27 November, Mumbai. Over 20 teenagers from across the country have converged at St Paul’s, Bandra for the finals of the Teen of the Year 2012, an annual national youth pageant. The finals scheduled for 20-24 November 2012, termed the TEEN-WEEK, have kick-started with a panel discussion on the theme: TEENS FOR A SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS INDIA with special focus on SAVE WATER – EVERY DROP COUNTS.
Organized by The Teenager Today, a national youth magazine published by SSP India, for the 17th year in succession, the national finals of the Teen of the Year 2012 was culminated in the grand finale held at St Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra, on Saturday 24 November 2012 at 5.30 pm. The event saw the best of talent on display and concluded with the crowning of three of the participants with the TEEN OF THE YEAR title.
The Teen of the Year is an annual youth event with a difference in that it seeks to lay due emphasis on what really counts like strength of character, inner beauty and a resolve to give back to the world from what one has gained in life. Evolving into a formidable youth movement over the years, it’s been a journey of self-discovery for every participant, there being no losers as such! On the contrary, participants become achievers by virtue of what they are, taking others along with them.
Earlier in September and October pre-zonals were conducted in 15 major cities across India. The selected ones participated in the zonals held in Guwahati, Bhopal, Jaipur, Chennai and Mumbai and the best four from each zonal participated in the Mumbai Finals.
Samyuktha Viswanathan from Chennai emerge as the Teen of the Year 2012. She also bagged the Best Project award for her well documented project on Save Water. Anisha Gupta from Chennai was adjudged 1st runner up while Mumbai girl Arveen Chugh was 2nd runner – up.
The event was ably compeered by ex-participant of Teen of the Year 2010 Swati Garg. The crowd cheered all the five best on-stage performers from each zone, be it a dance, a song or a ballet. Adding colour to the event Nateshwar Nritya Kala Mandir, Bandra regaled and mesmerized the audiences with their colorful outfits and well synchronized dancing.
Mention must also be made of other prizes for excellence in other areas of the event. The Best on stage teen performance went to Shashrek Ambardar from Delhi for his brilliant Indian dance. Bhopal took home two awards, the Best teen off stage going to Sumi Modi and Most popular teen of the event to Dhruv Agrawal. The Most enterprising teen award went to Samanta Gupta of Guwahati and the last award for Special Community project going to Megha Rathore of Jaipur. All the 20 finalists promised to become the volunteers for the Teen of the year pageant in their own respective places.
