Two Hubballi Students Win Top 100 in National Competition

When 19.2 million students across India entered a national competition celebrating heroes, two girls from Hubballi rose to the very top.

Saanvi Yaragoppa and Zaina Shaikh have secured spots among the country's top 100 students in Veer Gatha 5.0, a competition organized by India's Ministries of Defence and Education. The girls will travel to New Delhi to receive their awards from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh just before Republic Day.

Zaina Shaikh, a tenth grader at Dr. G.V. Joshi Rotary English Medium School, created a short video about Rani Gaidinliu Pamai, a freedom fighter from Nagaland. Her storytelling and video skills impressed judges enough to earn her place among thousands of video submissions nationwide.

Saanvi Yaragoppa, a seventh grader from V.S. Pillay English Medium School, took a different creative path. Her artwork and painting captured the spirit of India's heroes with exceptional skill and vision.

The Veer Gatha competition encourages students to learn about and honor brave figures from India's history. By creating videos, artwork, essays, and other projects, young people connect with stories of courage that shaped their nation.

Why This Inspires

These two students didn't just compete. They stood out among nearly 20 million peers by doing something remarkable: they made history come alive through their creativity.

Their achievement shows what happens when young minds engage deeply with stories of courage and sacrifice. Zaina brought a lesser-known freedom fighter's story to light through modern media, while Saanvi translated heroism into visual art that speaks across languages.

Both girls prove that passion and skill can shine through even in the largest competitions. Their families, schools, and city of Hubballi now watch as they represent their community on one of India's most important national stages.

Young people across India will celebrate Republic Day knowing that peers their age are being honored for keeping the spirit of the nation's heroes alive.