Nashik Bhonsala Military School Secures Second Place.

New Delhi : On the occasion of Republic Day, Nashik’s Bhonsala Military Girls’ School won second place in the National School Band Competition, while the Rajarambapu Patil Military School and Sports Academy, Islampur, Sangli district, secured third place in the boys’ category. The winners were honored today with awards presented by Union Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth.

The grand finale of the competition was held on January 24 and 25, 2025. A jury panel comprising representatives from various branches of the Indian Armed Forces selected the winners.

In the girls’ pipe band category, the awards were distributed as follows:

• First Prize: PM Shri Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Patamda, East Singhbhum, Jharkhand (Eastern Region)
• Second Prize: Bhonsala Military School, Nashik, Maharashtra (Western Region)
• Third Prize: Shri Thakurdwara Balika Vidyalaya, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh (Northern Region)

In the boys’ pipe band category, the winners were:

• First Prize: City Montessori School, Kanpur Road, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (Northern Region)
• Second Prize: North Sikkim Academy, Nagn, Sikkim (Eastern Region)
• Third Prize: Rajarambapu Patil Military School and Sports Academy, Islampur, Sangli, Maharashtra (Western Region)

The top three winners in each category received cash prizes of ₹21,000 for first place, ₹16,000 for second place, and ₹11,000 for third place, along with trophies and certificates. Additionally, participating school band teams were given a consolation prize of ₹3,000 each.

The band team that secured first place will perform during the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path on January 26, 2025. The second and third-place teams will showcase their performances at the Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk on January 29, 2025.

This competition, jointly organized by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education since 2023, aims to instill a sense of unity and pride among school band students for their school and country.