A special child performs at Bal Shree selection trials on Sunday. (Hardeep Singh)

Ranchi, July 5: The audience today watched Shampy’s performance and went into raptures. Dancing to a peppy number from Bunty Aur Bubbly, she seemed to be like any other 15-year-old.

Overcoming her disability, Shampy participated in the screening for the coveted Bal Shree Honour-2009 at Shiv Mandir Nayas Samiti, Doranda. She participated in the creative performance round.

Around 42 students of different age categories — 9-11 years, 9-16 years, 11-14 years and 14-16 years —participated in the screening test, which began yesterday. Organised by Jharkhand Bal Bhavan, run by an NGO Citizens Foundation, the programme aims to bring to light the best talent the cities, zones, states and nation has to offer. The contest has been categorised into two sections — special and other children — to allow them to display their skills. The creative art and writing screening was held yesterday.

In the general category, Nishta Sharma (11) performed to Chaney Ke Khet Mein. Her performance was followed by others who danced to popular Bollywood song and some even put up odissi, kathak and bharatnatyam on stage.

The performance on both the days were judged by artistes of the state like Shyama Prasad Neogi (AIR), Malvika Mukherjee (classical dancer), Preeti Srivastava (child protection officer of UNICEF), director of Jharkhand Bal Bhavan G.V.R.S. Prasad, painters Haren Thakur and Ramanuj Shekhar.

Vandita Kumari, the project manager of Citizens Foundation, said that within a week the names of the winners would be declared. She added: “Two children from arts, performance, science and writing sections will be selected from the general category and one each from special (physically or mentally challenged) category. The selected candidates will then participated at the zonal-level competition to be held in Calcutta.”