Media Release

Mangaluru, Sep 5: St Agnes College conducted a national-level intercollegiate fest “Illuminare 2025 – From Shadows to Stardust” on Wednesday, September 3. St Agnes College was one of the first institutions in the region to organize such intercollegiate fests, encouraging talent and knowledge sharing through extracurricular activities under the banner of Agnofest in its early days.

The fest was conducted in two levels, one for undergraduate students and the other for pre-university students. In the open category, a dance drama competition “Brilliant Beats” was held in the evening. Over twenty teams took part in the fest. The events of the day offered a blend of academic and extracurricular activities that engaged both participants and audience.

The central theme of Illuminare 2025 was that in a world where light is born from the deepest darkness, the fest aimed to awaken the spirit of transformation, hope, and brilliance in the student community. The day commenced with a grand inaugural ceremony that vividly brought out the theme on stage.

The chief guest for the inaugural ceremony was Vinay Rai, a well-known actor in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam films and model for over a hundred film and print advertisements. In his address, he appreciated the college for conceiving meaningful events and creating a platform that allowed students from diverse backgrounds to share their unique talents and abilities. He also recalled fond memories of his own student days and connected warmly with the gathering.

Among the dignitaries present on stage were the principal Sr Dr M Venissa AC, administrator Sr M Carmel Rita AC, staff convener of the fest Helen Serrao from the Department of Chemistry, assistant convener Dr Meera from the Department of History, president of the Student Council Ananya Madhu, and secretary Diya. The unveiling of the trophy was a striking highlight of the inaugural ceremony. The staff convener welcomed the gathering and introduced the chief guest, while the Student Council president gave an overview of the fest. The principal expressed her joy, welcomed all participants, and congratulated the staff and students for their efforts in making the day a memorable reality. Dr Meera proposed a vote of thanks.

The morning was abuzz with various competitions across the campus, enabling students from different institutions to share their knowledge and creativity. Among the nine major events, Lux Mentis, a well-executed quiz, stood out for encouraging curiosity and reasoning. Mythos in Motion was another unique event where mythological stories were enacted on stage in a pageantry blending Eastern and Western traditions.

A highlight of the afternoon was the auto expo, which showcased around twenty-five modified cars and supercars along with fifteen modified bikes and superbikes, drawing the attention of automobile enthusiasts. The dance drama competition in the open category followed, giving artists and performers an opportunity to portray varied themes that resonated with the audience.

The fest concluded at 5 pm with the prize distribution and valedictory ceremony. The chief guest for the valedictory was Savitha Chetan Kumar, an alumna of the college, who has acted in two Tulu and one Kannada film. She, along with the principal and staff convener, distributed prizes to the winners.

The overall results were as follows:

• Runners-up: St Agnes PU College in the PUC category and Carmel College, Goa in the undergraduate category

• Champions: St Aloysius PU College and St Aloysius (deemed to be university)

The day ended with a musical variety show across genres and cultures, entertaining and delighting the audience.