Student Achiever: ‘Dance has become an important part of my journey’

His confidence, grace, and dedication helped him shine on an international stage as he won the first prize in the solo dance category at the 8th Indo-Nepal International Dance Championship 2026, held in Nepal. Meet Tejas Riyat, a student at Apeejay School, Model Town. The school Principal, Dr Rajesh Kumar Chandel, congratulated him and praised his talent, hard work, and achievement.

In a candid interview, this Class IX shares his experience about performing in Nepal, among other things.

Did you expect you would win?

I was not sure that I would win the first prize; the competition was fierce. So it was a very special moment when my name was announced as the winner. I felt very happy and proud at the same time.

Tell us about your dance journey.

I have been dancing Kathak for a few years now at various school functions and events under the guidance of our school dance teacher. In fact, she was the one who told me about this Indo-Nepal dance competition. And the journey started from winning the district level, to the state, to the national, and finally international.

How did you prepare for the competition? Describe the high point?

I learnt it from our dance teacher. She was the one who prepared me for the competition and helped me choose the classical Kathak piece I performed on. Performing at the international level can be daunting. At first, I was a little scared about whether I would get a position or not because there was a lot of competition from Nepal and other parts of India. But when I went on stage, I felt a little confident. My best moment was when I gave my last pose on stage. It felt amazing!

What did you learn about Nepal and its culture?

I learnt that the country is very connected to culture. There are a lot of temples there, including the very famous Pashupatinath Temple. I also interacted with Nepalese students and learnt about their folk dance and their culture of Kumari, who is considered the living Goddess of Nepal, and they depict her through dance.

How did your school and teachers support you during this journey?

My teachers supported me a lot. Since I had missed some classes, they provided me with notes and study material. They also took doubt classes later and told me that if I did not understand anything, I could come to them during the free period. When the faculty of Apeejay College of Fine Arts department of dance spotted my talent, they invited me to the festival, where I performed.

How did your parents support you?

My parents have been extremely supportive. Initially, they wanted me to concentrate on academics. But when they saw me perform and win, they saw my talent. After the encouragement from our dance teacher, my parents understood where my passion lies. I now take professional dance classes under a teacher trained in the lineage of Pandit Birju Maharaj.