31st July 2020 09:19:57 Hours
The grand finale of the 'Jaffna Got Talent 2020', mega singing and dancing competition that attracted hundreds of aesthetically-talented youngsters in the Jaffna peninsula went on boards at Thanthai Chelva Auditorium in Jaffna on Sunday (2) under the patronage of Mrs P. S. M Charles, Governor of Northern Province who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and Mr S Balachandran, Consul General of India in Jaffna as the Guest of Honour on the invitation of Major General Ruwan Wanigasooriya, Commander Security Forces -Jaffna, Major General Ruwan Wanigasooriya, Commander Security Forces - Jaffna, the pioneering architect of the project.
The attractive competition commenced on 11 February 2020 with selection and performance rounds, judged by a panel of professionals from the Faculty of Arts at the Jaffna University and other experts within and outside the Jaffna peninsula, but after the semi-finals, the staging of the finale, earlier fixed for April this year, had to be postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak. The competition was held under two categories, dancing and singing and the competitors had the opportunity to perform in any category of their choice depending on own talents.
The finalists, Jegatheeswaran Mathushigan, the winner of the Singing Competition and Aththiya Jeyabalan, the winner of the Dancing Competition were awarded Champion'shipTrophies with Rs. 200,000.00 each in cash as prizes. The first runners-up trophies were presented to Sivaloganathan Mary Madona in the Singing competition and Vanathy Visvanathan in the Dancing competition by distinguished guests.The contestants placed second and third in each category were also awarded cash prizes worth Rs. 100,000.00 and Rs. 50,000.00 as incentives.
In addition, all the participants at the Grand Finale were awarded certificates and cash prizes. Religious Dignitaries, District Secretary for Jaffna, Consul General of India in Jaffna along with his spouse, Commanders of the Security Forces – Jaffna, Wanni and Kilinochchi, Commander of the Northern Naval Area, General Officers Commanding 51, 52, 55, 65, 66 and 68 Divisions, Commander Forward Maintenance Area (North), Chief Secretary - Northern Province, Secretary of the Governor, Additional District Secretary, Jaffna, Divisional Secretaries in the Jaffna peninsula, Northern Province's Secretary Education, Deans of faculties in the Jaffna University, Senior Officers of Tri Services, Police Officers, troops and a limited number of civilians added significance to this mammoth cultural spectacle that dazzled spectators, conducted in line with current health guidelines.
At the semi-finals 20 competitors (10 each in Singing and Dancing) staged their talents before the expert Judge Panel and a large audience but only five competitors from each category, i. e Singing and Dancing were finally selected to compete in the Grand Finale. Certificates of participation and appreciation were also awarded to 10 semi-finalists who were not selected for the finals before the final show got underway. Running sport media | Sneakers
