Pune: Aaradhya Lande, Sai Landge Top Shri Mahalakshmi Temple Drawing Competition; Thousands of Students Participate
Aaradhya Lande and Sai Landge secured first prizes in their respective age groups at the Shri Mahalakshmi Temple inter-school drawing competition held during Navratri 2026 in Pune. Thousands of students participated across multiple school venues, with prizes worth ₹1.06 lakh distributed. Sarthak Singh and Ansh Parche were recognised as winners in the special category.
Pune: Aaradhya Lande of Abhinav Vidyalaya and Sai Landge of Dnyanesh Vidyalaya emerged as the top winners of the inter-school drawing competition organised by Shri Mahalakshmi Temple, Sarasbaug, as part of its Navratri 2026 celebrations. The competition attracted thousands of students from schools across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, with prizes worth ₹1.06 lakh distributed among the winners.
The initiative provided young artists with an opportunity to showcase their creativity while exploring themes related to imagination, education and the influence of technology on everyday life.
Young Artists Shine Across Different Categories
In the Classes 5 to 7 category, Aaradhya Lande from Abhinav Vidyalaya secured first place. Kartik Patil of G. R. Palkar Primary School finished second, while Riddhi Sahu from Wisdom World School, Wakad, claimed third place.
In the Classes 8 to 10 category, Sai Landge of Dnyanesh Vidyalaya won first prize. Sanuja Patil from St. Mira's School secured second place, followed by Samruddhi Bartakke of Dnyanvardhini Vidyalaya in third position.
The special category saw Sarthak Singh emerge as the winner, while Ansh Parche secured second place. Two students were also felicitated with special awards in recognition of their achievements.
Thought-Provoking Themes Inspire Creativity
The competition challenged students to express their ideas through three distinctive themes: "If Animals Could Talk," "A Library Without Walls," and "Connected to the World, Disconnected from Life."
The subjects encouraged participants to think beyond conventional drawing topics and explore imaginative storytelling, access to knowledge and the growing impact of digital connectivity on human relationships.
The artwork was evaluated by judges Anant Dere and Nitali Hargude.
Competition Held Across Schools in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad
To ensure wider participation, the organisers conducted the competition at several schools across the city.
The participating venues included Vishwakarma Vidyalaya in Bibwewadi, Universal Wisdom School in Balewadi, Wisdom World School in Wakad and Hadapsar, Mahesh Vidyalaya on Karve Road, and Model School in Shivajinagar.
Thousands of students took part, making the event a major student-focused activity during the Navratri celebrations.
Winners Honoured at Sarasbaug Temple
The prize distribution ceremony was held at Shri Mahalakshmi Temple in Sarasbaug, where the winners were recognised for their artistic achievements.
Police officials Milind Mohite and Swapna Gore attended the ceremony alongside temple trustee Bharat Agarwal, festival coordinator Dr. Trupti Agarwal, Advocate Pratap Pardeshi and Pravin Chorbele.
The event was organised under the guidance of temple founder and chief trustee Rajkumar Agarwal and chief trustee Amita Agarwal.
With a total prize distribution of ₹1.06 lakh, the competition recognised outstanding student talent while encouraging children to develop their creative abilities.
The initiative highlighted the role of cultural and educational activities in nurturing artistic expression among schoolchildren.