaudhary for Vadya Vrind; Dr. Manisha Saxena and Shri Anubhav Tiwari for Swaragini; Mr. Prakhar Pandey and Mr. Ricky Singh for Rhythmic Rhapsody; Mr. Meraj Alam and Mr. Vikas Gautam for Bahurupiya; and Mr. Aura Music for Vocal Vibrato. Their expertise and insightful evaluation ensured that every performance was assessed with fairness, encouragement, and an appreciation for artistic individuality. At the conclusion, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Lucknow, emerged as the Overall Winner of Jhankaar Beats, while Navsrijan School was declared the Runner-up.

The fifth and final day of the Inter School Jaipuria Festival culminated with a grand closing ceremony, in which the overall winners of ISJF were declared. Even though Seth M. R. Jaipuria School secured the top position with 60 points, being the host institution, the School does not traditionally contend for the title and therefore gracefully ceded the position to the other contenders.  With 32 points, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Lucknow, was declared the Overall Champion of ISJF, while Seth M. R. Jaipuria School, Kursi Road Campus took the Runner-up place with 20 points.

In her closing address, the Principal, Ms. Promini Chopra, observed that the ISJF served as an occasion for realising Sri Aurobindo’s vision of Conscious Transformation, a principle enshrined in the School’s motto, by bringing people together. She further added that in a world where visibility is increasingly replacing connectivity, the ISJF placed human connection and collaboration at the heart of the event. Honouring the School’s tradition of valuing the practice of gratitude, the Principal personally invited on stage and felicitated all the Directors, Co-Ordinators, Event In-Charges, teachers, students, alumni, and administrative and support staff. The contributions of Ms. Deepa Wahi, the Co-Ordinator of ISJF, whose tireless efforts ensured the successful conduct of the festival, were also acknowledged.

Towards the end, the students recreated some memorable segments from the festival. The Head Boy and the Head Girl, who were also the student Directors of ISJF, together with the Directors of individual events and their respective team members, shared powerful reminiscences of their experiences and reflections on their growth in the process of organising the ISJF. These student representatives formally declared the ISJF closed, ending the event on a high note of optimism and a sense of accomplishment. Having set a higher benchmark for the forthcoming year, the ISJF 2026 concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.