On Thursday night in what can only be described as preparation meets destiny, nine year old Hrishikesh Srinivasan of the Maude Crosse Preparatory school emerged the champion of this year’s Courts OECS Reading competition held at the Arawak House of Culture in Dominica.
With a total of 697 points, Hrishikesh quickly stampeded his way to victory. Coming in second was St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Shekinah Campbell with 594 points an Antigua and Barbuda’s Jazz Dias placed third with 586 points. The other participants included Arianna Mercier of St. Lucia, Eden Otway of Grenada and Madannah Auguiste of the host country Dominica.
Each participant received a certificate in the form of a scroll, a trophy, a laptop and $1000, making them all thousand-aires as the MC Felix Henderson joked. In addition, the third place winner received $2000 for herself and her school, second place received $300O for herself and her school, while Hrishikesh Srinivasan received $5000 for himself and another $5000 for Maude Crosse Prep.
As the only boy in the competition, he was cheered on by the boys from local Dominican schools, who were proud to be photographed with him on stage at the end. His parents, Mr and Mrs Mamata Srinivasan accompanied him to Dominica as well as his teacher Shelina Williams.
By bringing the trophy home, this means that the next competition will be hosted in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis in October later this year.
Congrats Hrishikesh!