IBA Enigma 2012: High school students wow university with talent

Hyderabad chess champion Hammad, who came 32nd in Krakow (Poland) and Adeel play their final chess match on the last day of the IBA Enigma that was held from January 26 at the IBA main campus, Karachi. PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS

“It was a great experience for us. We showed off our talent and got a break from studies,” beamed a bespectacled Arsalan Adil. His team, the Rebels, won the debate where he spoke in favour of drone attacks in the country for the sake of argument.

Organised primarily by the university’s arts society, IBA Enigma focused on celebrating the arts, sports with 400 students from schools as well as universities. They participated in 22 events with singing, debates, quizzes, chess, painting, photography and cooking at the University campus.

On the concluding day, Saturday, a flurry of finals took place. The courtyard was flanked by determined sportspersons. At one end, girls from Nixor College battled it out against the Aga Khan Higher Secondary School—the former winning the game. At the other end, boys in their red football t-shirts fought at the Futsal game.

“We wanted to break the stereotype that business schools have nothing to do with fun and games,” said organiser Syed Shiraz Ali while talking to The Express Tribune. “Also, since talent has no age limit we allowed schools to participate.”

Around 110 students came from Hyderabad. Seated on a bench, Zaki Nadeem and his friends from Army School, Hyderabad prepared for the final round of the singing competition with the Tamil song Kolaveri Di. “Back home, we don’t have competitions at such a huge scale,” he said, adding that he felt that students from Hyderabad were being discriminated against as people kept on asking him if it was the first time he had come to the metropolis.

Among other Hyderabad students was 12-year-old Hammad Ahmed Qureshi, the youngest student to come play chess. Ranked 32nd in the under-13 group in Poland last year, The City School student Qureshi came in second at Enigma. “My father used to play chess, and my interest developed. When I was only three, I knew how to play chess,” he said. Qureshi plays around 20 matches every day, battling with family on the chessboard and with players across the world on the computer.

The final ceremony took place at the auditorium, where students entertained the crowd. Student Syed Umer presented an extempore skit on how a woman is behind every unsuccessful man, receiving  a round of applause. Enigma president Faraz Feroz said that they had been planning since October, going to schools and marketing. “We did not expect to get such an overwhelming response. There has been a lack of opportunities and healthy activities and I am happy we provided that to the students.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2012.