Students at V. M. Salgaocar College of Law, Miramar, celebrated a milestone on 7th July 2025, by hosting a dynamic Open Mic Competition. The event not only showcased the diverse talents of its students, but also marked the two-year anniversary of the college’s innovative “Beyond the Syllabus” initiative.
The Open Mic, aptly themed “Your Stage, Your Original Voice,” saw enthusiastic participation from students eager to share their creative expressions. The sole rule of the competition was “Originality”; performers delivered truly unique acts, drawing from their personal lives to craft original poetry, songs, monologues, and comedy sets.
The unique selling proposition (USP) of the competition was that the audience played a crucial role, with attendees actively engaged not only with their cheers but also by directly influencing the outcome of the competition through a democratic voting system. Using Google Forms, each audience member was able to rate every performance, and the average scores determined the top performers.
Kaushal Bathia secured first place with an impressive average rating of 8.46 out of 10. Saloni Sanjay Haldankar and Akansha Chari’s sublime performances were awarded the first and second runner-up positions, respectively. The top three performers were rewarded with cash prizes, and each performer received a certificate in recognition of their creative involvement. Faculty members Priscilla Fernandes, Siddesh Tari, and Ramrai Naik presented the prizes to the winners. Prof. Bhaskar Nayak, Dr. Sonal Sardessai, and Sachin Panicker were also present, lending their support to the programme.
The event was made possible by the dedicated organising team composed of Achal Candolkar, Nidhi Gawade, Arya Nadkarni, Shraddha Yadav, Joshua Desouza, Priya Shirodkar, Devanshi Harmalkar, and Saisha Mandrekar, led by Principal Prof. Shaber Ali and the faculty co-ordinator Ramrai Naik. The event witnessed students expressing themselves authentically. Further reinforcing the initiative’s commitment to providing a platform for creativity and personal growth, underscoring the college’s dedication to inculcating an environment where originality and self-expression are celebrated.
“Beyond the Syllabus,” founded by Ramrai Naik, a faculty member at VMSCL, as part of the institute’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, is a unique initiative aimed at offering students unique opportunities and experiences that go beyond conventional classroom learning. This initiative has consistently aimed to promote holistic development and encourage students to explore their passions.
