Grand celebration of culture & creativity at St Xavier’s University, Kolkata

XavKala’25, the much-anticipated arts and cultural festival of Xavier’s University Cultural and Arts Society (XUCAS) of St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata, brought the spirit of creativity and camaraderie alive, staying true to this year’s theme, ‘Khwaab’ (dreams). Organised by the students and for the students under XUCAS, the event, which had Millennium Post as the media partner, was a celebration of talent, passion, and dreams fulfilled.

From electrifying group dance performances and musical face-offs to an inspiring art exhibition and an engaging open mic, the festival had something for everyone. While competition added excitement to the fest, the heart of XavKala’25 lay in the shared joy, cultural unity, and memories it created. It wasn’t just an event… it was an experience that strengthened bonds, celebrated diversity, and showcased the artistic spirit of students.

Held on March 29 at St Xavier’s University, Kolkata, the sprawling New Town campus came alive with the energy of the students. The festival was inaugurated in the presence of Vice-Chancellor Rev Father Dr John Felix Raj (SJ), Registrar Prof Ashis Mitra, and officials from the administration. “XavKala’25 stands as a testament to the artistic expression of our university, with an array of events that showcase the richness of performing arts. The programme is more than just an exhibition of talents. It is an embodiment of the joy and unity that cultural art brings into our campus. It gives me immense delight to witness this dedication and enthusiasm of the organising teams and the participants alike. May this event continue to nurture creativity, foster unity and create memories in our campus,” said Dr Felix Raj. He also joined in the fun, taking part in games like Flash Quiz and Flip the Bottle.

The V-C believes cultural events provide students with a collective platform for self-expression. “Culture is a vital part of life and a cornerstone of our Indian ethos. Every institution should have the space to celebrate its unique culture while embracing the diversity of our country. That’s why we initiated XUCAS. XavKala’25 brings students from different backgrounds together, helping us appreciate and learn from one another,” he said.

With over 1,000 participants from various disciplines, the campus was brimming with energy. From group dance and musical face-offs to theme walks, art exhibitions, play zones, lifestyle and food stalls, the festival turned the university into a hub of creativity.

“XavKala is the flagship programme of our society, and this is our fourth edition. Each year, we see more students participating, which is highly encouraging. Our aim has always been to bring students together and provide them with a platform to showcase their talents. They excel not only in academics but also in co-curricular activities and the performing arts,” said Dr Antara Ghatak, Professor-in-Charge, XUCAS.

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Ramta Jogi (group dance)

First: Ishan Chiripal and Manaswini Surana

Second: Nrityadhan: Devasmita Ghosh, Shreya Sutradhar, Sutandra Dutta, Srijani Halder and Shreshtha Kar

Third: Soul Synchrony: Mehnaz Sheikh, Anchal Thapa, Attune Salam, Sanghamitra Sardar and Ishika Jaiswal

Con-Fusion Raga (group music)

First: Fitoor

Ashvik Pal

Shaunak Chakraborty

Ankita Neogi

Siddharth Das

Reet Mukherjee

Nritya-e-Bandish (live music dance)

First: Rajni Biswas and Ankita Neoge

Second: Devasmita Ghosh, Soham Das and Shreya Sutradhar

Ace of Aalap (musical face-off)

First: Sneha Sur Ray

Khwaabnaama (theme walk)

First: Celestial Couture

Rashika Majumdar

Abhyudith Sengupta

Soumalya Mitra

Adhiraj Gupta

Pratistha Tiwari

Sayantika Saha

Maithilee Paul

Second: Ximperio

Riddhiv Mukherjee

Godrick Albert

Procheta Bhattacharya

Shalini Poddar

Anubhav Hossam

Baddri Chakma

Meghnil Chattopadhyay

Pratikshe Jha

Third: Midnight Mirage

Madhureem Banerjee

Ashka Singh

Chandni Binani

Diyasha Bose

Vikramaditya Mahan Singh

Hanok Chhetri

Sk. Mashreak Rahman

Abhijay Mukherjie

Xavkala Street (live art exhibition)

People’s Choice: Team Van Gogh

Team Name: Spectrum Squad

Arindam Das, Khushi Partani and Debosmita Majumder

Critic’s Choice: Team Da Vinci

Team Name: M.A.D

Yuvraj Banerjee, Shagun Mittal and Lubdhak Dey

Kuch Toh Log Kahenge (open mic)

First: Reet Mukherjee and Shaswata Deb

Second: Naman Chandak

Third: Namrata Biswas