BANA Academic Fest 2025 Ignites Young Minds with Learning, Leadership, and Community Spirit
MISSOURI CITY: The Bihar Association of North America (BANA) hosted its 27th Annual Academic Fest at the First United Methodist Church in Missouri City, transforming the venue into a dynamic arena of intellectual exploration, cultural pride, and community bonding. With over 115 students from Grades 1 through 12 participating, the day-long event highlighted a vibrant blend of STEM and humanities contests, drawing praise from educators, civic leaders, and families alike.
A Showcase of Talent and Rigor
Students competed in a wide array of contests including Math, Science, SAT, Spelling Bee, Vocabulary, Speech, and Arts. The Math and Science challenges were specially crafted by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association (TMSCA), offering students a valuable warm-up for upcoming TMSCA and UIL competitions. Huntington Learning Center facilitated the SAT contest in a digital format, while SpellPundit.com managed the Spelling Bee, bringing national-level rigor to the event.
Speech contest tackled timely topics such as NATO’s relevance, bioengineering ethics, and U.S. tariffs, encouraging critical thinking and public speaking. The Arts contest added a creative dimension, allowing students to express themselves through visual storytelling.
Participation Highlights
- Primary (Grades 1–2): 20 students
- Elementary (Grades 3–5): 35 students
- Middle School (Grades 6–8): 35 students
- High School (Grades 9–12): 25 students
BANA leaders noted that the strong turnout reflected the community’s commitment to academic excellence and holistic development.
Awards and Accolades
The Awards Ceremony, held in the main hall, honored 77 winners with trophies and certificates. Contest volunteers had the privilege of distributing awards, reinforcing the spirit of mentorship and shared achievement.
Special guests included:
- Aryan Singh, Abhishek Prasad Scholarship Winner and a freshman at Johns Hopkins, appreciated students for their academic curiosity and dedication.
- Rick Paul, EVP of Zuhne, who commended the students’ dedication.
- Judge Juli Mathew and Seema Jain, who judged the Middle School Speech Contest.
- Sanjay Singhal, Sugar Land City Council Member, who praised the event’s impact.
- Prashant Kumar Sona, Consul at Consulate General of India, who addressed the audience during the ceremony.
Judge Juli Mathew shared her admiration, saying, “The kids did amazing. Their parents and they should be so proud.”
Gaurav Jhaveri, ICC Director, also praised the event, noting, “BANA does an excellent job — they are very professional. My kids used to participate many years back and we were overly impressed.”
Behind the Scenes: Teamwork in Action
The event was expertly coordinated by BANA President Bidhu Prakash, Vice-President Dr. Prince Kumar, Secretary Tushar Kumar, Treasurer Ritika Bharti, Executive members Pranav Tiwari, Rekha Tiwary, and Dr. Himanshu Verma whose leadership ensured smooth execution across all fronts. A robust volunteer network supported every aspect of the fest: from registration and coordination to contest proctoring and hospitality.
The Control Room, the nerve center of the event, was led by Dr. Santosh Verma, with critical support from Atul Kumar, Ravi Ranjan, Mithilesh Tiwary, and Dr. Mithilesh Kumar — all adult volunteers who ensured grading, score verification, and results were managed with precision and dedication. Student volunteers Simran Singh, Miraj Parikh, and Pranay Anand worked tirelessly from 9:00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m., while others, including Suryansh Priyam, Ishaan Kumar, Angelea Bhagirath, Bhavika Ranjan, Medha Singh, Arya Ranjan, and more, were praised for their energy and reliability.
Biharika: Cultural Keepsake
The release of Biharika, BANA’s biennial publication, added a cultural flourish to the event. Available in both print and digital formats, the magazine featured community stories, heritage highlights, and association updates. Active members and sponsors received complimentary copies.
Gratitude and Looking Ahead
Event leaders Prince and Bidhu closed the day with heartfelt thanks: “However big or small the task, BANA’s more than forty volunteers, took it head-on. Their dedication is truly an inspiration. Nothing would have been possible without the support of the families — we are deeply grateful.”
Sponsors such as ExxonMobil, Shell, GSI Environmental Inc., Huntington Learning Center, Raghunath Prasad, and SpellPundit made the event possible, while media partners Radio Hungama and Citizen Voice helped amplify its reach.
With the bar set high, the community is already looking forward to BANA Academic Fest 2026, promising another day of learning, leadership, and cultural pride.
For more information and the list of awards, visit www.banahouston.org.