Over 50 schools celebrate passion and perseverance at city talent hunt
Times of India | 4 August 2026
Kolkata: Over seven unforgettable days, more than 50 West Bengal schools gathered to celebrate talent, passion, and perseverance at Talent Hunt 2026, organised by The Times of India with Times NIE and Being Iban Academy.
Spanning July 17 to 24, the event featured dance, modelling, and acting categories. Preliminary auditions ran through till July 23 at Being Iban Academy, Kolkata, before culminating in a glittering grand finale on July 24 at a city hotel. Reflecting on the event’s vision, Tuhinaa Pandey, chief mentor at Being Iban Academy, said: “Our mission at Being Iban Academy is to discover and guide fresh talent toward rewarding creative careers. From auditions with nearly 500 students to 180 finalists taking the grand finale stage, the energy and skill across modelling, dance, and acting were breathtaking. Supported by parents, schools, and The Times of India NIE, we back this passion at Being Iban Academy with an 11,000-sq-ft facility featuring an in-built ramp, studio, and state-of-the-art classrooms. Guided by industry stalwarts like director Atanu Ghosh, filmmaker Abhijeet Chowdhury and myself, our structured curriculum and placement assistance ensure our students are truly industry-ready.”
The audition rounds at Being Iban Academy saw fierce competition across three categories. Out of 70 dance participants, 66 finalists advanced, with judges Anasua De and Shreyasi Banerjee praising their emotional expression and technical skill. In modelling, 75 of 130 contestants made the cut, lauded by judges Yogita Joshi and Debmalya Banerjee for their standout stage presence. Finally, acting wrapped up with 39 finalists chosen from 60 performers, with judges Sayani Dubey and Sangita Biswas commending the high calibre of young talent.
The grand finale at a packed city hotel stayed electric throughout, driven by host RJ Vineet’s witty, high-energy stage presence. The finalists were evaluated by distinguished panel of judges from cinema, dance, modeling, and media. The acting finalists were evaluated by filmmakers Atanu Ghosh and Abhijit Guha, actor Sudeshna Roy, and news anchor and entrepreneur Reshmi Chatterjee, while the dances were judged by Arkadev Bhattacharya, Arun Charles Ram, Anupriya Misra and Nandita Mondal. The modelling judges included pageant winners Pouja Roy, Satadipa Sarkar, Anindita Basu and Zidane Khaleeque.
After an evening filled with breathtaking performances, the winners were announced across all three categories. In dance, Priyanka Dam of National English School claimed the top honour, followed by Aishika Khan of Shri Shikshayatan School, Falak Roy of Pramila Memorial Advanced School, Tiyana Biswas of St Augustine’s Day School, Shyamnagar, Sampurna Dey of GD Goenka School, Dakshineswar, and Sampriti Pathak of Abhinav Bharati High School.
In modelling, Priti Mondal of Sunny Prep High School emerged victorious, while Sarthak Banerjee of Griffins International School, Kharagpur secured the runner-up position. Mouparna Chakraborty of Calcutta Public School, Barasat finished third, followed by Avni Dagi of Mangalam Vidya Niketan, Ranjendrani Chakraborty of JRS Public School, and Adwitiya Sarkar of St Augustine’s Day School, Shyamnagar.
The acting category saw Akanksha Pal of Griffins International School, Kharagpur crowned the winner, with Abhinab Midya, also from Griffins International School, Kharagpur, finishing second. Innaya Nawaz of Mahadevi Birla Sishu Vihar secured third place, while Brishni Mukherjee of St Agnes School, Kharagpur, Avneesh Singh of St Mary’s and Jesus School, and Shreyash Panda of Vivekananda Mission School, Haldia completed the top six. Cash prizes were awarded to the winners besides certificates and trophies.