Palakkad took a narrow lead in the race for the gold cup at the 55th State School Arts Festival here on Saturday.

Palakkad was on 344 points while the host and defending champion, Kozhikode, was just one point behind, with 343 points.

Thrissur was on 339 points, followed by Kannur (327), Kasaragod (325), Kottayam (323), Alappuzha (321), Ernakulam (318), Malappuram (317), and Thiruvananthapuram (313).

Results

Kuchipudi (High School-Girls): 1. P.P. Krishnendu (GHSS, Pilicode, Kasaragod) and Malavika Krishnadas (TRKHSS, Vaniamkulam, Palakkad), 2. Chandana Rajendran (Government Girls, Cherthala, Alappuzha), 3. C.J. Anjitha (Lourde Matha, Cherpu, Thrissur). Boys: 1. Ashwin Anil (ASMM, Alathur, Palakkad), 2. K. Vishnuraj (Tagore Vidyaniketan, Kannur), 3. Arun Ashok (CSHSS, Chattanchal, Kasaragod).

Bharatanatyam: 1. A. Lakshmi Priya (Rani Jai, Nirmalagiri, Kannur), 2. Malavika Krishnadas (TRKHSS, Vaniamkulam, Palakkad), 3. P.L. Parvathi (GGHSS, Attingal, Thiruvnanathapuram) and Sanjana B. Rose (St. Mary’s, Fort Kochi, Ernakulam).

Kolkali: 1. Mohammed Shamlan (Thiruvangoor HSS, Kozhikode), 2. K. Salmanul Faris (AKM, Kottoor, Malappuram), 3. V.V. Mohammed Shahirsha (Jama-ath, Thandekkad, Ernakulam).

Ghazal : 1. Punya Pradeep (BEM HS, Vatakara, Kozhikode), 2. S. Aparna (Cotton Hill, Thiruvananthapuram), 3. Meghana Vinod (Sacred Heart, Thalassery, Kannur) and P.K. Mohmmed Murshid (SNM, Parappanangadi, Malappuram).

Nangiarkoothu: 1. A.R. Aiswarya (Carmel School, Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram) and V.R. Athira (Presentation HSS, Kozhikode), 2. Niharika S. Mohan (Rama Vilasam, Chokli, Kannur) and E.S. Sreevani (HMY, Manjeri, Malappuram), 3. B. Aiswarya (MES, Olavakkod, Palakkad).